Ailing Political Prisoner Rejected for Furlough

HRANA News Agency – Ahmad Daneshpour Moghadam, political prisoner sentenced to death is being rejected for medical leave by prison’s authorities, in spite of deteriorating health condition.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Ahmad Daneshpour Moghadam, political prisoner sentenced to death who is imprisoned at Ward 350 of Evin Prison is suffering from Colon bleeding, his health condition is critical and prison authorities deny his furlough request.

Ahmad Daneshpour and his father Mohsen Daneshpour have had their death sentences upheld by the Appeal Court on 15th May 2010. This was done after an unfair trial, where weak evidence was presented.

Mohsen and Ahmad were arrested with Ahmad's mother after the Ashura protests. They did not receive independent legal representation, nor were their family members allowed to visit them during their prosecution. Their family did not even receive notification of the Court Hearing OR death sentence.

They are charged with "deliberate cooperation with MKO," "gathering and colluding against national security," and "propaganda against the regime and in the interest of enemies." The evidence supporting these charges included a trip by the parents to Iraq to visit another son, who is a member of MKO, sending videos and pictures to MKO, and participating in demonstrations. None of these charges are either reasonable or punishable by death.

Renowned Human Rights Lawyer Mohammad Sharif, who has been able to successfully defend others sentenced to death under such circumstances, was not able to defend Mohsen's and Ahmad's cases as they were sent to the Appeals Court before he was allowed to prepare them.

Human Rights sources such as International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran strongly condemns the issuance of disproportiate sentences like Mohsen's and Ahmad's which are based on unfounded charges and result in executions.

The barbaric violations of human rights by the Iranian regime have resulted in the devastation of another whole family with these death sentences.