UN experts call on Iran to free filmmaker who is dying in jail after hunger strikes
UN human rights experts yesterday called on Iran to release jailed dissident filmmaker Mohammad Nourizad, saying hunger strikes and a heart condition left him close to death.
Experts such as Javaid Rehman, the UN’s investigator on Iran, and the UN’s torture expert, Nils Melzer, said that keeping Nourizad locked up at Tehran’s Evin prison for his political beliefs was cruel and unnecessary.
In February last year, Nourizad, who has written and directed several films, received several sentences, including a seven-and-a-half-year prison term after he was convicted of signing an open letter calling on supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to resign.
“We are seriously concerned at the mistreatment of Mohammad Nourizad and his continued imprisonment for expressing his opinion,” the experts said.
“His continued detention despite medical professionals finding he cannot stay in prison given his serious health condition, and the resulting denial of adequate medical care, may amount to torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.”
In detention, Nourizad has carried out hunger strikes, harmed himself and refused to take medication in protest against his incarceration and his family’s mistreatment by authorities. He has also attempted suicide, according to reports.
The activist also received several injections of an unknown substance, the experts said.
“It is clear that Mohammad Nourizad is not in a medical state to remain in prison,” they said.
“Medical professionals have reportedly found that he should be released on medical grounds.
“The Iranian authorities must release him immediately in line with these medical opinions and give him free access to the required medical care and treatment.”
Amnesty International last week accused Iran of “toying with the life” of Nourizad by denying him access to adequate specialised medical care for his heart disease and diabetes.
Tehran has come under mounting pressure in recent months from UN investigators and human rights groups over the treatment of women in Iran and executions of members of the minority ethnic Baluch group.
“We remain extremely disturbed by continued reports of detainees, including those imprisoned for exercising their human rights, being denied or unnecessarily obstructed from receiving adequate medical treatment or care,” the UN experts said.
“In extreme cases, the denial of adequate treatment has resulted in death.”
Iran’s mission to the UN did not immediately answer The National’s request for comment.