Jurist Three women die in Qarchak prison due to denial of medical care, says rights group

[Dadparvar]

Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Monday accused Iranian authorities of causing three women to perish in Qarchak prison after systematic denial of adequate medical care, raising serious concerns over right violations and medical negligence in the country’s penal system.

The deceased prisoners were identified as Soudabeh Asadi, Jamile Azizi, and Somayeh Rashidi. Asadi, who was held on financial charges, died on September 16 after being denied timely transfer to a hospital. Azizi died on September 19 after staff reportedly dismissed her heart attack symptoms.

Rashidi, a 42-year-old political prisoner with known health issues, passed away in a hospital on September 25, ten days after suffering a seizure. According to HRW, prison officials initially accused Rashidi of feigning her illness and administered sedatives that worsened her condition. Iranian officials confirmed Rashidi’s death but stated that she had a history of drug use and neurological disorders and had received appropriate medical treatment. The official account is contested by rights advocates who point to a broader, deliberate policy of withholding necessary medical care from prisoners, particularly those detained on political charges.

HRW condemned Iranian authorities’ actions, framing medical care denial as a clear violation of the right to life. In its report, the organization stated:

The three women’s deaths are the latest in a long-standing documented policy of authorities denying prisoners access to healthcare, sometimes to punish and silence dissent. In an April 2022 report, Amnesty International detailed the circumstances surrounding the deaths in custody of dozens of men and women in 30 prisons across the country since 2010 as a result of denial of medical care. Many cases of denial of medical care and deaths in custody—in particular, prisoners detained for ordinary offenses and those from marginalized communities—goes unreported. Well-founded fears of reprisals by the authorities also severely hinder many families’ attempts to advocate for their loved ones.

Iranian prisons are notoriously overcrowded and suffer unsanitary conditions. Reports detail inadequate access to clean water, insufficient food, and rampant spread of disease. Qarchak prison is particularly infamous for its harsh conditions. Originally a chicken farm, the facility was repurposed to house thousands of women–many of whom are political detainees or prisoners of conscience–in an environment that fails to meet basic international standards for prisoner treatment.

The deaths bring renewed attention to Iran’s obligations under international law. The United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, also known as the Mandela Rules, explicitly require states to provide prisoners with access to necessary health services without discrimination. HRW has called for urgent international action to hold Iran accountable and to protect other prisoners who remain at risk.

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