hashem
30th December 2012, 12:21
Reza Shahabi on hunger strike since December 17, 2012
Free Reza Shahabi Now
Reza Shahabi, an Iranian labour leader imprisoned since June 2010, went on hunger strike on Dec 17, 2012 to protest against mistreatment by jail guards as well as prevention of his medical treatment by the judicial authorities. He has announced that he will refuse taking his medication and eating food until he is allowed to be transferred to a hospital outside prison for complete treatment. The latest news about Reza Shahabi indicated that his physical health has deteriorated significantly. Reza was taken to the prison's medical clinic at the 6th day of his hunger medical strike. After taking blood pressure, medical staff intended to intervene by injecting serum and giving him medication; this was met with Reza's refusal and thus he was transferred back to his ward. Since the start of his hunger strike, Reza has lost about 7 kg.
Mr. Reza Shahabi, who had gone under major surgery of his neck in July 2012 and according to doctors’ recommendations was in need of at least “two months rest at home”, and “incapable of withstanding any further punishment,” was sent back to Ward 350 of Evin prison on August 14, 2012. Since then, his health deteriorated significantly. In addition, his jail guards have been very insulting and he has been threatened recently by one of his guards. Reza was taken to hospital on December 15, 2012 but the jail guard accompanying him refused to allow him stay for proper examination and forced Reza, with threats of beating and assaulting him, to go back to prison.
Reza Shahabi is the Treasurer and Executive Board member of the Syndicate of workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, which belongs to the Municipality of Tehran and has about seventeen thousand employees. All Executive board members of this union have been persecuted, dismissed and many were jailed since the formation of the Syndicate in 2005. He has recently been sentenced to 6 year imprisonment and five year ban on all union activities as well as 7 million Toman fine; the appeal court seems to have confirmed his sentence for four years imprisonment, five year ban on all union activities and 7 million toman penalty. Reza Shahabi's health deteriorated significantly after severe beatings and mistreatment following his arrest. The authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran are directly responsible for any consequence resulting from continued imprisonment and mistreatment of Reza Shahabi.
International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI)
Reza Shahabi's open letter: I am only one manifestation of extortion on prisoners’ health
What has happened to me, Reza Shahabi, the prisoner on ward 209 of Evin prison, and been imposed on my health, my treatment, and my medical care, has also been imposed on all other prisoners in here. I find myself forced to speak out. Health care and attention in here is severely precarious and has caused grave concern for us, our families and friends. I would like to share this concern with our communities in Iran and around the world. I also would like to praise doctors and health professionals that perform their duties in prison, but remain confined within limitations of this dysfunctional inattentive order of things.
Any prescription from prison’s physician can take ten to twenty four hours to be actually given to us, leaving the prisoner with only more pain and discomfort. Prison’s medical facility is poorly staffed and equipped very inadequately; if a prisoner is injured and needs stitches, medical staff refuse to operate because of a lack of anesthesia, or stitching needles and threads, or an operating doctor.
Prisoners that have to be transferred to hospitals outside of prison face an even greater dilemma. They get caught up in a closed circuit of procedures and bureaucracy that leads to more pain, discomfort or even death. Even if coroner confirms recommendations by the prison's doctor, they all are placed at the disposal of the prosecution's office, but his office without any single medical qualification, determine whether there is a medical case or not, and decide, based on who the prisoner might be, whether the prisoner deserves to be hospitalized or not. Such conduct becomes status-quo when all matters are politicized and considered security concerns. Our families all go through incredible difficulties and hardship to pursue our cases through legal channels.
Each time our requests for medical care succeeds, it could take anywhere from two to six weeks, and even then it has yet to be approved by the prosecutor. Even when in hospital and receiving medical care, the treatment remains incomplete and we have to be returned to hospital before a certain deadline, and we are back to square one again. It is enough to make you wish you were dead....Often they accuse you of malingering or a desire to get to the hospital instead of prison. Is the detection of malingering the responsibility of doctors and the medical system or the prosecutor who is always suspicious of detainees and opposed to them.
