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)

29 05 23
  • International Day of UN Peacekeepers

    29 05 23

31 05 23
  • World No-Tobacco Day

    31 05 23

01 06 23
  • Global Day of Parents

    01 06 23

04 06 23
  • International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression

    04 06 23

05 06 23
  • World Environment Day

    05 06 23

06 06 23
  • Russian Language Day

    06 06 23

08 06 23
  • World Oceans Day

    08 06 23

12 06 23
  • World Day Against Child Labour

    12 06 23

13 06 23
  • International Albinism Awareness Day

    13 06 23

14 06 23
  • World Blood Donor Day

    14 06 23

15 06 23
  • World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

    15 06 23

16 06 23
  • International Day of Family Remittances

    16 06 23

17 06 23
  • World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

    17 06 23

18 06 23
  • Sustainable Gastronomy Day

    18 06 23

19 06 23
  • International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict

    19 06 23

20 06 23
  • World Refugee Day

    20 06 23

21 06 23
  • International Day of Yoga

    21 06 23

23 06 23
  • International Widows' Day

    23 06 23

  • United Nations Public Service Day

    23 06 23

25 06 23
  • Day of the Seafarer

    25 06 23

26 06 23
  • International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

    26 06 23

  • United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

    26 06 23

27 06 23
  • Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day

    27 06 23

29 06 23
  • International Day of the Tropics

    29 06 23

30 06 23
  • International Asteroid Day

    30 06 23

01 07 23
  • International Day of Cooperatives

    01 07 23

11 07 23
  • World Population Day

    11 07 23

15 07 23
  • World Youth Skills Day

    15 07 23

18 07 23
  • Nelson Mandela International Day

    18 07 23

28 07 23
  • World Hepatitis Day

    28 07 23

30 07 23
  • International Day of Friendship

    30 07 23

  • World Day against Trafficking in Persons

    30 07 23

09 08 23
  • International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples

    09 08 23

12 08 23
  • International Youth Day

    12 08 23

19 08 23
  • World Humanitarian Day

    19 08 23

23 08 23
  • International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition

    23 08 23

29 08 23
  • International Day against Nuclear Tests

    29 08 23

30 08 23
  • International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances

    30 08 23

05 09 23
  • International Day of Charity

    05 09 23

  • UNGA77: Closing of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly

    05 09 23

08 09 23
  • International Literacy Day

    08 09 23

12 09 23
  • UNGA 78: Opening of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly

    12 09 23

  • United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation

    12 09 23

15 09 23
  • International Day of Democracy

    15 09 23

16 09 23
  • International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer

    16 09 23

21 09 23
  • International Day of Peace

    21 09 23

26 09 23
  • International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons

    26 09 23

27 09 23
  • World Tourism Day

    27 09 23