Judge Agreed with Medical Furlough, Says Ronaghi Maleki’s Lawyer

"I spoke with the Head of the Court that day and he said he agrees with Hossein Ronaghi's furlough. Now I hope that this agreement is carried out into action and my client comes to furlough," said Mohammad Ali Dadkhah.

A day after Hossein Ronaghi Maleki’s 26th birthday, his lawyer, Mohammad Ali Dadkhah, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that his furlough request may be approved. Hossein Ronaghi Maleki has suffered from kidney disease for months and despite recommendations by Evin Prison infirmary doctors and specialists for his treatment outside the prison, judicial authorities have not yet officially agreed with his medical furlough.

Ronaghi Maleki’s lawyer, Mohammad Ali Dadkhah, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that in a letter to the Judge two weeks ago, he again requested furlough for this client. “Hossein Ronaghi had two operations on his kidneys and his specialist said that he had to be cared for under special conditions. I wrote a letter to Head of the Court for his furlough. It seems like the Head of the Court has agreed that considering my client’s physical conditions, he can spend his recovery time at home,” Dadkhah told the Campaign.
Blogger Hossein Ronaghi Maleki was arrested on 13 December 2009 and was transferred to IRGC’s Ward 2-A at Evin Prison. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison on 5 October 2010 at Branch 26 of Revolutionary Court on charges of “membership in the Iran Proxy network,” “insulting the Supreme Leader,” and “insulting the President.” His sentence was upheld completely by an appeals court later. He is currently inside the General Ward of Evin Prison. He was under pressure and torture inside prison to provide television confessions, so he twice embarked upon hunger strikes. The second time he went on hunger strike, Ronaghi’s mother accompanied him outside the prison. Hossein Ronaghi Maleki has not had a single day of furlough over the past two years and has been in dire need for medical leave due to kidney disease.

“I spoke with the Head of the Court that day and he said he agrees with Hossein Ronaghi’s furlough. Now I hope that this agreement is carried out into action and my client comes to furlough,” said Mohammad Ali Dadkhah.

“We are talking about human life here, and caring for it is a big responsibility with anyone who is involved in the field of justice. I believe that in the end, as we are talking about human life, the Prosecutor will agree with his furlough. According to a specialist physician, one of my client’s kidneys has stopped functioning 100% and the other one has lost some of its functionality and in practice we face a human being who has clear physical disabilities,” Dadkhah added.