Iran MPs seek probe of death of detention center doctor
Updated: Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Photographer: WashingtonTV
Majlis floor
13:00GMT—8:00AM/EST
Washington, 18 November (WashingtonTV)—A number of Iranian lawmakers have called for a probe into the “suspicious” death of a doctor who worked at the controversial Kahrizak detention center south of Tehran, the Aftab-e Yazd newspaper said on Wednesday.
Ramin Pourandarjani, 26, was found dead on 10 November. He was serving his military service as a doctor at the facility, which was closed in July after the deaths there of several protesters arrested after the disputed presidential election.
Iran’s police chief, Esmail Ahmadi Moghaddam, said today that the death was the result of a suicide, reports the official IRNA news agency.
However, some reformist websites, including Mowjcamp and Norooz, have in recent days questioned the authenticity of the suicide death.
Iran’s Majlis [parliament] discussed the death last week, the semi-official Mehr news agency said on Tuesday.
“We have asked the coroner to report on the cause of death of this doctor by performing an autopsy,” Masoud Pezeshkian, member of the Majlis Health Commission, was quoted by Aftab-e Yazd as saying.
“Given his age and that he had no prior medical history, it doesn’t make sense that he died of a heart attack,” he added.
Pezeshkian said that Pourandarjani’s medical school classmates had asked lawmakers to follow up on the doctor’s “suspicious death”.
Meanwhile, a member of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Affairs Commission told the Iran Labor News Agency [ILNA] that he wanted the commission to discuss the death, even though it is not on the panel’s agenda.
ILNA also reported that police had opened a file at Tehran’s criminal court on the doctor’s death.
Police chief Moghaddam said that Pourandarjani was facing trial and had complained “in a written will” about warnings he had received of a five-year jail term if convicted, reports IRNA.
Kahrizak was closed on the order of supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to reformist websites, several people died due to beatings there during their detention.
Iranian officials have confirmed the death of two people held there, but said that they had been struck down by meningitis.
According to IRNA, eight people have so far been charged with offenses linked to the detention center.
Sources: Aftab-e Yazd newspaper, IRNA, Mehr news agency, ILNA
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