Iran: Negligence Allegations Surface as Inmate Dies in Evin Prison Amid Medical Concerns

Iran: Negligence Allegations Surface as Inmate Dies in Evin Prison Amid Medical Concerns

Iranian-American Faramarz Javidzad, who was on trial for fraudulent real estate transactions, has tragically died in Evin prison, Tehran. Javidzad had been imprisoned for two months, and his unfortunate demise over the weekend was reported by the official IRNA news agency, an account which referred to details from prison authorities.

The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), based in the United States, made a declaration that raises critical questions. Javidzad, as stated by HRANA, had been affected by cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and stomach bleeding. They pointed towards “insufficient medical attention and a delay in his transfer to a hospital” as the primary causes of Javidzad’s tragic end.

Denied Essential Medical Assistance

Despite a judge’s approval for Javidzad to be moved to a hospital outside Evin, HRANA stated that prison authorities not only impeded his critical healthcare but also delayed his transfer.

Several global human rights organizations such as the Iran Human Rights Monitor, the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, and the Iran Human Rights Society – the last two non-governmental organizations (NGOs) being based in Norway and Iran, respectively – reported that Javidzad was of Jewish ancestry.

Contrasting Reports Surrounding The Incident

The official statement referred by the IRNA revealed that even though Javidzad had a “history of gastrointestinal diseases,” he had been relocated to medical centers beyond the prison precinct on five separate occasions.

On the fateful Sunday when his condition significantly deteriorated, Javidzad was “immediately transferred to the prison hospital,” where CPR was performed by medical professionals that included a doctor, a nurse, and emergency personnel. Despite their best efforts, Javidzad succumbed.

The age of the deceased has been reported inconsistently, with IRNA stating he was 60 and HRANA stating 63. Either way, a life has been lost, fueling a flurry of international concern.

Challenging the Iranian-US Duality

Initial reports from HRANA and Iran International, a Persian-language TV channel, identified Javidzad as an Iranian-American dual citizen, a point of contention as State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller from Washington contradicted their claims, stating to the best of their knowledge, Javidzad was not a U.S. citizen.

U.S. Response to the Incident

Miller expressed concern over signals indicating that Javidzad was denied medical assistance while under the care of Iranian authorities, despite clarifying that they “have no records to indicate that he was a lawful permanent resident.”

Human Rights Violations Rife in Iranian Prisons

Sadly, Javidzad’s case isn’t an isolated one. In March 2022, Australian-Iranian Shokrollah Jebeli, 82, also died after being held in Evin since January 2020, following a conviction for a financial dispute. His death, Amnesty International claimed, revealed “arbitrary deprivation of life,” attributing it to “deliberate” healthcare denial.

Iran is regularly accused of deliberately denying life-saving medical aid to its detainees, with a shocking 96 cases confirmed since 2010 of detainees dying due to inadequate treatment, according to an April 2022 report by this human rights watchdog.