News

A jailed Iranian blogger and human rights activist is reportedly in poor health after undergoing a kidney transplant, RFE/RL's Radio Farda reports.

Hossein Ronaghi Maleki, who is serving a 15-year sentence at Evin prison outside of Tehran, had recently undergone the operation after contracting a kidney disease.

Ronaghi Maleki was arrested by military intelligence officers in the Tehran suburb of Malekan on December 13, 2009.

Ahmad Ronaghi, Hossein's father, told Radio Farda in an interview on July 6 that "my wife told me that she received a call from the prison saying that Hossein had been transferred to the prison hospital due to bad health, and she urged me to go to the prison."

He said he went to the prison and requested he be allowed to see his son or for he or his wife to speak with Hossein by phone. "But he was not allowed to" contact us.

Hossein's father said the family is extremely concerned about their son's health.