Introduction
This report continues a series of investigations into the status of political prisoners sentenced to death in Iran. Currently, nearly 60 political prisoners in Iran face execution. On December 1, 2024, six of them were sentenced to death, sparking widespread international reactions. Amnesty International and numerous human rights organizations issued statements calling for an immediate halt to these executions. This special report focuses on the case of Seyed Abolhassan Montazer, a political prisoner sentenced to death, denied medical care, and at risk of death.
Deteriorating Health of Political Prisoner Abolhassan Montazer: Denied Medical Care and Sentenced to Death
Seyed Abolhassan Montazer, a 65-year-old political prisoner suffering from multiple life-threatening conditions—including heart disease, diabetes, prostate issues, kidney stones, and chest hernia—is being held under deplorable conditions in Evin Prison. A longtime target of repeated arrests, Montazer is currently in a critical condition, yet prison authorities are preventing his transfer to a hospital.
Despite his dire health situation, Judge Iman Afshari of Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court sentenced him to death. Reports indicate that Montazer was subjected to torture and forced confessions, raising serious concerns about the legitimacy of the charges against him.
A Life of Continuous Arrests in Iran’s Notorious Prisons
Born in 1959 in Tehran, Abolhassan Montazer is a university graduate in architecture, married, and a father of two. His first political imprisonment dates back to 1977, under the Pahlavi regime. After the 1979 Revolution, he was re-arrested in 1981 by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards and spent four years and three months in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad. In 2018, he was arrested again and sentenced to five years in prison. However, this was not the end of his persecution. In January 2024, he was once again detained and transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison.
Death Sentence Despite Life-Threatening Health Conditions
On December 1, 2024, Seyed Abolhassan Montazer, along with five other political prisoners—Vahid Bani Amarian, Pouya Ghobadi Biston, Babak Alipour, Seyed Mohammad Taghavi, and Ali Akbar Daneshvarkar—was sentenced to death on charges of “rebellion” (Baghi) and “collusion against national security”.
His death sentence was issued while he remains in urgent need of medical care. Doctors have warned him that his condition is critical, yet prison officials continue to deny him access to proper treatment.
Torture and Medical Deprivation: A Tactic to Pressure Political Prisoners
Abolhassan Montazer suffers from multiple severe medical conditions:
- Serious heart disease, with a history of open-heart surgery
- Advanced diabetes, causing extreme physical weakness
- Prostate issues and kidney stones, requiring urgent surgery
- Chest hernia, leading to severe respiratory problems
- Psoriasis, a chronic skin condition exacerbated by stress and poor prison conditions
In one instance, after suffering a heart attack, he was briefly transferred to a hospital but was shackled to the bed with chains. The inhumane conditions led him to refuse further treatment, forcing his return to prison. Reports indicate that he has been subjected to solitary confinement, beatings, and psychological pressure to extract forced confessions.
International Calls to Stop Executions
On January 23, 2025, Amnesty International issued a statement urging immediate action to save the lives of these six political prisoners. The statement reads:
“Six political prisoners—Abolhassan Montazer, Vahid Bani Amarian, Pouya Ghobadi Biston, Babak Alipour, Seyed Mohammad Taghavi, and Ali Akbar Daneshvarkar—have been sentenced to death following an unfair trial tainted by torture, forced confessions, and grave human rights violations. We call on the Iranian authorities to immediately halt these executions and release the prisoners.”
Amnesty International further emphasized that these prisoners have endured severe torture and that their fundamental rights have been systematically violated. The organization has called on the international community to take urgent action to prevent these executions.
Conclusion
Political prisoner Abolhassan Montazer, along with five other inmates, remains detained under inhumane conditions in Evin Prison, denied access to necessary medical treatment. These prisoners are victims of a grossly unjust judicial process designed to silence dissent. The international community must take immediate action to prevent these unjust executions.
Future reports will provide further details on other political prisoners facing imminent execution under Iran’s oppressive judicial system.
