Mahmoud Salehi – background information

Mahmoud Salehi - background information

Who Mahmoud Salehi is

Mahmoud Salehi has long suffered persecution by the Iranian authorities, spending several periods in prison because of their legitimate and peaceful activities as trade union activists and human rights defenders. He is the spokesperson for the Organisational Committee to Establish Trade Unions, representing bakery workers in Saqez.

He was arrested after a peaceful demonstration to celebrate May Day 2004. In November 2005 he was sentenced to five years' imprisonment and three years' internal exile in the city of Ghorveh, Kordestan. At his trial, the prosecutor reportedly cited his trade union activities as evidence against him, and referred to a meeting he had held with officials from the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) - now reconstituted as the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) - in April 2004, shortly before the May Day demonstrations.

His conviction was overturned on appeal, but after a retrial he was sentenced on 11 November 2006 to four years' imprisonment for "conspiring to commit crimes against national security". He was free until the appeal hearing on 11 March, when his sentence was reduced to a three-year suspended prison sentence and one year's imprisonment, which commenced with his imprisonment in Sanandaj on 9 April 2007.

Mahmoud Salehi has been denied visits from his lawyer and family. His family, who live 400km from Sanandaj, have been able to contact him by telephone.

Mahmoud Salehi's health

Amnesty International considers him a prisoner of conscience and is concerned for his health. Mahmoud Salehi has long-term medical concerns. He suffers from chronic kidney disease, for which he requires dialysis. He is also said to suffer from a heart disorder.

He was reportedly transferred briefly to hospital, unconscious, on 11 December, after repeatedly collapsing in prison between 4-10 December. He was reportedly taken back to hospital on 16 December. During an earlier hospitalisation, on or around 4 December, the authorities placed restraints on his bed. He may not be receiving adequate medical care.

A May 2007 request by his doctor that he be accorded specialist treatment outside the prison has been ignored. He suffers from chronic kidney disease, as a result of which he requires dialysis. He is also said to suffer from a heart disorder.

In December 2007 it was reported that Salehi has grave intestinal edema or swelling that may be connected with his renal disease. His wife, Najibeh Salehzadeh is reported to have said on 18 December that: '...the physical health of my partner is extremely severe. One of his kidneys has stopped working and because of being deprived of proper medical treatment the other kidney is losing its functions. His blood pressure fluctuates and his blood sugar is surging. He falls unconscious about twice daily. The lack of treatment of his kidney has affected his heart as well. His feet and legs are swollen and the excessive injections of tranquilizers have seriously endangered his well-being....'

Following his admission to Tohid (also known as Towhid) Hospital in the city of Sanandaj, Kordestan province, Mahmoud Salehi received a brain scan. This revealed that blood vessels in his brain have been damaged.

Mahmoud Salehi was among 20-30 prisoners forcibly moved on 4 December from one section to another in Sanandaj Central Prison. Given very little time to collect personal items, Mahmoud required more time than other prisoners to comply with the order because of his poor health. As a result of his perceived slowness he was insulted and, according to reports, a prison guard threatened to kill him. Mahmoud experienced raised blood pressure, as a likely consequence of the stress he had experienced during his transfer between prison sections, and he was taken to Tohid Hospital on or around 4 December, where he was restrained to his bed and administered tranquilisers prior to his return to prison, the date of which is not known to Amnesty International.