Nobel laureate Iran Mohammadi refused medical help, UN experts say

United Nations experts on Tuesday accused Iran of failing to provide adequate health care to imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi. AFP was mentioned.

Experts said Mohammadi suffered physical violence earlier this month. According to her family, Mohammadi, an accomplished human rights activist who won the 2023 Nobel Prize for her activism, was injured in clashes involving female inmates at Tehran’s Evin prison earlier this August.

The experts noted that Mohammadi “was subjected to physical violence” on August 6, during which she “allegedly lost consciousness and suffered injuries to her chest and other parts of her body.” While Iranian authorities admitted they had been confronted, they attributed the incident to Mohammadi’s “provocation” and denied any prisoner abuse.

Mohammadi, 52, has been imprisoned since November 2021 and has spent much of the past decade in and out of prison. UN experts expressed grave concern for her physical and mental well-being in a joint statement, calling on the Iranian authorities to release her immediately and ensure she receives full medical treatment without delay, as well as other detainees.

Experts pointed out that Mohammadi has endured severe back and knee pain, including a herniated spinal disc, based on medical evaluations. They suggested that the denial of medical treatment appeared to be intended to punish and silence her, raising serious concerns about her right to health and well-being.

Experts also noted a pattern of prisoner abuse in Iran, which they said could amount to torture and inhumane treatment. They repeated calls for the immediate release of human rights defenders and all arbitrarily detained in Iran.

Mohammadi continues to advocate for human rights and support the protests that have emerged in Iran following the September 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, who was arrested for allegedly violating Iran’s strict dress code for women.