The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran called on the Iranian Judiciary to immediately release imprisoned human rights activist Mohammad Sadiq Kaboudvand for urgently needed medical treatment. In the early hours of 17 December 2008, Kaboudvand suffered a heart attack inside his cell in Evin Prison, and is in a life-threatening situation.
“Kaboudvand should have never been imprisoned in the first place for his peaceful human rights activities,” said Hadi Ghaemi, the Campaign’s spokesperson. “Now his life is in grave danger and Iranian authorities bear full responsibility for his health and safety.
Kaboudvand is a prominent Iranian human rights defender and founder of the Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan (HROK). He is serving a 10 year prison term. He has been prosecuted solely for his human rights activism.
Kaboudvand’s wife, Parinaz Baghbani Hassani, told the Campaign that she last talked to Kaboudvand by phone on 16 December. Kaboudvand said he was seriously ill with a kidney infection and had contracted the flu. On the morning of 17 December, Hassani received word from inside the prison that Kaboudvand had suffered a heart attack in the middle of the night. Kaboudvand also suffered a heart attack on 19 May 2008
During their last phone conversation on 16 December, Kaboudvand told his wife that medical doctors at Evin Prison are concerned about his high blood pressure, kidney infection, and prostate condition. His wife told the Campaign that Kaboudvand’s family has a history of heart conditions. Both of Kaboudvand’s parents died of heart attacks and his siblings have also suffered heart attacks, she said
According to Baghbani, prison doctors have written to judicial authorities stating that Kaboudvand is in urgent need of specialist medical care outside of the prison, but the authorities have not taken any action. Baghbani also told the Campaign that as winter is beginning in Tehran, Evin Prison’s heating system is malfunctioning and prisoners have complained of exposure to severe cold.
In addition to the founding of the HROK, Kaboudvand is also the managing director and editor of the banned weekly “Payam Mardom.” After the establishment of the HROK on 9 April 2004, it quickly became a primary source of reports and advocacy on a wide range of human rights issues
Kaboudvand also lead a peaceful campaign of advocacy with local and national authorities to bring attention to widespread violations of human rights in Kurdistan. The HROK grew to include 200 local reporters throughout the Iranian Kurdish region, enabling it to provide detailed and timely reports from throughout the region. Kaboudvand was instrumental in creating a civil society network for Kurdish youth and activists through the establishment of HROK. Kaboudvand thus made a very important contribution to flourishing civil society in Iranian Kurdistan through the establishment of HROK and publication of “Payam Mardom.”
Intelligence agents arrested Kaboudvand on 1 July 2007. He was then transferred to his house, which was searched. He was subsequently taken to ward 209 of Evin Prison, the ward under the control of the Intelligence Ministry. He was held in solitary confinement for five months
Prosecutors charged him with “acting against national security by establishing the Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan,” with “widespread propaganda against the system by disseminating news,” “opposing Islamic penal laws by publicizing punishments such as stoning and executions,” and “advocating on behalf of political prisoners.” He has been sentenced to 10 years in prison
“It is completely unacceptable that Kaboudvand is being imprisoned solely for his human rights work. Now with his health in great danger, Iranian authorities have a serious obligation to release him and end his unjust confinement,” Ghaemi said.
For the latest human rights developments in Iran visit the Campaign’s website at www.iranhumanrights.org
For more information:
Hadi Ghaemi, in New York: +1-917-669-5996
Aaron Rhodes, in Vienna: +43-676-635-6612
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The problem lies within the Iranian
by Anonymous Kourosh (not verified) on Mon Dec 22, 2008 12:12 PM PSTway of thought. We, Iranians, do not pursue a subject thoroughly; we observe, say our opinion, then leave it be, forgetting about it. Paradoxically, European state of mind or American do not let go of things so easily, they scrutinize and do more than just voice their opinion. They take action.
really?!
by MRX1 (not verified) on Mon Dec 22, 2008 08:40 AM PSTProblem is, this guy is not palestenian being abused by Isreal. otherwise you would have seen 300 postings in here by now!
Iranian life has no value what so ever.....
really?!
by hendooneh on Mon Dec 22, 2008 07:08 AM PSTonly 5 comments?! and the shoe-thrower article gets 300?
where is the outrage? why do i hear crickets?
really?!
khaak too saremoon
ای ظالمان ارض O OPPRESSORS ON EARTH!
faryarmSun Dec 21, 2008 09:31 PM PST
ای ظالمان ارض
از ظلم دست خود را کوتاه نمائيد که قسم ياد نمودهام از ظلم احدی نگذرم و اين عهدی است که در لوح محفوظ محتوم داشتم و بخاتم عزّ مختوم * بهاءالله
O OPPRESSORS ON EARTH! Withdraw your hands from tyranny, for I have pledged Myself not to forgive any man’s injustice. This is My covenant which I have irrevocably decreed .in the preserved tablet and sealed with My seal
Baha'u'llah
what can we do?
by IRANdokht on Sun Dec 21, 2008 11:18 AM PSTDear Mr Naficy
Thank you for sending this news in.
There is a long list of prisoners in Evin who do not deserve to be. In some cases, there's been no recent updates and there are many more innocents that have not been named in any list.
//www.iranhumanrights.org/themes/profiles.html
What can we do? We can write to these email addresses, use the list to name the prisoner: Kaboodvand, Kamangar, Abdi, Safazadeh and many more.
We can either sit behind our computer screens and condemn the actions of IRI, throw our fists in the air and shout out slogans, give up and be convinced that there is nothing we can do, or we can send this information to many people and ask everyone to send an email to these offices or contact them by phone and raise the regime's awareness that these folks are not alone, they will not be forgotten and that the regime is a lot less popular because of these actions.
IRANdokht
Toak Zebooni
by Hassan (lall) Danesh (not verified) on Sun Dec 21, 2008 11:11 AM PST>
>
>Can They Improvise?
Some folks
In gang society
Speak so self assured
Using only the very extreme tip of their tongue end
To impress others and show their brevity
While keeping the rest of it virtually idle
Except for food swallowing
You wonder what will happen to them
If in an accident
They lose that small tip of their tongue
--A.H. Danesh, Teacher
>
Nothing new
by MRX1 (not verified) on Sun Dec 21, 2008 10:16 AM PSTwe will be hearing news like this on a daily basis untill this backward, inhumane, un-iranian regime is gone.
NO IDEA...
by Abol T Danesh, Porf. Dr. (not verified) on Sun Dec 21, 2008 09:50 AM PST-------------------------T-------------------
You have no idea what I have gone through... no idea...
Shhhhhhhhhh....
The most peaceful
by Fred on Sun Dec 21, 2008 05:52 AM PSTThis Islamist regime will continue to eliminate the best, brightest and the most peaceful of Iranians all the while the free world is debating whether to do business with Rafsanjani/Khatami duo or Ahmadinejad and co. The entire regime in all its manifestations is an aberration and for as long as it is not overthrown in its totality it will continue with murder and mayhem both locally and internationally. Time is ripe to help beleaguered Iranians to put an end to this Islamist madness.