Ramin Pourandarjani
died of poisoning
He died of poisoning from a delivery salad laced with an overdose of blood pressure medication.
Biography
Ramin Pourandarjani (1983–2009) was an Iranian physician who worked at the Kahrizak detention center during the 2009 election protests. He treated prisoners, including Mohsen Ruholamini, who had been tortured. After testifying about the abuse at Kahrizak, Pourandarjani was threatened and arrested. He died under suspicious circumstances in November 2009, with the Iranian authorities claiming poisoning from a tainted salad. His death remains unexplained, fueling suspicions that he was murdered for revealing the truth about the abuses at the detention center.
Early Life and Education
Ramin Pourandarjani was born on June 9, 1983, in Tabriz, Iran, into a middle-class family. From an early age, he demonstrated academic excellence. At the age of 11, he entered a school for gifted students, and at 13, he won a national poetry competition. Pourandarjani later pursued a medical degree, enrolling in Ardabil Medical School before transferring to the University of Tabriz. He graduated in 2008 with distinction, fluent in English and French.
During his academic career, Pourandarjani co-authored a study on Finasteride and its potential to induce depression, which was published in BMC Clinical Pharmacology in 2006. He also volunteered on a medical advice webpage where he answered questions related to HIV/AIDS and was an active member of the Language Improvement Committee that helped teach English to medical students.
Medical Career and Work at Kahrizak
Pourandarjani worked as a physician at the notorious Kahrizak detention center, which was infamous for its abuse of political prisoners arrested during the 2009 Iranian presidential election protests. His medical duties involved treating prisoners who had been severely tortured. One of his patients was Mohsen Ruholamini, the son of a government scientist, who had been arrested for participating in the protests. Ruholamini died in Kahrizak in July 2009 due to severe physical abuse.
Pourandarjani testified before a parliamentary committee investigating misconduct at Kahrizak, detailing how he had treated Ruholamini and other victims of torture. He mentioned receiving threats from Kahrizak authorities, who warned him to remain silent about the abuse or face severe consequences.
Aftermath of His Testimony and Death
Following his testimony, Pourandarjani was arrested, interrogated, and pressured by authorities to remain silent. He was released on bail but continued to receive threats from unknown sources. Before his death, Pourandarjani confided to friends that he feared for his life due to the authorities’ pressure and his involvement in exposing the truth.
On November 10, 2009, Pourandarjani was found dead under suspicious circumstances. The official cause of death, as stated by Iranian authorities, was poisoning from a tainted salad containing an overdose of blood pressure medication. However, this explanation was widely criticized, with many believing he had been murdered due to his knowledge of the torture at Kahrizak.
Authorities prohibited his family from conducting an autopsy, and unusual security measures surrounded his funeral. His death remains a deeply controversial and unresolved case in Iran.
Legacy
Ramin Pourandarjani is remembered as a symbol of integrity and courage in the face of a repressive regime. His efforts to expose human rights abuses, particularly at Kahrizak, made him a target of the Iranian government. His death highlighted the risks faced by those in Iran who speak out against state-sponsored violence.
Pleas of Surviving Relatives and Family if any
The surviving relatives of Ramin Pourandarjani likely made heartfelt pleas for justice and accountability regarding his suspicious death, urging an independent investigation into the true cause of his death and calling for those responsible for silencing him to be held accountable, while also condemning the Iranian government's actions in suppressing medical professionals who expose human rights abuses. They may have also appealed to the international community to pressure the Iranian government for a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
Sources & References
Pourandarjani was responsible for the medical care of several prisoners suspected to have been tortured. One of his patients, Mohsen Ruholamini, the 25-year-old son of a government scientist, had been arrested for participating in the post-election protests. Ruholamini died in prison in July 2009. Initially, the death certificate listed the cause of death as multiple blows to the head. However, a subsequent report provided to judicial authorities stated that Ruholamini died from physical stress, the harsh conditions of his detention, multiple blows, and severe injuries to his body.1 en.wikipedia.org Open source