64-year old prisoner sent back to prison without medical treatment

HRANA News Agency – An elderly Sunni prisoner of conscience was forced to remain handcuffed to a hospital bench throughout his 12-hour stay in hospital yesterday, before being transferred back to Iran’s Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj without receiving medical treatment.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), 64-year old Sunni prisoner Keykhosrow Sharifipour, whose health is deteriorating rapidly due to lack of medical treatment, has been suffering from an unknown illness leaving him confined to bed and unable to eat for the past 17 days.

Despite prison doctors declaring that he is in urgent need of hospitalization, prison officials had initially refused to transfer Mr Sharifipour to a properly equipped medical center outside of the prison.

Officials eventually permitted him to be transferred to hospital yesterday, handcuffing the elderly patient and shackling his legs during his transfer.

Mr Sharifipour was forced to remain handcuffed to a hospital bench throughout his 12-hour stay in hospital, leading to complaints from hospital staff about the behavior of Iranian security officers towards the prisoner.

Mr Sharifipour was then transferred back to Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj without receiving any medical treatment. Fears are growing that his life will be in danger if he does not receive immediate medical attention.

Keykhosrow Sharifipour was arrested in 2010, shortly after the death of his son, Zaniar Sharifipour, who was killed by Iranian security forces in Sanandaj on 13 June 2010.