A Christian convert who had to undergo spinal surgery after falling out of her bunk bed in Evin Prison was rushed back to hospital earlier this month after catching an infection.

Aida Najaflou, 44, was operated on at the Shahid Tajrish Hospital in Tehran after suffering the injury on 31 October, but sent back to Evin Prison a week later.

However, on 16 November, Aida was rushed back to hospital after catching an infection in prison. 

She was returned to Evin Prison again on Saturday 22 November, after another six days in hospital.

Background

Prior to the accident, Aida had repeatedly warned prison officials that climbing to the top bunk was dangerous for her, as she suffers from rheumatoid arthritis. However, despite these warnings, her requests to be transferred to a lower bed were ignored.

After her fall, Aida was initially sent to another Tehran hospital, Taleghani, but denied proper medical treatment and returned to prison the same day – on a stretcher and still in severe pain.

This decision provoked protests from other political and religious prisoners in the women’s ward, prompting prison authorities to eventually transfer her to Shahid Tajrish.

Doctors recommended that Aida received urgent surgery to repair the fracture to her T12 vertebrae, followed by a long recovery period requiring specialised care and regular physiotherapy.

Aida has previously endured several major surgeries and was still in recovery from a nine-hour operation when she was arrested by Ministry of Intelligence agents in February.

She has been repeatedly denied access to adequate medical care during her detention, which included 65 days of solitary confinement in the ward operated by the Ministry of Intelligence: Ward 209.

Aida remains in detention due to her family’s inability to afford the extraordinarily high bail set for her in May, equivalent to $130,000.

The case of Aida, fellow Christian convert Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh, Iranian-Armenian Christians Joseph and Lida Shahbazian and another individual who has not been identified, is currently under judicial review, following a second court hearing on 21 October at Branch 15 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, presided over by notorious judge Abolqasem Salavati.

The Christians are being tried on “propaganda” and “collusion” charges related to their religious activities.