Increased Worries About Zeinab Jalalian’s Health
Kurdish political prisoner Zeinab Jalalian, who is currently serving her seventeenth year in Yazd Central Prison, has been facing severe health issues in recent weeks. Zeinab was transferred to the prison’s medical facility due to intense pain in her right side. However, after a general examination, she was returned to her cell without receiving specialized tests or definitive treatment. Despite her persistent health problems, including oral thrush, pterygium, asthma, and kidney and gastrointestinal issues, Zeinab’s requests for transfer to external medical facilities have been consistently denied by the Intelligence Ministry.
Continued Medical Neglect
Zeinab’s health has been deteriorating, with her pain intensifying over the past weeks. Although she was taken to the prison infirmary, the attending general practitioner only performed a basic check-up. Her requests for specialized medical attention outside the prison were again rejected by the Intelligence Ministry. This denial of adequate medical care is further compounded by the pressure from the ministry.
Pressures from the Intelligence Ministry
In June this year, a team from the Intelligence Ministry met Jalalian twice at Yazd Central Prison, demanding that she sign a “repentance letter” drafted by the ministry. The officials assured that her medical treatment and the possibility of parole would be reviewed upon her signing the letter. However, Jalalian refused to sign, asserting her right to medical treatment as a prisoner. In November 2023, she was also subjected to interrogation by the Intelligence Ministry, who threatened to withhold her basic prisoner rights, including medical services, unless she expressed remorse. Jalalian deemed these interrogations, conducted while she was handcuffed and shackled, as a form of torture.
