Open letter to the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran
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WORLD MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
ASSOCIATION MEDICALE MONDIALE
ASOCIACION MEDICA MUNDIAL
Centre International de Bureaux
Immeuble A “Keynes” Website : www.wma.net Postal Address :
13, chemin du Levant Telephone : (33) 4 50 40 75 75 Boîte Postale 63
01210 FERNEY-VOLTAIRE Fax : (33) 4 50 40 59 37 01210 FERNEY-VOLTAIRE Cedex
France E-mail address : wma@wma.net France
OPEN LETTER
H.E. Ayatollah Dr Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi
President of the Islamic Republic of Iran
The Presidency
Tehran, Iran
info_leader@leader.ir
infopack@irimlsa.ir
8 November 2022
Your Excellency,
I am writing to you on behalf of the World Medical Association (WMA), the global federation of National
Medical Associations representing millions of physicians worldwide, acting for the advancement of good
practice, medical ethics and medical accountability internationally.
Many concurred resources testify to an alarming rate of violence against health personnel in Iran since the
death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on 16 Sept 2022, with reports of at least one physician killed by security
forces, as well as arrestations and ill-treatments.
Reports indicate that ambulances are used for transporting security forces and people arrested and physicians
are being coerced to falsify medical records and death certificates to cover up violence and torture. We heard
as well that in some locations, security personnel had prevented physicians and nurses from treating injured
protestors, who were then arrested in the emergency rooms.
We are seriously concerned by these shocking practices impeding the provision of health care for those in need
and failing to protect health personnel in the pursuit of their mission, in flagrant violation of fundamental
human rights standards, including the right to health and the freedom of expression. We strongly condemn
such inappropriate violence by the security forces, arbitrary detentions as well as the misuse of medical
facilities for the deliberate purposes of repressing demonstrations.
Standing in solidarity with our Iranian colleagues, we demand safe working conditions for physicians and other
health personnel in the pursuit of their mission as well as full access to health care to all those in needs.
We call for an immediate and unconditional end of violence as well as independent investigations as a step
towards pursuing accountability for the most serious crimes under international law committed in Iran.
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Osahon Enabulele
President of the World Medical Association