English: Evin House of Detention فارسی: زندان اوین (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Omid Kokabee, the graduate student at Texas University/Austin who has been imprisoned in Iran since 2011, has been denied medical care for kidney and stomach problems and was recently transferred to Evin Prison’s quarantine without basis, according to the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. We reproduce the Campaign’s article of September 4, 2014 in full below.
CCS has been advocating on behalf of Kokabee, the winner of the 2014 Sakharov prize for human rights, since his arrest in 2011. We urge the Iranian authorities to immediately provide Kokabee with appropriate medical care and to move him from inhumane prison conditions, as required by the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a party, which states that no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Omid Kokabi, an exceptional student serving a 10-year sentence, has not been allowed medical treatment outside Evin Prison despite his worsening kidney stone condition and stomach ailment, a source told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran.
Kokabi, 33, who has not been allowed furlough once in the four years since his incarceration (a customary practice in Iran but routinely denied to political prisoners), was among the country’s top students. He was studying post-doctoral Nuclear Physics at the University of Texas at Austin at the time of his arrest at Tehran’s International Airport as he was about to leave the country on January 30, 2011, after visiting family in Iran.
He was kept in solitary confinement for over a month during his 15-month pre-trial detention. On May 14, 2012, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison by Judge Salavati for “contact with enemy states” and other falsified charges.
“Omid has been suffering from kidney stones and stomach problems for a long time. His teeth are hurting, too. But even though doctors at the prison clinic have confirmed his need for treatment outside the prison, and despite many requests by Omid, so far there has been no approval for his transfer and his condition in the prison quarantine has worsened,” the source told the Campaign. The denial of medical treatment, especially in the case of political prisoners, is endemic throughout the Iranian judicial system, even in cases where treatment is needed for life-threatening illness or injuries.
The source described Evin Prison’s quarantine, where many political prisoners from Ward 350 have been transferred to since August 12, as a basement without windows or proper ventilation. It has four rooms with a total of 100 prisoners and only four small toilets and showers. There is no space to walk or exercise.
“Because of lack of proper ventilation and sanitation, there are lots of insects there and many of the prisoners have developed skin problems. Cultural and physical activities are banned, but even if they were allowed, there’s no space for them. Despite all these difficulties, Omid studies and teaches other prisoners, too,” the source added.
