A/HRC/31/57/Add.1 259. The Rapporteur takes note of the information provided by the Government that Dr. Taheri was arrested and prosecuted according to applicable Islamic law. However, no information was given as to the state of health or place of detention of Dr. Taheri. The Rapporteur finds that the Government, in its reply, does not sufficiently address the concerns, legal obligations, and questions raised in the initial communications, which prompts him to infer that the Government fails to fully and expeditiously cooperate with the mandate issued by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 25/13. 260. In the Rapporteur’s interim report to the General Assembly of 5 August 2011 (A/66/268), the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment defined solitary confinement, in accordance with the Istanbul Statement on the Use and Effects of Solitary Confinement, as the physical and social isolation of individuals who are confined in their cells for 22 to 24 hours a day. He observed that while solitary confinement for short periods of time may be justified under certain circumstances, with adequate and effective safeguards in place, the use of prolonged (in excess of 15 days under conditions of total isolation) or indefinite solitary confinement may never constitute a legitimate instrument of the State, as it may cause severe mental and physical pain or suffering, a point which has been reiterated in paragraph 28 of the General Assembly resolution 68/156. Prolonged or indefinite solitary confinement runs afoul of the absolute prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Furthermore, due to the prisoner’s lack of communication, as well as the lack of witnesses inside the prison, solitary confinement may also give rise to other acts of torture or ill-treatment. 261. In the absence of information to the contrary, the Rapporteur concludes that there is substance in the allegations presented in the initial communication, available via the link above, and thus, that the Government has subjected Dr. Taheri to prolonged solitary confinement and failed to protect his health and physical and psychological integrity by denying him proper medical attention, and has thus violated his right to be free from cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. 262. The State is urged to take all necessary interim measures to ensure the full protection of Dr. Mohammed Ali Taheri against any violation of his human rights, including the commutation of his death penalty. (q) JUA 29/10/2015 Case No. IRN 20/2015 State Reply: None to date Allegations concerning the alleged arbitrary detention and continued harassment of three artists, Ms. Fatemah Ekhtesari, Ms. Mehdi Moosavi and Ms. Atena Farghadani and also the poor treatment of detained human rights activist, Ms. Narges Mohammadi. 263. The Special Rapporteur regrets that the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has not replied to the present communication, thereby failing to cooperate with the mandate issued by the Human Rights Council Resolution 25/13. 264. In the absence of information to the contrary, the Rapporteur concludes that there is substance in the allegations presented in the initial communication, available via the link above, and is therefore of the view that the Government of Iran, by failing to protect the physical and psychological integrity of Ms. Fatemah Ekhtesari, Ms. Mehdi Moosavi, Ms. Atena Farghadan, and Ms. Narges Mohammadi, facilitates the perpetration of torture, and other cruel and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment as provided for, inter alia, Article 2 and 16 of the Convention Against Torture (CAT). (r) 46 JUA 11/11/2015 Case No. IRN 21/2015 State Reply: None to date Allegations concerning the alleged torture, denial of due process and fair trial of juvenile offenders, of Messrs. Mohammad Ali Zehi and Milad Azimi; and the alleged torture, denial of due process and fair trial, and impending execution of Mr. Shahram Ahmadi