Case of Dr. Hamid Qara Hasanlou, a radiologist and his wife Mrs. Farzaneh Qara Hasanlou. 

Dear Health Care Professionals and members of the World Medical Association,

Being faithful to our Hippocratic Oath is not and should not be a crime. 

For physicians in Iran however, upholding this oath and caring for all people including injured protesters, is considered a crime punishable even by the death penalty.

Our network Medical Alliance for Health Services Abroad (MAHSA) has shined a spotlight on the ongoing injustices and crimes against healthcare professionals since the beginning of the civil upheaval consuming Iran https://chng.it/h95ftCvV . Building upon our prior concern, just as we had regretfully anticipated the Iranian government has been emboldened and is now escalating their aggression to the death penalty.

We urge you as a representative of your respected organization, to act immediately in order to stop the persecution, detention, and murder of physicians in Iran. The Iranian authorities are currently detaining and torturing more than twenty physicians for simply fulfilling their ethical and professional obligations: serving the injured without prejudice. 

Sadly, an oath which all physicians hold sacred to their heart now puts their lives at risk everyday. The Geneva Convention prohibits any restrictions of access to injured people. The WHO constitution (1946) envisages that all people should have unrestricted access to medical care. “The right to health includes both freedoms and entitlements”. Sadly, both pillars are being actively violated by the Iranian regime. 

We call on you today to uphold the rights of Iranian healthcare professionals to render the professional care needed for injured children and adults, without fear of reprisal or condemnation to death. Our appeal to halt the execution of detained physicians seeks your full attention and immediate support. 

We urge your organization to publicly and unequivocally, denounce any restrictions imposed on healthcare workers in Iran so that they can take care of wounded protestors. We further urge you to advocate for the release of all detained healthcare professionals.   

We ask of you to deploy the use of all your official and diplomatic channels to urge the Iranian government to immediately cease persecution, imprisonment, torture and the implementation of the death penalty for physicians. Some of those who are at imminent risk of execution include (but not limited to): 

Dr. Shouresh Haydari
Dr. Ashkan Pouyan
Dr. Ibrahim Reegi
Dr. Hamid Qara Hassanlou
Mrs. Farzaneh Qara Hassanlou

Below we have attached a copy of details pertaining to just one of these above-mentioned physicians. This is simply an example of their ongoing plight, and the risk their lives are currently under.

Details of Dr. Hamid Qara Hasanlou, a radiologist and his wife Mrs. Farzaneh Qara Hasanlou. 

Hamid Qara Hasanlou, MD is a radiologist and resident of Karaj, Iran. On Thursday November 12, 2022 Dr. Hasanlou and his wife, Mrs. Farzaneh Qara Hassanlou participated in the 40th anniversary of the death of Hadith Najafi, one of the victims of the recent protests in Karaj. On Friday, November 13, 2022 they were beaten in the presence of their teenage daughter during the security agents' raid on their residence in Karaj, after which both were arrested. Since the beginning of their detention, they have been under pressure and tortured to make false confessions and incriminate themselves and each other. 

Two days later, a clip published by the IRGC-affiliated media identified Dr. Hasanlou as one of the 11 accused in the murder of a Basiji militiaman Ruhollah Ajamian, who was killed during the Karaj protests. On November 21st, the Karaj Prosecutor's Office issued a collective indictment for 11 people, Dr. Hasanlou included. Some of the charges included "corruption on earth", "gathering and collusion with the intention of committing crimes against the security of the country" and "propaganda activity against the regime through chanting, publishing and republishing criminal content in cyberspace".

It should be known that Dr. Qara Hasanlou is a well-known physician, with more than 26 years of professional experience and is also actively participating in charities including school building in the underprivileged areas of Iran. Mrs. Qara Hasanlou along with her husband, have also engaged in humanitarian activities for many years. 

Dr. Qara Hasanlou suffers from two serious diseases of the cardiovascular and digestive system and any physical or mental pressure in the prison environment can potentially place his life in serious and imminent risk. The Karaj prosecutor's office has so far refused to accept personal representation of any of the defendants in the case under the pretense of security. Sadly, it appears the intent of the prosecution is to proceed to trial through a court order and only with the presence of a lawyer appointed by the prosecutor's office. Dr. Qara Hasanlou and his wife are just two examples among numerous physicians and medical professionals that have been arrested in different cities in the last few months, during the ongoing unrest in Iran. Despite their lifelong commitment to improving the condition of their fellow man, they are now facing execution for the crime of peaceful protesting.

It is within our duty and collective consciousness as an alliance of healthcare providers engaged in international and public health, to request international support. We urge and ask that your organization publicly, and unequivocally denounce these actions. It is time for all physicians internationally to unite and with a resounding voice, shake the collective consciousness into action. We ask for governments and international organizations to urge the Iranian government to at once stop all persecution, imprisonment, torture, murder of physicians and cease the interruption of medical care in Iran.  

