A/HRC/25/60/Add.2 alternative medicine theories. It was alleged that Dr. Taheri was arrested by the Revolutionary Guard in May 2011 after fourteen Shia religious authorities declared that he was to be considered an apostate and heretic due to his professional activities, issued a fatwa, and requested a death sentence. He was allegedly tried and sentenced to a prison term, fine and lashes. Authorities from the Evin Prison, where Mr. Taheri reportedly continued to be held at the time of this communication, allegedly informed close members of his family in August 2013 that he would soon be executed. The Special Rapporteur expressed grave concern over allegations that Dr. Taheri had been subjected to torture during his detention, denied access to a doctor despite suffering from serious physical and mental conditions, and had attempted to commit suicide multiple times. In this context, the Special Rapporteur would like to stress that each Government has the obligation to protect the right to physical and mental integrity of all persons, as set forth inter alia in the UDHR and the ICCPR. The Special Rapporteur reiterates the absolute prohibition of torture and illtreatment, as reiterated in paragraph 1 of Human Rights Council Resolution 16/23, which “Condemns all forms of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, including through intimidation, which are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever and can thus never be justified, and calls upon all States to implement fully the absolute and non-derogable prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” The Special Rapporteur also draws attention to paragraph 7c of Human Rights Council resolution 16/23, that urges States “[t]o ensure that no statement established to have been made as a result of torture is invoked as evidence in any proceedings, except against a person accused of torture as evidence that the statement was made, and calls upon States to consider extending that prohibition to statements made as a result of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. . . .” Additionally, as stated in his report to the General Assembly (A/67/279; 9 August 2012), the Special Rapporteur finds that even if the emergence of a customary norm that considers the death penalty as per se running afoul of the prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment is still under way, most conditions under which capital punishment is actually applied renders the punishment tantamount to torture. Under many other, less severe conditions, it still amounts to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. He therefore recalls the absolute nature of the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and urges the Government to commute Mr. Taheri’s death sentence. He also calls on the government to undertake a prompt, impartial, and effective investigation of the alleged acts of torture and imposition of corporal punishment, leading to prosecution and punishment of the perpetrators and to ensure that Dr. Taheri obtains redress, including fair and adequate compensation, and as full rehabilitation as possible. (i) UA 26/08/2013 Case No. IRN 14/2013 State reply: None to date Alleged risk of imminent execution, torture, ill-treatment, and forced confession in violation of international human rights law. 69. The Special Rapporteur regrets that the Government of Iran has not responded to this communication, thereby failing to cooperate with the mandate issued by the Human Rights Council. The communication referred to the alleged risk of imminent execution of Messrs. Mohammad Ali Amouri, Sayed Jaber Alboshoka and Sayed Mokhtar Alboshoka, pursuant to their sentences on charges of “enmity against God” (Moharebeh), corruption on earth (ifsad fil-arz) and acting against national security. It is alleged that Messers. Sha’bani Amouri and Rashidi have been subject to torture, forced confessions, and denied access to counsel and their families during the first nine months of their detention starting February 2011. The Special Rapporteur expressed concern that the executions of the named individuals, who were also the subject of two prior communications, would constitute a violation of international human rights law, which only permits the death penalty to be imposed for the most serious crimes and pursuant to full compliance with fair trial and due 49