View this profile on Instagram

Impact Iran (@impactiran) • Instagram photos and videos

08/02/2019 Press Releases (Rehman)

Iran: Prisoners Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Narges Mohammadi need appropriate health care urgently – UN experts

GENEVA (16 January 2019) – UN human rights experts* have today called on Iran to urgently provide Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Narges Mohammadi access to appropriate health care, and reiterated calls for their immediate release.

“We urge the Government to immediately and unconditionally provide Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Narges Mohammadi with access to the appropriate treatment and care they have repeatedly requested in light of their serious health concerns,” the experts said.

Ms. Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a dual UK-Iranian national, has been denied appropriate health care by the Iranian authorities for lumps in her breasts, severe neck pain, and numbness in her arms and legs, her husband has said. She has also been denied appropriate mental health care from outside Evin Prison.

Ms. Mohammadi, an Iranian human rights defender, has been denied appropriate health care for over a year despite suffering from a pulmonary embolism, related blood clots, bleeding and repeated seizures, people with knowledge of her situation have said. She also requires follow-up treatment for a gall-bladder operation.

The experts expressed alarm that the denial of appropriate health care has compelled Ms. Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Ms. Mohammadi to start a hunger strike in protest. The experts deplored footage aired on national television of Ms. Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s arrest in a documentary soon after her announcement that she would begin a hunger strike.

“The authorities must urgently address the violations that are the basis of their hunger strike protest, including denial of appropriate treatment and care, which may well amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, or even torture,” the experts said.

The experts also pointed to the findings of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and reiterated calls for the immediate release of Ms. Mohammadi and Ms. Zaghari-Ratcliffe. In separate opinions, the Working Group found that the two women had been arbitrarily detained.** Ms. Mohammadi and Ms. Zaghari-Ratcliffe have been detained since May 2015 and April 2016 respectively.

The experts stated that the situation of Ms. Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Ms. Mohammadi is emblematic of numerous reports received related to the denial of appropriate treatment and care of imprisoned individuals in Iran, and urged the authorities to ensure appropriate treatment and care is afforded to all those in need of it.

The experts said that as a party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Government has an obligation to respect the right of all persons, including prisoners, to have access to health services. Further, the universally accepted ‘Mandela Rules’ on treatment of prisoners specify that all prisons shall ensure prompt access to appropriate medical attention. The experts further recalled that as a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Government has an obligation to protect the right to life.

The UN experts have previously notified the Government of Iran about their concerns.

(*) The UN experts: Mr. Dainius Pῡras, Special Rapporteur on the right to healthMr. Diego García-SayánSpecial Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers; Mr. Nils MelzerSpecial Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishmentMr. Seong-Phil HongChair-Rapporteur, Working Group on Arbitrary DetentionMr. Michel Forst, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; Mr. Javaid RehmanSpecial Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

(all times in EST)

07 12 23
  • International Civil Aviation Day

    07 12 23

09 12 23
  • International Anti-Corruption Day

    09 12 23

  • International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime

    09 12 23

10 12 23
  • Human Rights Day

    10 12 23

  • Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony

    10 12 23
    Oslo City Hall Rådhusplassen 1, 0037 Oslo, Norway

11 12 23
  • International Mountain Day

    11 12 23

12 12 23
  • International Day of Neutrality

    12 12 23

13 12 23
  • Sakharov Prize 2023

    13 12 23
    Paul-Henri Spaak Building Rue Wiertz / Wiertzstraat 60 B-1047 Brussels Belgium

18 12 23
  • Arabic Language Day

    18 12 23

  • International Migrants Day

    18 12 23

20 12 23
  • International Human Solidarity Day

    20 12 23

27 01 24
  • International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust

    27 01 24

04 02 24
  • World Cancer Day

    04 02 24

06 02 24
  • International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation

    06 02 24

11 02 24
  • International Day of Women and Girls in Science

    11 02 24

13 02 24
  • World Radio Day

    13 02 24

20 02 24
  • World Day of Social Justice

    20 02 24

21 02 24
  • International Mother Language Day

    21 02 24

01 03 24
  • Zero Discrimination Day

    01 03 24

03 03 24
  • World Wildlife Day

    03 03 24

08 03 24
  • International Women's Day

    08 03 24

20 03 24
  • French Language Day

    20 03 24

  • International Day of Happiness

    20 03 24

21 03 24
  • International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

    21 03 24

  • International Day of Forests

    21 03 24

  • International Day of Nowruz

    21 03 24

  • World Down Syndrome Day

    21 03 24

  • World Poetry Day

    21 03 24

22 03 24
  • World Water Day

    22 03 24

23 03 24
  • World Meteorological Day

    23 03 24

24 03 24
  • International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims

    24 03 24

  • World Tuberculosis Day

    24 03 24

25 03 24
  • International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade

    25 03 24

  • International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members

    25 03 24

02 04 24
  • World Autism Awareness Day

    02 04 24

04 04 24
  • International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action

    04 04 24

06 04 24
  • International Day of Sport for Development and Peace

    06 04 24