The Iran Press News has published a report today from the Kurdestan Human Rights Defense Organization stating that a Kurdish prisoner named Hasan Hekmat Dabir with the organizational name Gid Arufa, a member of a Kurdestan political party, who was arrested 20 days ago by police security forces in the city of Urmia, has been tortured in a solitary confinement cell to the point that he is now on the verge of death.

It is said that Hasan Hekmat Dabir has been severely tortured and is paralyzed from the waist down. In this condition he is still being kept in solitary confinement. It is reported that local judicial officials have prohibited aid or medical supervision of any kind for this tortured prisoner.

The Kurdistan Human Rights Defense Organization expresses regret and shame at torture in prisons and is very concerned about receiving such disgusting reports, despite the fact that human rights laws prohibit any kind of torment, torture, inhumane punishment or oppressive or degrading treatment, and despite the fact that according to Article 38 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran any kind of torture to obtain a confession or intelligence is forbidden while forcing someone to bear witness, confess or take an oath have been declared impermissible punishments; such confessions, testimonies and oaths have been declared inadmissible and without value.

Likewise, based on the "minimum standards for prisoner treatment" the corporeal punishment of a prisoner, confinement in a dark cell and all forms of oppressive, inhumane or humiliating punishment are prohibited, and sick prisoners must be afforded all the necessary medical supervision and treatment. If the prisoner is in need of specialist treatment he must be sent to a hospital. However it appears that judicial and security officials do not adhere to any of these principles or rules.

This organization condemns the use of torture to obtain confessions from prisoners, and it calls for an end to such abominable and inhumane practices.

The Kurdistan Human Rights Defense Organization declares that torture continues in the prisons of Kurdistan and directs the attention of human rights circles to this shameful situation; it calls upon judicial and security officials to end the use of torture at prisons and security and police centers.