Possibility of pressure on Reza Shahabi to break hunger strike in prison

In response to Reza Shahabi's wife's request to meet with him to dissuade the imprisoned labor activist from continuing his hunger strike, judicial authorities have said, "We will break Shahabi's hunger strike ourselves."

According to the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company Workers' Union, on Tuesday, June 14, Robabeh Rezaei, the wife of Reza Shahabi, a member of the union, went to the Evin Prison Prosecutor's Office to request a meeting with him, but judicial authorities did not allow the meeting.

According to the report, Ms. Rezaei requested the interrogator to meet with her husband "to convince him to break his hunger strike due to his serious physical condition," but the interrogator responded by saying, "The interrogator will not allow you to meet and said we will break Shahabi's hunger strike ourselves."

The Vahed Company Workers' Union has considered this response by the judicial authorities as "evidence of the harassment and persecution of the prisoner's family" and has "strongly condemned any threats and pressure from the judicial authorities." It has also called for the unconditional release of Reza Shahabi and Hassan Saeedi, two members of the union who are in prison.

Mr. Shahabi announced a hunger strike on Monday, June 13, in protest against "illegal case preparation and detention, multiple and lengthy interrogations, threats from the interrogator, lack of medical attention, and inadequate conditions in Ward 209 of Evin, where the number of prisoners is several times the room's capacity."

Reza Shahabi Shahabi is a prisoner in Ward 209 of Evin Prison with underlying diseases. According to previous reports, his blood pressure "constantly fluctuates between 16 and 18" and "the left half of his body and face regularly go numb."

The findings also indicate that the detention order of this imprisoned labor activist, who was arrested on May 12, was extended for another month on June 12.

Source: Voice of America