Iran: Imprisoned Dual Citizen Ahmadreza Djalali Denied Proper Medical Treatment

March 17, 2019

Iran Human Rights (IHR); March 17, 2018: Imprisoned Iranian-Swedish Scientist Ahmadreza Djalali (Jalali) who is sentenced to death in Iran suffers from various types of illnesses but the authorities deny him proper medical treatment. He has had almost 30 per cent weight loss since he was imprisoned in 2016.

According to Vida Mehran-Nia, Ahmadreza Djalali’s wife, doctors who had visited Dr. Djalali 40 days ago, had told him that he might be suffering from a type of cancer and ordered medical examinations for him. However, prison authorities have not yet sent him to a hospital for the examinations.

“He is very sick and extremely thin. His weight is reduced from 81 kg to 51 kg. Despite the recommendation of the Evin Prison doctor, authorities deny sending Ahmadreza to blood oncology ward in a hospital. There is high probability that he might be suffering from a type of leukaemia,” his wife, Vida Mehran-Nia, told IHR.

“Around four months ago, he underwent an emergency inguinal hernia surgery. However, the authorities did not let him stay at the hospital for more than 48 hours. He was transferred back to the prison. The surgery has failed and he needs another surgery,” Mehran-Nia added.

Ahmad Reza Djalali lived in Sweden since 2009 where he had a permanent residence. He worked as a researcher in the field of crisis management at Karolinska University in Stockholm. In 2018 Dr. Djalali was granted Swedish citizenship.

Being formally invited by Tehran University, Ahmad Reza Djalali travelled to Iran but was arrested by the agents of the Ministry of Intelligence on his way to Karaj on April 24, 2016. He spent three months at the detention center of the Ministry of Intelligence. Iranian authorities claim that he is convicted of “espionage and collaboration with enemies”.

Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the director and spokesperson of IHR said, “Ahmad Reza Djalali’s health situation is serious and he needs urgent medical care outside the prison. We are also concerned about his death sentence which can be implemented in the near future. We call on the international community and in particular the Swedish government to step up their efforts to save Ahmadreza Djalali’s life”.