Labor Leader’s Sister Asks for His Release to Treat Three Blocked Arteries

In an interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, labor activist Mansour Osanloo’s sister, Fereshteh Osanloo,  reported her brother’s dangerous health condition in prison and said he needs immediate surgery. “There is very little left of his prison term. He should be freed in two or three months. But his heart condition is dangerous now. Last month, when the prison infirmary was unable to treat him, he was transferred to a hospital outside for an angiography. Doctors there determined that three of his arteries are blocked and that he needs immediate surgery. We requested that they help him to be sent outside the prison for treatment, but so far we have not heard anything,” said Osanloo’s sister.

Mansour Osanloo is President of the Executive Committee of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company. He has been arrested, interrogated, and tortured numerous times. His first arrest was in 2005 following a workers’ protest. Osanloo is being held in Rajaee Shahr Prison in Karaj and the Medical Examiner has recommended a discontinuation of his sentence three times for his severe heart conditions.

“Despite our pursuit of the matter and Osanloo’s critical condition, the Prosecutor has not yet to agree to his hospitalization outside the prison.  They must know about the results of Osanloo’s angiography for sure, and they must know that under these conditions, he needs immediate treatment,” said Fereshteh Osanloo regarding efforts to transfer her husband outside the prison.

“Due to my illness, I have not been to see him for a while, but my children who went to see him said that his spirits are good, as usual, but that he has physical problems. Other than the heart condition, he has also developed a disc problem in prison and his eyes are also infected. After the surgery he had for his eyes two years ago, every once in a while his eyes get infected. The prison environment is dirty and his eyes quickly get infected,” said Fereshteh Osanloo about his health.

“If the authorities behave according to law, Mansour should be released for his treatment now. He only has two or three months left of his sentence. He has been in prison for 4.5 years without being allowed furlough even once. Now that he has a dire need for treatment, it is his right to be able to leave the prison. His doctors have said this numerous times and results of his angiography have been sent to the Prosecutor’s Office. Is he not entitled to medical treatment just like any other prisoner?,” added Osanloo’s sister.

After his first arrest, Osanloo was imprisoned for eight months, three months of which he spent in solitary confinement. He was arrested by security forces again in July 2007 near his home, and after his trial was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of “acting against national security,” and “propagating against the regime.”