Incarcerated Political Prisoner in Urgent Need of Treatment

Farah Vazehan incarcerated Iranian citizen behind bars at Evin prison is in urgent need of furlough in order to receive medical treatment. Judicial officials however, continue to ignore her dire condition.

Vazehan who is currently serving a 17 year prison sentence, is suffering from a tumor in her feet. Her physical well being is in grave danger and she is unable to perform mundane, daily tasks.

According to the Human Rights House of Iran (RAHAHA) despite suffering from an internal infection and her dire physical condition, her medical needs have been neglected to date. Vazehan’s family have requested that the prosecutor’s office grant her furlough from prison in order to receive medical treatment, but have not yet received a response to their request.

It is worth mentioning that despite complaints by human rights activists in the recent years regarding the lack of access to appropriate medical treatment for political prisoners in Iran’s notorious prisons, judicial officials have continued to ignore their health and well being.

Farah Vazehan was arrested on December 29, 2009 at home in Tehran. Her arrest took place two days after the Ashura uprising and mass protests by citizens against the election results in Iran. She was transferred to solitary confinement at Evin’s ward 209.

On August 4th, 2010, Vazehan was sentenced to death after eight months of temporary detention. The ruling was rendered by Judge Salavati of the Revolutionary Court’s 15th branch and Vazehan was charged with “participating in street protests”, “being a Mohareb [enemy of God] as a result of “collaboration with the Mojahedin Khalgh (MKO)”

Vazehan denied these charges in court. Though her death sentence was initially upheld by the appeals court, it was later over ruled by the 28th branch of the Revolutionary Court in January 2010. She was later sentenced to 17 years imprisonment and exile to Rajai Shahr prison.

Source: Human Rights House of IRAN