Authorities at Ghezel Hesar Prison deny urgent treatment to 66-year-old political prisoner, exposing a deliberate policy of using medical deprivation as torture.
Reports from Iran Freedom reveal that Abolhassan Montazer, a 66-year-old political prisoner held in Ghezel Hesar Prison, is in a life-threatening condition due to deliberate medical neglect. Prison authorities and security agencies have systematically denied him critical treatment, turning his case into a stark example of “medical deprivation” as an instrument of torture against political detainees.
Escalating Health Crisis
In recent days, Montazer suffered from severe fever and chills. Emergency tests at the prison’s infirmary showed his platelet count had dropped to a dangerously low 38,000, far below the normal level required for survival. He was transferred to Imam Ali Hospital in Karaj, yet instead of being admitted, he was shackled to a chair for 24 hours without medical attention or even access to food.
Deadly Delays in Platelet Treatment
When finally admitted, his condition worsened. Doctors prescribed 10 units of platelets, but hospital staff delayed treatment for three days citing shortages. During this period, Montazer experienced continuous nosebleeds lasting six hours, internal bleeding, blood in his stool, loss of consciousness, and severe hallucinations. Only after five days did he receive a reduced transfusion of 5 units, raising his platelet count to 104,000—still below the normal 168,000.
Denied Access to Vital Medication and Tests
The treating physician also prescribed two critical injections to stabilize his platelet levels. Authorities shifted responsibility between the hospital and prison, and neither provided the medication. Similarly, despite Montazer offering to personally cover the cost of specialized external testing, prison officials blocked his access.
Human Rights Violations
The case illustrates systematic violations:
- Shackling him during hospitalization, even in his critical state.
- Intentional delays in urgent treatment.
- Blocking access to essential drugs and diagnostic tests.
Ignored Medical Recommendations
Doctors have stressed urgent steps: external specialized testing, access to life-saving drugs, examination of chest deformities, and consultation with a hematology specialist. None of these measures have been carried out, and Montazer was returned to prison under only partial treatment.
Background and Intensified Pressure
Born in 1959 in Tehran, Montazer has a long history as a political prisoner, first jailed in Mashhad in 1977 and repeatedly arrested in the following decades. His most recent detention was in January 2024, when he was transferred to Ghezel Hesar. Since then, his health has sharply deteriorated, exacerbated by repeated beatings and consistent obstruction of medical care.
His ordeal underscores a broader pattern: in Iran, denial of medical treatment has become a state policy designed to weaken and silence political prisoners. Abolhassan Montazer’s life remains in imminent danger, not from lack of resources but from deliberate, calculated neglect intended to suppress dissent.
