Ebadi says Zarafshan on medical leave from prison

Islamic Republic News Agency:

Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi said here Saturday that her client Nasser Zarafshan is on leave from prison for treatment of kidney stones.

"Right now he is on convalescence after surgery. My client during this period, which will not be short, will be on leave from prison," Ebadi, who is one of the Zarafshan's attorneys, added.

Currently there is one week that my client has been out of prison, Ebadi added.

Zarafshan who was the attorney for the serial murder case was detained in August 2002 on charges of divulging state secrets and sentenced to five years in prison and 70 lashes.

Judiciary Spokesman Jamal Karimirad said here Saturday that the medial leave granted to Nasser Zarafshan could be extended depending on the opinion of doctors and submission of the related medical documents.

He told IRNA that Zarafshan is currently on furlough to receive treatment for kidney stones.

On the latest conditions of the jailed dissident Akbar Ganji, he added that the news on deteriorating health of Ganji is not true.

"Orders have been issued by the deputy head of prison affairs for Tehran Public and Revolution Prosecutor Office for providing the necessary medical care to him."
Also deputy prosecutor General, Salar-kia has issued the necessary orders for Ganji's back treatment and for a scan outside prison if needed.

Salar-kia told reporters last week that a file containing over 2,000 pages on Ganji's medial treatment history including his respiratory condition is kept in Tehran Public Prosecutor Office.

He referred to Ganji's medical treatment on the latter's request saying "Ganji had refused to see the two doctors sent to examine him." Also, he said he has been in talks with Ganji's wife and attorney to facilitate dispatching Ganji to a hospital which has not occurred yet. READ MORE

In June, Ganji was granted a weeklong leave for medical reasons subject to a probable extension depending on his medical report, judiciary officials said.

Ganji is reportedly suffering from asthma, with several internet news sites recently saying that he had gone on a hunger strike to protest alleged inattention of the jail wardens to his condition.

Ganji is serving a six-year jail term since January 2001 on a battery of charges, including for linking some of the country's top officials to a string of murders of Iranian intellectuals, which were blamed on rogue intelligence agents.