Alarm as jailed protester critical

Paris, Feb. 17: Activists on Wednesday expressed alarm that an Iranian “prisoner of conscience” jailed over a 2018 protest by a religious sect had been hospitalised in a critical condition, alleging that his health had been weakened by torture.

Behnam Mahjoubi, a member of the Gonabadi Dervishes, Iran's largest Sufi order, was convicted after taking part in a demonstration they held in February 2018, and began serving his twoyear sentence last June.

But according to Amnesty International, he suffers from a serious panic disorder and had been injected with chemical substances against his will while in custody.

“The events leading to the critical condition of prisoner of conscience Behnam Mahjoubi in hospital must be criminally investigated,” Amnesty International said.

“He suffered months of torture including wilful denial of medical care. All officials and prison doctors responsible for these cruel acts must face justice,” it added.

Campaigners have been urging Iran for months to release Mahjoubi because of his medical condition.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said Mahjoubi was “critically ill” and added it was “gravely concerned by the lack of transparency” after he went into a coma on February 12.

It also expressed concern about his condition after violations including “ill-treatment and torture” as well as “forced transfer to a psychiatric hospital.