Arezu Azarm-Sefat, a political prisoner held in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison, has been suffering from severe shoulder and arm pain for some three weeks. Despite her condition, she has been denied adequate medical attention, raising serious concerns about her health and the prison’s negligence in providing essential healthcare.
Worsening Condition Without Proper Treatment
The condition of Arezu Azarm-Sefat has significantly restricted her movement, leaving her unable to use her arm. Attempts to alleviate her pain, such as immobilizing her arm with a sling, have proven ineffective. Even the slightest contact with her arm intensifies her pain.
According to sources close to her family, Arezu was reluctantly transferred to the prison’s clinic only after protests by her fellow inmates. However, she was sent back to her cell without undergoing medical imaging or a thorough examination. The prison doctor reportedly dismissed the need for urgent medical care, advising her family to seek treatment outside the prison—an option not currently available to her.
This neglect contradicts the legal obligation of the Iranian regime to provide diagnostic and treatment services for prisoners with health issues.
Family Struggles and Systemic Neglect
Arezu Azarm-Sefat has an elderly mother who is unable to actively advocate for her daughter’s health, further compounding the difficulty of securing proper care. The ongoing pain and lack of treatment have heightened fears that her condition could worsen or lead to long-term physical complications.
Background on Arezu Azarm-Sefat
Arezu Azarm-Sefatwas first arrested by Iranian security forces on May 1, 2024, and detained in Ward 209 of Evin Prison, a section run by the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence. After completing her interrogation, she was temporarily released on bail on May 20, 2024.
Previously convicted on charges of alleged collaboration with opposition groups, she was initially sentenced to five years in prison. Following a legal appeal, her sentence was reduced to three years and nine months. On August 26, 2024, Arezu was taken back into custody to serve her reduced sentence in the women’s ward of Evin Prison.
A Systematic Denial of Rights
Arezu’s case highlights the broader issue of the Iranian regime’s systemic neglect of prisoners, particularly those incarcerated on political grounds. Denying prisoners access to medical care is a common tactic used to exert psychological and physical pressure, further exacerbating their suffering.
The ongoing negligence in providing medical care to Arezu Azarm-Sefat exemplifies the dire conditions faced by political prisoners in Iran. Her worsening health, coupled with the prison’s refusal to meet her basic medical needs, underscores the Iranian regime’s disregard for human rights.
This situation calls for international attention and action. Advocacy groups and global institutions must press the Iranian regime to uphold its legal and moral obligations to ensure the safety and well-being of prisoners under its custody. Arezu Azarm-Sefat’s case is not just a personal tragedy—it is a stark reminder of the ongoing human rights abuses in Iran’s prison system.
