TEHERAN, KOMPAS.com – The World Medical Association (WMA) pledges to support every doctor Iran, who refused to take part in amputation inmate’s fingers as punishment.
In a firm letter to the Iranian authorities, the WMA said that it had been informed about the sentence recently.
A total of 4 teenage boys detained in Urumieh prison, West Azerbaijan province, will be “cut off 4 fingers on their right hand leaving only their palms and thumbs.”
The punishment is set for several types of robbery under Iran’s Islamic Penal Code.
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In the press release received Kompas.com Saturday (26/9/2020), WMA President Miguel Jorge wrote, “We strongly object to the decision that deliberately inflicts excruciating pain, incurable disability, and eliminates human dignity.”
“Such abhorrent practices should not be enforced in a state ruled by the rule of law.”
” Amputation is a severe, cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment that the WMA strongly condemns as a patent infringement of international human rights law. “
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He also added that under Iranian law the application of corporal punishment such as amputation, a doctor must be present for the assessment and enforcement of the verdict.
“By doing so, doctors are required to participate in carrying out punishments, which include torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading punishment.”
“This practice directly violates the core ethical values of our profession and we condemn it unconditionally.”
“It is our standard to encourage physicians to respect their commitment to serving humanity and to resist any pressure for action that is contrary to ethical principles in their dedication to this task.”
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“We are therefore determined to fully support doctors who refuse to participate in such inhuman acts.”
Dr Jorge closed his letter calling on Iranian authorities to immediately and unconditionally stop this “cruel and heinous act”.
He also urged Iran to fulfill its international obligations, particularly in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (which Iran ratified in 1975) which prohibits punishment and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment under all circumstances without exception.
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