Hamid Ghareh-Hassanlou, a physician and political prisoner: his left lung has failed

The left lung of Hamid Ghareh-Hassanlou, a radiologist and political prisoner, has failed, yet the Islamic Republic continues to deny him medical leave. According to a report published on Saturday, 17 October 2026, security bodies are pressuring this political prisoner to write a "letter of repentance", and his family have not been able to visit him for about a year.

Hamid Ghareh-Hassanlou is held in Yazd Central Prison. In late September, the human rights organisations "Voice of Iran's Prisoners" and "Tavaana" reported that doctors had diagnosed serious damage to his lung. According to human rights activists, given his physical condition and severe weakness, his left lung must be removed; yet prison and judiciary officials have so far taken no effective step to treat him.

The case of Hamid and Farzaneh Ghareh-Hassanlou

Hamid Ghareh-Hassanlou and his wife Farzaneh Ghareh-Hassanlou, a laboratory sciences specialist, were arrested during the 2022 uprising. Security bodies accused them of involvement in the death of Ruhollah Ajamian, a Basij member, in Karaj, even though testimonies and early statements indicated that the physician had tried to help an injured person at the 40th-day memorial of the late Hadis Najafi.

In December 2022, the Revolutionary Court sentenced Hamid Ghareh-Hassanlou to death on the charge of "corruption on earth". In January 2023, the Supreme Court overturned the verdict, citing flaws in the investigation, and in March-April 2023 a court of equal standing revoked the death sentence and sentenced him to 15 years in prison in Yazd. Farzaneh Ghareh-Hassanlou was also sentenced to five years in prison in Mashhad.

Denial of treatment: a recurring pattern

Depriving sick political prisoners of treatment is a practice that has repeatedly led to prisoners' deaths. This very week, Behzad Rezvanmehr, a political prisoner in Karaj Central Prison, died in custody after months of being denied treatment, and Kazem Alinejad Baranlou, a political prisoner in Evin, began a dry hunger strike in protest at being denied treatment.

A physician jailed for trying to help an injured person is now denied treatment while his lung has failed.