Sixteen Years in Prison Without Furlough
Kurdish political prisoner Motalleb Ahmadian, from Baneh, is spending his sixteenth year in prison. Security forces arrested him in 2010. A court later sentenced him to a long prison term in a security-related case.
During all these years, the authorities have not granted him even one day of furlough.
Serious Illnesses and Cancer
Ahmadian has faced several serious health problems in prison. He suffers from duodenal cancer, diaphragmatic hernia, spinal canal stenosis, and repeated urinary tract infections.
His condition has become worse in recent months. After several major surgeries at Tehranpars Hospital, authorities returned him to Evin Prison on 1 June 2026.
Delayed Treatment Worsened His Condition
Reports say delays in sending Ahmadian to hospitals outside prison allowed the cancerous mass to spread. During surgery, doctors had to remove his gallbladder and part of his liver.
Despite this critical condition, Tehran’s prosecutor and security authorities have refused to suspend his sentence. They have also refused to grant him medical furlough.
Keeping him in prison after cancer treatment and major surgery puts his life in direct danger.
Denied Medical Support
Ahmadian had previously written from prison about medical deprivation. He said prison officials refused to pay for his surgery and medication. As a result, he had to cover the treatment costs himself.
He wrote that he paid all medical expenses himself. However, financial hardship later forced him to stop treatment.
A Prisoner Who Continues to Stand
Motalleb Ahmadian’s story is not only about illness and deprivation. During his years in prison, he has joined collective campaigns by political prisoners.
Even while his health was deteriorating, he went on hunger strike. He did so to protest the executions of four Kurdish political prisoners: Pejman Fatehi, Mohammad Faramarzi, Vafa Azarbar, and Mohsen Mazloum.
In a letter from prison, he wrote: “With all my pain and suffering, I am still standing.”
He also wrote that between silence and resistance, he had chosen to stand.
Urgent Call for Medical Furlough
The authorities continue to deny Motalleb Ahmadian specialized medical care, medical furlough, and regular treatment. This violates his right to health. It also directly threatens his life.
Motalleb Ahmadian must receive immediate access to specialized treatment outside prison. The authorities must grant him urgent medical furlough before it is too late.
