The 53-year-old former textile worker was moved to the hospital last Wednesday from Batu prison on Nusakambangan prison island in Cilacap, Central Java, where he had been since June last year.

The Law and Human Rights Ministry’s correctional affairs directorate spokesperson, Ade Kusmanto, cited Zulfiqar’s poor health as the reason behind his transfer to Jakarta. Although Zulfiqar has also been officially transferred to the Cipinang Detention Center in East Jakarta, he will remain at the hospital.

“Based on medical assessments, it is known that the prisoner has suffered from complications and his health has deteriorated. He has been diagnosed with dangerous liver cancer. He now suffers from diabetes mellitus, which has aggravated his condition,” Ade told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Batu prison head Sudjonggo said Zulfiqar’s health had deteriorated since he was first detained at the prison. He was frequently taken out of the center for medical treatment.

“Therefore, we transferred him to a detention center in Jakarta."

In a recent interview with Dawn, a newspaper from Pakistan, Zulfiqar shared a story of his agony of living in prison with poor health. He said prison doctors told him he only had three months to live as his cancer had entered stage 4, the most dangerous stage as it indicates that the cancer has spread to other organs.

“The cancer has left behind only a sliver of liver, despite the fact that almost $40,000 has been spent on my [health] care so far."

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