Reza Shahabi has had a stroke while in prison

The following statement was published on the Trade Union of the Tehran and Suburbs Vahed Bus Company’s website on December 14th 2017.

During a prison visit on Wednesday [December 13th 2017] Reza Shahabi’s relatives noticed that the left side of Reza’s face was drooping and that [the area] below his left eye was especially sunken in. And Reza said that when he consulted the prison medic he was told that he had had a mild stroke.

A specialist doctor had already diagnosed that Shahabi is not physically able to endure prison [conditions]. In addition, while in prison Reza repeatedly has had high blood pressure and nose bleeds. He repeatedly has had severe headaches. But the prison authorities and the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office have ignored these and have only sent him to the hospital for examinations after unexplained delays, and, according to the consultant, have not been paying any attention [to his condition] until unfortunately this jailed workers had a stroke. Even after the stroke, he was not sent to the hospital for an examination and to prevent his illness becoming worse.

The Trade Union of the Tehran and Suburbs Vahed Bus Company stresses that Reza Shahabi’s custodial sentence is finished. In addition, the consultant has concluded that Shahabi is not physically fit to bear a prison sentence, and his stroke and his visible signs also indicate the correct diagnosis of the consultant that Shahabi should be freed. Therefore, his continued imprisonment should be considered as a decision to gradually terminate this jailed worker. According to the above, Reza Shahabi should be released immediately and unconditionally. And this Union considers Tehran’s security organisations and prosecutor’s offices and the prison authorities responsible for protecting the life of the jailed worker, Reza Shahabi.

See also: Reza Shahabi ends his hunger strike