Another affliction causing us pain is our teeth and the lack of treatment for them. Dental services in prison are inadequate, expensive, and cumbersome. We need to wait very long period for Dentists who mostly are not experts in all dental treatments.... Prisoners lacking funds are simply refused any care. The usual response is: Either cash or back in cell.
I Reza Shahabi, a sacked worker of Vahed Company and a prisoner with no source of income have been captured in this vicious circle. I have had a critical operation on my neck and spinal cord, and according to doctors’ recommendation needed to rest at home with continued medical care; alas none has been provided. I have been suffering tooth ache for a long time; they broke my front tooth in detention number 209 and it is in constant pain.... To top off all these problems, we also have privatization becoming the operating principal in prisons as well, resulting in nothing but a continued silent death for prisoners.
This topic of privatization has also reached prisons, with the same usual results: benefits for the few well connected and semi-public organizations and mass poverty for legions of workers. In Rajaie Shahr prison even prisoners' cell spaces are traded. Here in Evin prison we buy all our daily needs, which are of very low-quality and very high prices from a store that belongs to prisons employers. One might be fortunate enough to have some aid and support, but such resources are not forever, neither provided for all.
Human dignity is imperative. Until when do we want to live in need and wont, in a country so resourceful, with no regards for economic sanction....We have been imprisoned for merely asking for our rights, condemned to privation, gradual death, and general disregard for our health and well being...
I have for my part been left no choice but to go either on a Hunger Strike, or to refuse the inadequate medical care I receive at the moment. By doing this perhaps official in charge would take notice. I’m sharing my decision with my fellow union colleagues, workers’ organization and labor and civic activists in hoping of receiving the original medical recommendations, which were opposed by the prosecutor's office.
Reza Shahabi, A member of the board of directors of the Syndicate of Workers of Vahed Company
Ward 350 of Evin Prison, December 2012
Free Reza Shahabi Now
Reza Shahabi, an Iranian labour leader imprisoned since June 2010, went on hunger strike on Dec 17, 2012 to protest against mistreatment by jail guards as well as prevention of his medical treatment by the judicial authorities. He has announced that he will refuse taking his medication and eating food until he is allowed to be transferred to a hospital outside prison for complete treatment. The latest news about Reza Shahabi indicated that his physical health has deteriorated significantly. Reza was taken to the prison's medical clinic at the 6th day of his hunger medical strike. After taking blood pressure, medical staff intended to intervene by injecting serum and giving him medication; this was met with Reza's refusal and thus he was transferred back to his ward. Since the start of his hunger strike, Reza has lost about 7 kg.
Mr. Reza Shahabi, who had gone under major surgery of his neck in July 2012 and according to doctors’ recommendations was in need of at least “two months rest at home”, and “incapable of withstanding any further punishment,” was sent back to Ward 350 of Evin prison on August 14, 2012. Since then, his health deteriorated significantly. In addition, his jail guards have been very insulting and he has been threatened recently by one of his guards. Reza was taken to hospital on December 15, 2012 but the jail guard accompanying him refused to allow him stay for proper examination and forced Reza, with threats of beating and assaulting him, to go back to prison.
Reza Shahabi is the Treasurer and Executive Board member of the Syndicate of workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, which belongs to the Municipality of Tehran and has about seventeen thousand employees. All Executive board members of this union have been persecuted, dismissed and many were jailed since the formation of the Syndicate in 2005. He has recently been sentenced to 6 year imprisonment and five year ban on all union activities as well as 7 million Toman fine; the appeal court seems to have confirmed his sentence for four years imprisonment, five year ban on all union activities and 7 million toman penalty. Reza Shahabi's health deteriorated significantly after severe beatings and mistreatment following his arrest. The authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran are directly responsible for any consequence resulting from continued imprisonment and mistreatment of Reza Shahabi.