We request your Excellency to save the lives of these innocent people. This begins with working towards a fair trial with adequate representation, and work diligently to procure their release as soon as possible. 

With deep and abiding respect and gratitude,

Medical Alliance for Health Services Abroad (MAHSA)

1. Kaveh Alizadeh MD, FACS Reconstruction and Plastic Surgeon 
2. Arash Alaie MD HIV and Global Health Specialist
3. Kamiar Alaie MD, DrPH, MS, MSt Global Health Policy and Human Right Law
4. Atih Seif MD, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist 
5. Sean Shaheen Tedjarati, MD, MPH, MBA, CPE Gynecologic Surgical Oncologist and Medical Executive Leadership
6. Mehrdad Shojaei, MD, Hospitalist
7. Milad Sharifpour MD, Internal Medicine 
8. Behrooz Bromand MD Nephrologist 
9. Vadjista Broumand MD, FACP Internist
10. Fatemeh Esfahani MD, FACC Cardiologist
11. Tara Farah MD Family Physician
12. Arash Shadfar MD Forensic Psychiatrist 
13. Jaleh Niazi MD Pediatrician
14. Kianoush Dehghani MD, MPH, FRCP Public Health (Infectious Disease) Specialist
15. Shahla Moghbel, DO, Neurologist and Clinical Neurophysiologist
16. Gity Supervizer, Acute Care Neurosurgery and Trauma NP-C
17. Newsha Lajevardi, MD Dermatologist
18. Mehdi Mirsaeidi, MD, MPH Pulmonary and Critical Care Specialist
19. Omid Jafari MD Radiologist
20. Samareh Moussavand MD Child and Adult Psychiatrist
21. Amir S Kazemi PT, DPT, OCS Physical therapist
22. Mahshid Kamyab MD Family Medicine 
23. Allen Amir Ghorashi DDS, DABOI/ID 
24. Masoud Asgari MD, FCAP, FASDP Dermatologist
25. Soheila Doosti MD Pathologist
26. Thomas Taber DO, MPH Internal Medicine Specialist
27. Saeide Rezvaninejad MD Internal Medicine Specialist
28. Mehdi Ghajarnia MD Ophthalmologist
29. Maziar Bidar MD Ophthalmologist
30. Nizam Missaghi MD Anesthesiologist 
31. Payam Maneschi MD ENT-Specialist and Facial Plastic Surgeon 32. Masoomeh Faghankhani MD Public Mental Health Specialist 33. Maryam Jalali MD Pediatrics 34. Mahnaz Jalali MD Family Medicine 35. Koorosh Karimi MD Urologist 36. Farahnaz Eskandari MD Emergency Room and Family Medicine 37. Omid Ashouri, MD is a critical care specialist
38. Ahura Etemad MD Radiologist
39. Shirin Amani Azari  Award winning Psychotherapist; specialized in PTSD 40. Mahshid Kamyab MD Family Medicine
41. Nassim Assefi, MD Internal Medicine Specialist
42. Arezou Minooee, MD, MS, FACP Hospitalist
43. Yafa Minazad MD Neurologist 
44. Ardeshir Hakami MD Cardiothoracic Surgeon
45. Martha Richards, RN, MS, NP Nurse Practitioner
46. Elham Vosoughi MD Hematology Oncology 47. Kamran Abolmaali MD Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon 48. Rozita Khalili MD Neurologist
49. Nooshin Bakhtiari Pharm D Pharmacist 
50. Farah Toyserkani MD Gastroenterologist 52. Katayoun Rahnavardi MD Family Medicine 
53. Parvin Ramzi MD Medical Oncologist 54. Saran Lotfollahzadeh MD Pediatric Surgeon and Translational Vascular Research Scientist 55. Mona Sadeghpour MD Dermatologist
56. Marjan Nourai DDS Dentist
57. Fariba Mohebi MD Neurologist 
58. Shabnam Fahimi-Weber MD ENT Specialist 
59. Tahmineh Nikzadeh Pharm D Pharmacologist 
60. Ferial Soudavar MD Internal Medicine Specialist 
62. Leyla Khanlari MD Internal Medicine Specialist 
63. Maryam Pourreza MD Internal Medicine Specialist
64. Shideh Shoja MD Ophtalmologist
65. Simin Hakimi Khiabani MD Internal Medicine Specialist 
66. Shiva Shafahi PhD Microbiologist 
67. Shafa Amirsoltani DDS Dentist 
68. Farahnaz Farzadfar MD Family Medicine 
69. Sahar Nadimi MD Facial Plastic and ENT Surgeon
70. Gholamraza Bassiri MD Orthopedic Surgeon