Kurdistan/Iran; Kurdish civilians diagnosed with Severe Autoimmune Neurological Condition Following 40 Days of Arbitrary Detention

May 2025,

Abdullah Azhir, a young Kurdish athlete and mountaineer from the village of Sarokani in Piranshahr, has developed a severe autoimmune condition following 40 days of arbitrary detention in a detention facility in Urmia. After his temporary release on bail, he exhibited critical symptoms including progressive paralysis, neurological dysfunction, and the deterioration of essential cognitive and mobility functions such as memory, speech, and vision. Despite extensive medical testing, doctors have yet to reach a definitive diagnosis or effective treatment.

According to a source reporting to Kurdistan Human Rights Association-Geneva, Azhir experienced significant impairment shortly after his release, including the loss of mobility, visual clarity, speech, balance, and memory. He is currently bedridden at his family residence in an incapacitating and life altering condition. He is unable to stand or walk, suffers from severe speech impairment, and his eyesight is critically damaged with swelling in the eyes and an inability to move them. He has lost the ability to laugh naturally, and facial muscle control has deteriorated, resulting in abnormal facial expressions. His memory loss is profound; he does not recall the events of his detention or understand the cause of his illness. Overall, he suffers from systemic neuromuscular dysfunction, with a complete breakdown in the coordination between mental, visual, verbal, and mobility functions.

Although medical professionals have not identified the precise cause of his illness, existing documentation confirms that Azhir’s physical and neurological condition is in critical decline. Clinical reports detail severe muscular weakness, visual and verbal impairments, and disrupted neurological responsiveness consistent with substantial damage to both theoutlying nervous system and neuromuscular communication.

Medical Findings: Evidence of Post Detention Neurological Disorder

A review of Abdullah Azhir’s official medical records reveals extensive and severe neurological symptoms emerging immediately after his release. These findings are corroborated by hospital summaries, prescriptions, and electrodiagnostic test results (EMG-NCS).

1. Medical File Summary:

• Primary Diagnosis: Myasthenia Gravis (MG), a chronic autoimmune disorder attacking neuromuscular junctions, impairing movement, swallowing, speech, vision, and respiration.

• Clinical Symptoms: Diplopia (double vision), dysphagia, neck muscle weakness, impaired facial muscle reactions, memory deficits, and reduced cognitive performance.

• Prescribed Treatments: Administrating albumin and specialized neurological tests including EMG-NCV.

2. EMG-NCS Findings:

• The tests show significant reductions in nerve conduction velocity and mobility response in multiple body areas, consistent with Myasthenia Gravis or similar autoimmune disorders.

• Reports reference chronic muscle weakness, poor mobility response, and impaired neural transmission in both upper and lower limbs.

3. Prescription of Albumin:

• Physicians prescribed albumin during Azhir’s hospitalization, a treatment commonly reserved for acute autoimmune crises, neurological shock, or severe immune disorders such as MG or Guillain Barré syndrome.

Detention, Legal Irregularities, and Ongoing Security Surveillance,

Abdullah Azhir was arrested on April 14, 2025, by personnels of the Ministry of Intelligence without a judicial warrant and transferred to one of their detention centers in Urmia. During his 40 days detention, his family was denied any information of his whereabouts, legal status, or health condition.

• Depriving of Legal Rights: Azhir was held incommunicado without access to legal counsel or family visits. This constitutes a clear case of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance, in violation of Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and United Nations standards on the treatment of detainees.

• Media Censorship and Pressure on Family:

Iranian Security forces reportedly pressured Azhir’s family to remain silent about his detention, preventing public disclosure and hindering support from human rights organizations.

• Release and Continued Surveillance: Azhir was released after 40 days on a substantial bail of 20 billion Iranian rials. He was immediately hospitalized due to his deteriorating health. Throughout his hospitalization and subsequent recovery at home, he and his family have remained under continuous security surveillance and pressure.

State Responsibility for Health Collapse and Human Rights Violations,

The case of Abdullah Azhir reflects multiple severe human rights violations by the Islamic Republic of Iran. His arbitrary and illegal arrest, the secrecy surrounding his detention, and the denial of legal representation constitute violations of his right to due process and protection against arbitrary detention.

The sudden collapse of his physical and psychological health following detention, supported by medical evidence of extensive neurological damage, raises credible concerns about possible torture or maltreatment. Under international law, the burden of proof lies with the detaining authority in such cases.

Furthermore, the failure of the Iranian medical system to provide an impartial and effective diagnosis or treatment constitutes a violation of Azhir’s right to health, as protected under Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).

Despite suffering from incapacitating cognitive and physical impairments, Abdullah Azhir remains under state surveillance and deprived of independent medical and legal assistance. His case underscores the urgent need for international accountability and protection mechanisms for victims of political repression in Iran.