Serious concern about political prisoners on hunger strike

Iran Human Rights (IHR) — 18 political prisoners in Evin and Rajai Shahr prisons have raised serious concern after launching hunger strikes.

12 of the political prisoners, who are held in Evin, began an indefinite hunger strike six days ago in protest to the deaths of two activists, *Haleh Sahabi and **Hoda Saber. Their names are: Emad Bahavar, Ghorban Behzadian Nejad, Bahman Ahmadi Amouie, Abdollah Momeni, Hassan Asadi Zeidabadi, Amir Khosrow Dalirsani, Abolfazl Ghadyani, Feizollah Arabsorkhi, Mohammad Reza Moghiseh, Mohammad Davari, Mohsen Aminzadeh, and Mehdi Eghbal.

According to reports, Abdollah Momeni and Abolfazl Ghadyani had been transferred to the prison’s clinic.

Today, it was reported that six political prisoners from Rajai Shahr prison have joined the hunger strike in support of the protest in Evin. These prisoners are: Keyvan Samimi, Heshmatollah Tabarzadi, Isa Saharkhiz, Masoud Bastani, Ali Ajami and Jafar Eghdami.

IHR is seriously concerned about the health of the political prisoners in Evin and Rajai Shahr prisons and urges the international community to intervene immediately.

Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the spokesperson of IHR said, "We have had previous cases where Iranian political prisoners held in inhumane health conditions died due to medical neglect. We fear that several of these prisoners may die in the coming days if the international community does not intervene immediately. We ask the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to give urgent attention to this matter. One possible option is to send an emergency commission to Iran to visit the prisons."

* Haleh Sahabi was a temporarily-released political prisoner murdered on June 1st at her father’s funeral after a raid by security forces. Her body was buried beside her father at night under heavy security presence.

**Hoda Saber, another political prisoner went on hunger strike in prison to protest Sahabi’s death. On June 12th, ten days into his hunger strike, he died from an alleged massive heart attack. According to follow-up reports, prison authorities delayed his transfer to hospital. There are also reports that he was badly beaten while he was on the hunger strike.

The Iranian authorities have not named, arrested, or charged any persons responsible for the deaths of Haleh Sahabi and Hoda Saber.