International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI)
Reza Shahabi's open letter: I am only one manifestation of extortion on prisoners’ health
What has happened to me, Reza Shahabi, the prisoner on ward 209 of Evin prison, and been imposed on my health, my treatment, and my medical care, has also been imposed on all other prisoners in here. I find myself forced to speak out. Health care and attention in here is severely precarious and has caused grave concern for us, our families and friends. I would like to share this concern with our communities in Iran and around the world. I also would like to praise doctors and health professionals that perform their duties in prison, but remain confined within limitations of this dysfunctional inattentive order of things.
Any prescription from prison’s physician can take ten to twenty four hours to be actually given to us, leaving the prisoner with only more pain and discomfort. Prison’s medical facility is poorly staffed and equipped very inadequately; if a prisoner is injured and needs stitches, medical staff refuse to operate because of a lack of anesthesia, or stitching needles and threads, or an operating doctor.
Prisoners that have to be transferred to hospitals outside of prison face an even greater dilemma. They get caught up in a closed circuit of procedures and bureaucracy that leads to more pain, discomfort or even death. Even if coroner confirms recommendations by the prison's doctor, they all are placed at the disposal of the prosecution's office, but his office without any single medical qualification, determine whether there is a medical case or not, and decide, based on who the prisoner might be, whether the prisoner deserves to be hospitalized or not. Such conduct becomes status-quo when all matters are politicized and considered security concerns. Our families all go through incredible difficulties and hardship to pursue our cases through legal channels.
Each time our requests for medical care succeeds, it could take anywhere from two to six weeks, and even then it has yet to be approved by the prosecutor. Even when in hospital and receiving medical care, the treatment remains incomplete and we have to be returned to hospital before a certain deadline, and we are back to square one again. It is enough to make you wish you were dead....Often they accuse you of malingering or a desire to get to the hospital instead of prison. Is the detection of malingering the responsibility of doctors and the medical system or the prosecutor who is always suspicious of detainees and opposed to them.
Another affliction causing us pain is our teeth and the lack of treatment for them. Dental services in prison are inadequate, expensive, and cumbersome. We need to wait very long period for Dentists who mostly are not experts in all dental treatments.... Prisoners lacking funds are simply refused any care. The usual response is: Either cash or back in cell.
I Reza Shahabi, a sacked worker of Vahed Company and a prisoner with no source of income have been captured in this vicious circle. I have had a critical operation on my neck and spinal cord, and according to doctors’ recommendation needed to rest at home with continued medical care; alas none has been provided. I have been suffering tooth ache for a long time; they broke my front tooth in detention number 209 and it is in constant pain.... To top off all these problems, we also have privatization becoming the operating principal in prisons as well, resulting in nothing but a continued silent death for prisoners.
This topic of privatization has also reached prisons, with the same usual results: benefits for the few well connected and semi-public organizations and mass poverty for legions of workers. In Rajaie Shahr prison even prisoners' cell spaces are traded. Here in Evin prison we buy all our daily needs, which are of very low-quality and very high prices from a store that belongs to prisons employers. One might be fortunate enough to have some aid and support, but such resources are not forever, neither provided for all.
Human dignity is imperative. Until when do we want to live in need and wont, in a country so resourceful, with no regards for economic sanction....We have been imprisoned for merely asking for our rights, condemned to privation, gradual death, and general disregard for our health and well being...
I have for my part been left no choice but to go either on a Hunger Strike, or to refuse the inadequate medical care I receive at the moment. By doing this perhaps official in charge would take notice. I’m sharing my decision with my fellow union colleagues, workers’ organization and labor and civic activists in hoping of receiving the original medical recommendations, which were opposed by the prosecutor's office.
Reza Shahabi, A member of the board of directors of the Syndicate of Workers of Vahed Company
Ward 350 of Evin Prison, December 2012