Doctor warns transfers risk health of jailed Armenian podcaster on hunger striker

An Armenian doctor has warned against unnecessary transfers of critically ill patients, raising concern over the treatment of jailed opposition podcaster Narek Samsonyan, who is on a prolonged hunger strike.

Samsonyan, co-host of the Imnemnimi podcast, entered the 15th day of his hunger strike on Friday. After a brief hospital visit on Thursday, he was returned to a punishment cell, the doctor said.

Dr. Kate Tairyan, who has been sharing daily updates on the medical effects of hunger strikes, stresses there has been no public medical assessment of Samsonyan’s condition and questioned whether he is receiving adequate examinations, laboratory tests and care required during prolonged fasting.

“Patients in critical condition should only be transported in cases of extreme necessity and using specially equipped medical vehicles,” Tairyan said, adding that repeated transfers between prison and hospital could worsen a severely weakened patient’s condition.

She questioned who authorized Samsonyan’s discharge from hospital while on the 14th day of a hunger strike and called on the treating physician to publicly defend the patient’s health and life. Tairyan also warned of the risk of organ failure and of “refeeding syndrome”, a potentially fatal complication during recovery after extended fasting, which requires careful, gradual medical supervision.

Samsonyan has been transferred twice during the hunger strike between the Armavir Penitentiary and Yerevan’s Izmirlian Medical Center, a journey of more than 30 km each way. Tairyan said best medical practice would require continuous hospital monitoring, even if the hunger strike ends.