The Islamic Republic Wants to Make Sure My Father Dies in Prison: A Letter
Sadly, the news that my father had another heart attack reached me yesterday. They transferred him to the prison infirmary. Three doctors by the names of Amhedi, Nejad Bahram and Ghalizade were of the opinion that my father needs to go to a city hospital outside of the prison infirmary, one with the proper equipment. They said that any further hardening of his arteries will cause his heart to stop, that death will surely follow.
Last month Dr. Amhedi and Dr. Nejad Bahram signed a document asking for my father's release from prison, deeming his treatment there "criminal." This, of course, was strongly opposed by those in charge of the prison, the prosecutor and the judge. But the prison authorities do not listen to the warnings of doctors in charge of the prisoners, not even in emergency situations. They are completely indifferent to the physical conditions of the political prisoners. To them, the doctors' opinions are of no importance; they completely ignore them.
According to a few doctors, keeping my father in prison longer will cause more heart attacks and death. But the Islamic hardliners of Iran close their eyes to the harsh mistreatment of political prisoners. This is how they fight against those who have political opinions: by imprisonment, torture, executions and many other crimes. This is how they stop the opposition so that no one dares to criticize the regime. All Iranians have to obey and do whatever pleases the system.
In conclusion I, the daughter of a political prisoner, via this letter, would like to announce that if any unfortunate things should happen to my father, Mohammad-Reza Pourshajari, the first person I hold absolutely responsible is Ayatollah Khamenei.
Mitra Pourshajari, February 18, 2013
Note: On September 12, 2010, Mohammad-Reza Pourshajari, a writer who blogged about the situation inside Iran under the alias name of Siavash Mehr, was arrested at his home at city of Karaj, and sent to the infamous Rajai-Shahr prison, where the American Pastor Saeed Abedini is also now being held, to the ward under the control of the Sepah. After seven months of continual torture, he signed a "confession," then tried to commit suicide by cutting himself with the broken lens of his eyeglasses. Because of his activism, and communicating with those outside of prison, he was transferred to the central prison in Karaj: the Ghazahassr Prison. There, he was sentenced to four years, allegedly for "insulting the Supreme Leader, for acting against national security and for insulting the sacred religion of Islam." During all this time he has been denied an attorney. At present, he is suffering from severe heart complications. The authorities are refusing the transfer of Mr. Pourshajari to a medical facility and are depriving him of all of his medications, in the hope that he will soon die.
