Shokrollah Jebeli had been held in Evin Prison since January,2020.
Jebeli’s family confirmed the 83-year-old’s death on a Twitter account dedicated to securing his release from detention on Sunday evening AEDT.
“I was just told my father died today. I couldn’t save him,” Jebeli’s son,Peyman Jebeli,wrote on the social media platform.
He said his father had fallen critically ill and could barely speak on Friday evening AEDT. He had been taken to the prison infirmary after his condition deteriorated the following day,but had died on Sunday AEDT.
“We are still in shock,” his son said.
Jebeli had previously suffered a stroke inside the prison and was taken to an Iranian hospital for treatment,but was discharged that same day against medical advice,according to several sources.
Amnesty International expressed “grave concerns” about the grandfather’s wellbeing and the lack of specialised medical care to treat his health conditions in a letter to Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne last June.
“Despite his age and critical health condition,the Iranian authorities have denied him access to the urgent specialised healthcare he needs and have rejected requests for his release on medical grounds,” the letter read.