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Activists Fear Jailed Iran Protester Died After Care Neglected

Agence France-Presse

   PARIS - Activists expressed fearSundaythat an Iranian prisoner
   jailedbecause ofa 2018 protest by a religious sectandwho died in
   custody, perished after authorities failed to care for his medical
   condition.

   BehnamMahjoubi, a member of the SufiGonabadiorder and described as a
   prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International, was imprisoned after
   taking part in a demonstration the group held inFebruary 2018. Hebegan
   serving a two-year sentence last June.

   Supporters and rights groups have said that he suffered from a panic
   disorder and alleged he had been subjected to torture and deliberate
   denial of medical care while in custody.

   Iran's prisons'organizationsaid he died after being poisoned through
   the consumption of drugs. But when he washospitalizedearlier this
   month, campaigners had expressed alarm over what had led to the
   deteriorationofhis health.

   "There are serious allegations of authorities
   neglectingMahjoubi'smedical condition for a long time," said Tara
   Sepehri Far, Iran researcher at Human Rights Watch.

   "Those allegations should be investigated, including for any criminal
   liability," she added.

   The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights had
   said whenMahjoubiwashospitalizedit was "gravely concerned by the lack
   of transparency" after he went into a coma on February 12.

   Amnesty International had also previously said he "suffered months of
   torture includingwillfuldenial of medical care."

   "The reported death of BehnamMahjoubiis a tragedy that occurred
   following denial of proper medical care," said Hadi Ghaemi, executive
   director of the New York-based Centerfor Human Rights in Iran (CHRI).

   He described this as "an inhuman state policy that is used to further
   intimidate and punish prisoners in Iran."

   Reports published by media outside Iran said that after suffering panic
   attacks,Mahjoubihad initially been taken to the clinic at Evin prison
   in Tehran wherehewas given medication but then lost consciousness.

   He was then transferred toLoghmanhospital in the Iranian capital, where
   relatives were not allowed to visit him.

   The prisons'organizationstatement said thatMahjoubi'scellmates claimed
   he had "willingly, and with no medical consultation, consumed several
   of his own and other prisoners' drugs."

   Activists circulated a video that they said showed his mothersayingshe
   would "not give permission" for his body to be buried until a full
   autopsy is completed.

   The February 2018 protest, sparked by anger over the treatment of the
   Sufi community, was one of the largest religion-focused demonstrations
   in Iran in recent years.

   Five security personnel werekilledand more than 300 people arrested.

   Iran has faced growing criticism over its human rights record in recent
   months, at a time when there is intense diplomacy to revive the nuclear
   dealthatformerPresident Donald Trumpwithdrew the U.S. from.

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