Kaboudvand in Critical Health Condition in Evin Prison

HRANA News Agency – Mohammad Sadiq Kaboudvand, imprisoned journalist and human rights activist in Ward 350 of Evin prison, is reported to be in critical health condition. Despite the lack of adequate medical facilities at the prison the prison authorities refused to send him to the hospital.

One of the relatives of the prisoner in conversation with HRANA’s reporter said: “Mr. Kabudvand is facing fierce opposition from the prosecution for sending him to the hospital despite having kidney and digestive diseases and blood pressure and also despite two heart attacks in prison.”

The journalist and human rights activist who is in prison for his human rights activities, during his nine years and 10 months of imprisonment was sent on furlough only once after a long hunger strike.

Mohammad Sadiq Kaboudvand, founder of Kurdistan Human Rights Organization, was arrested in July 2001 and after a trial was sentenced to a total of ten and a half years in prison.

He was among the candidates for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011.

Mohammad Sadegh Kaboudvand was sentenced to ten years in prison by Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran on charges of acting against the national security by establishing the Department of Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan, and also was sentenced to one year imprisonment for propaganda against the regime by communication and correspondence with international human rights organizations and relationship and correspondence with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in person and talking to the media. Branch 56 of Tehran appeals court approved the ten-year-imprisonment for founding the Organisation.

For a case related to journalism activities he was sentenced to one year of imprisonment on charges of disturbing public opinion by posting contents on the weekly Payam-e Mardom by Revolutionary and general Court of Sanandaj; he was also sentenced to a five-year ban from journalism which was reduced to 6 months after the Supreme Court rejected it.

Kaboudvand had also a case in West Azerbaijan Revolutionary Court for publication of a booklet about women and their violated rights in Iran for which he was acquitted of this charge.

Mohammad Sadegh Kaboudvand is currently in the 9th year of his imprisonment in ward 350 of Evin prison.