communicated concerns for those in detention regarding the added health risks brought by the
COVID-19 pandemic.
In its 2019 National Report to the Universal Periodic Review, the Government of the Islamic
Republic of Iran reported that the Citizenship Rights Watch Board carries out periodic
inspections of prisons and detention centers. According to the Government, the body has
“received and handled 3,275 complaints and reports, through the complaint system, in relation
with civil rights violations. Between 2015 and 2018, a number of 28,504 inspections were
carried out to prosecutors' offices, prisons and detention centers.”11 There is no readily available
information about the outcome of such inspections. Additionally, there is no official and
available information as to the number of complaints, their nature and whether they have been
adequately investigated and adjudicated in compliance with international standards. There is no
readily available information that might suggest that custodial staff had been investigated for
cases of denial of medical care for detainees.
Amnesty International12 and Iran Human Rights Documentation Center13 have documented cases
where medical care in detention was denied or cases where medication was withheld seemingly
as a form of punishment or for reasons based on discrimination, including political opinion,
ethnicity, religion, and legal status. These cases notably included female political prisoners who
faced additional discrimination when seeking medical care. More recently, OHCHR has
documented numerous cases where protestors and human rights defenders were denied access to
medical treatment.14
In light of the above, the Islamic Republic of Iran has not ensured that all detained individuals
receive adequate health care, without discrimination on grounds of political or legal situation,
ethnicity, religion, political opinion, gender, sexual orientation or other status.
Recommendation Status:
This recommendation has NOT been implemented.
11
National Report, UPR 2019, Islamic Republic of Iran, https://undocs.org/A/HRC/WG.6/34/IRN/1
Amnesty International, https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/MDE1341962016ENGLISH.PDF
13
Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/MDE1341962016ENGLISH.PDF
14
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, July 2020,
https://undocs.org/Home/Mobile?FinalSymbol=A%2FHRC%2F43%2F61&Language=E&DeviceType=Desktop
12
2