Baluch prisoner Yousef Mahmoudzehi dies in Iran prison due to denied medical care for kidney failure. Systemic neglect claims lives amid 2025 rights crisis.
Iran Human Rights Society, Thursday, October 2, 2025 – Iran prison medical neglect claims another life. Yousef Mahmoudzehi, a 37-year-old Baluch man, died on October 1, 2025. He suffered in Iranshahr Prison for eight years. Officials ignored his kidney disease. They delayed dialysis until too late. This tragedy follows Arman Dehmarde’s death last week. The 20-year-old Baluch prisoner from Zahedan lost his battle in Mashhad Hospital on September 27, 2025. Prison authorities denied him timely care for a brain tumor. Human rights groups decry this pattern. Over four prisoners died from similar neglect in early 2025 alone. Baluch communities suffer most in Sistan and Baluchestan. UN experts slam these acts as potential torture. Activists demand global pressure now. Furthermore, this crisis worsens amid 1,000 executions this year. Ethnic minorities bear the brunt. Therefore, reform calls grow urgent.
Eight Years Behind Bars: Yousef Mahmoudzehi’s Slow Demise
Yousef Mahmoudzehi endured endless uncertainty. Authorities arrested him eight years ago on drug charges. They sent him to Iranshahr Prison in Sistan and Baluchestan. His judicial file stalled indefinitely. No fair trial ever came. Worse, his health crumbled unchecked. Kidney disease plagued him for years. Prison officials dismissed his pleas. They refused hospital transfers for months. A family source spoke to the Campaign for Human Rights. “Guards ignored Yousef’s illness,” the source said. “They only acted when his kidneys failed completely.” Finally, on September 30, 2025, they rushed him to Iran Hospital for dialysis. However, damage proved irreversible. He passed away the next day. This neglect turned treatable illness fatal. Families watch in horror as bureaucracy kills.
Arman Dehmarde’s Untimely End Highlights Recurring Failures
Arman Dehmarde’s story mirrors Yousef’s pain. At just 20, the Baluch youth from Zabol fought headaches for weeks. Zahedan Prison held him on unspecified charges. Officials labeled his symptoms minor. They denied medical leave repeatedly. Finally, they transferred him to Mashhad for brain tumor surgery. Yet, delays sealed his fate. He died shortly after the procedure on September 27, 2025. Human rights monitors like Hengaw report this as deliberate denial. Families insist timely care could have saved him. However, prison rules prioritize control over lives. This case joins dozens in 2025. Baluch prisoners face heightened risks. Therefore, advocates track each loss closely.
Systemic Crisis: No Doctors, No Drugs in Iran’s Prisons
Iran’s prisons breed a health disaster. Especially in poor provinces like Sistan and Baluchestan. Specialist doctors vanish from facilities. Equipment shortages cripple care. Officials wield arbitrary power over transfers. Baluch inmates suffer disproportionately. Reports show prisoners beg for basic pills. Guards block family-supplied meds. Patients teeter on death’s edge. Human rights experts warn of catastrophe. “Neglect equals slow execution,” one says. In early 2025, four died from withheld treatment. Cases include Anwar Chaleshi and Hassan Damani. Broader data reveals 96 custody deaths since 2022. Many stem from ignored conditions. Furthermore, minorities like Baluch and Kurds endure the worst. UN calls this inhumane. Activists push for inspections.
Human Rights Violations Fuel Yousef Mahmoudzehi’s Death
Yousef Mahmoudzehi’s passing screams injustice. It breaches core international laws. Article 6 of the ICCPR guards the right to life. Governments must protect it fiercely. Iran signed this pact. Yet, officials let disease ravage prisoners. Article 12 of the ICESCR demands health access. No exemptions for inmates. Prisons cannot deny services. Article 7 bans cruel treatment. Deliberate neglect counts as white torture. Human rights groups like Amnesty International highlight this. They document “waiting rooms of death.” Yousef’s case fits perfectly. Eight years without trial or care. His 37 years ended needlessly.
See also the below articles:
- 16 Executions in Iran Prisons Spark Global Outrage
- Urgent Alert: Mehdi Vafaei Sani Transferred to Unknown Location from Evin Prison
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