Medical Care Denied to Female Prisoners
Serious concerns about medical care for female prisoners in Iran have emerged. Three women in detention are reportedly being denied essential treatment despite potentially life-threatening health conditions. Their cases highlight the risks facing prisoners when urgent medical recommendations are delayed or ignored.
3 Cases of Medical Negligence
Masoumeh (Farah) Nassaji, 64, remains in Evin Prison despite being found medically unfit to continue serving her sentence. She suffers from heart disease, asthma, chronic joint pain, and bone disorders. According to Iran’s Legal Medicine Organisation, it concluded that she could not withstand imprisonment. Yet, her sentence has not been suspended. Nassaji has been imprisoned since September 2022.
At Gorgan Prison, Fatemeh Jami reportedly requires surgery to treat a breast cyst. The procedure was already necessary when she was arrested but has been delayed for months. Her family has attempted to secure medical leave or temporary release on bail without success. Sources familiar with her situation report that her health is deteriorating and that specialist treatment outside the prison is urgently needed.
Mohtaram Parandin, a miniature painter imprisoned at Evin, suffers from thyroid and heart conditions, alongside two tumours near her cerebellum and throat. Medical examinations confirmed a cancer diagnosis. A prison doctor has reportedly recommended immediate surgery, while the tumour near her cerebellum has affected her vision, speech, and physical coordination. Despite these warnings, she has yet to receive the necessary treatment.
Together, the three cases raise troubling questions about whether prisoners can obtain timely specialist attention, medical leave, and treatment recommended by medical professionals.
Adequate medical care for female prisoners is a fundamental human rights concern. Women in detention remain entitled to healthcare and protection from avoidable harm, regardless of their convictions or circumstances.
These reported failures warrant urgent scrutiny and accountability, particularly where medical professionals have warned that further delays could have serious consequences for prisoners’ health and lives.