Prisoner Dies in Isfahan Prison Amid Unsanitary Conditions and Inadequate Medical Care

Breathing in Confinement, Tuesday, July 21, 2026: A prisoner convicted of a non-political offence has died in Isfahan Prison after falling ill, amid poor sanitary conditions and inadequate access to medical care.

According to the report, on Saturday, July 18, Afshin Albandi, a prisoner held in Isfahan Prison on a non-political conviction, died after contracting an illness. An informed source said that the prison’s poor sanitary conditions and delays in receiving medical treatment contributed to the deterioration of his health.

Afshin Albandi was a well-known athlete in Isfahan Province and a former boxing champion. During his sporting career, he competed in national and international competitions, winning gold and silver medals at national level as well as titles in international competitions, including events in Ukraine and Serbia. He had also won a gold cup at a European competition.

According to information received, Albandi was serving a sentence for a non-political offence and was approaching his release. However, after developing an illness reportedly linked to the prison’s poor environmental conditions and lacking adequate medical care, his health deteriorated severely, ultimately resulting in his death.

The deaths of prisoners from treatable illnesses, or the worsening of medical conditions due to inadequate access to healthcare, have heightened concerns about sanitation, medical care, and conditions of detention in prisons. Under the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules), people in detention must have access, without discrimination, to appropriate healthcare and adequate standards of hygiene, while the authorities responsible for their detention bear responsibility for safeguarding their health.

Breathing in Confinement, the news outlet of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, emphasises the urgent need to address sanitary conditions in prisons, ensure prisoners’ access to medical care, and uphold humane standards in detention facilities.