Blog 11 : Iran: Investigate Detained Blogger’s Death

Sattar Beheshti, a 35-year-old blogger was at his mother's home in Robat Karim on October 30^th when Iran's cyperpolice raided the house and arrested him. It was said that the police unit “FATA,” was established in January 2011 to monitor the “cyberworld” and enforce laws aimed at regulating online speech and content considered to violate Iran's national security or moral legislation. Human Rights Watch was told by friends of the family that upon seeking information about Beheshti's whereabouts and the reason he was arrested security and judicial officials told the family nothing until November 6^th when they were told of his death. Eric Goldstein, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch said, “With more than a dozen deaths in the past four years, Iran's prisons are rapidly turning into death traps for detainees, including people who should never have been behind bars to begin with.” The exact cause of his death is still unknown at this point and the authorities have not publicly accepted any responsibilities for Beheshti's death although many cases have been reported of deaths in the prison being direct cause of the harsh treatment they receive inside. His death was at least the 15^th of detainees since 2009 and at least 13 of them died as a result of physical abuse or torture. There was even one case where multiple prisoners went on a hunger strike to protest the death of another political activist and upon his 8^th day with no food Hoda Saber was transferred to the prison infirmary but rather than helping him they severely beat him and failed to transfer him to the hospital in time enough for him to receive the help he needed after having a heart attack. When reports on the November 6^th incident surfaced it was said that Beheshti was seen with injuries on his arms, legs, and face.

Situations like this are not uncommon in Iran. Many people are arrested for little or no reason and then held and tortured in many cases until their death. Being as the International and Iranian law requires prison authorities to provide their prisoners with adequate medical care and to treat them with dignity and respect and they did not receive this their rights were violated. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights also prohibits inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment but that is exactly these prisoners received.

http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/11/09/iran-investigate-detained-blogger-s-death