Six political prisoners go on hunger strike to protest unfair trials and prison conditions
Six political prisoners in Ward 4 of Evin Prison wrote an open letter "addressed to the people of Iran" and announced that they were going on a hunger strike "in protest against the unfair trial process and prison conditions."
In a statement signed by Hossein Sarlak, Morteza Nazari Sedehi, Mohsen Aminpour, Ali Bazazardeh, Behrouz Zare, and Reza Mohammad Hosseini, a copy of which was provided to the Human Rights Campaign in Iran: “In this regard and as a sign of protest, we, a group of political prisoners in Evin Prison located in Andorzgah 4, have been on a hunger strike since July 14th to protest these wrong practices and the inadequate conditions of prisoners in all matters, even regarding food rations. We will continue this protest until our demands are met, and we hope that our weak voice will reach all officials and address our legitimate demands.”
An informed source told the Campaign that Evin Prison officials summoned the six to the prison office and asked them to break their hunger strike.
The demands of these prisoners are: "Separation of political prisoners from other prisoners, whether in the prison of honorable men or women, acceptance of conditional release of political prisoners, elimination of the term security and recognition of political prisoners, non-discriminatory treatment of political prisoners' lawyers by judges of the Revolutionary Court, having a lawyer from the beginning of arrest to the last stage of the case of political defendants, annulment of all death sentences and heavy sentences of political prisoners for many years, rapid implementation of the bail issue until the trial of political prisoners with reasonable bail, and accurate and proper consideration of the nutritional status and diet of political prisoners."
The text of the statement of these political prisoners is as follows :
Dear compatriots,
Over the years, we have witnessed that the cases of political activists have been considered by intelligence and security officials, and there is no definition of political charges and political prisoners during the judicial process, and thousands of people are imprisoned in prisons across the country on false charges for political activities. Those who, given the dire economic conditions and poor living conditions, in recent years have only aimed to criticize the performance, and now, by protesting against wrong policies without studying them and by eliminating prominent, skilled and loyal elites, thinkers and experts, have brought things to a point where the protesters turn to opposing supervisory, executive and administrative plans, and for this reason they have been called criminals and are currently serving long-term prison sentences.
In addition, the failure to implement the Prisons Organization's regulations on separating political prisoners from other prisoners and the poor conditions of the Islamic Republic's prisons lead to disasters and incidents from time to time, the most recent of which was the murder of a political prisoner, Mr. Ali Reza Shir Mohammad Ali, who was brutally murdered in the Greater Tehran Prison or Fashafoyeh. Preventing the chosen lawyer of a political defendant from entering the revolutionary courts, the long time it takes to process the cases of prisoners in the ward, which can reach more than two years. The judges of the revolutionary courts treat the chosen lawyers of political defendants in a biased manner. Issuing death sentences and heavy sentences to political convicts in the revolutionary courts, which is one of the wrong practices of the judicial system.
In this regard and as a sign of protest, we, a group of political prisoners in Evin Prison, located in Andarzgah 4, have been on a hunger strike since July 14th to protest these wrong practices and the inadequate conditions of prisoners in all matters, even regarding food rations. We will continue this protest until our demands are met. We hope that our weak voice will reach the ears of all officials and that they will address our legitimate demands.
We also ask the honorable people of Iran to make our voice of protest heard by the entire world, and we are and will remain grateful and indebted to the honorable people of our beloved country.
Protesters' demands:
– Separation of political prisoners from other prisoners, whether in a men's or women's prison.
– Accepting the conditional release of political prisoners
– Eliminating the word “security” and recognizing political prisoners
– The judges of the Revolutionary Court did not treat the lawyers of political prisoners with discretion.
– Having a lawyer from the moment of arrest until the final stage of the case of political defendants
– Cancellation of all death sentences and heavy sentences of political prisoners serving many years
- Prompt implementation of bail until the trial of political prisoners with reasonable bail
– Accurate and proper attention to the nutritional status and diet of political prisoners
Names of participants in the hunger strike and protest:
1 – Hossein Sarlak – Sentenced to 12 years – Period of detention: 30 months
2 – Morteza Nazarisedehi (Ashok) – Sentenced to 6 years – Period of detention: 24 months
3 – Mohsen Aminpour (Kian Irani) – Sentenced to 10 years – Period of detention: 16 months
4 – Ali Bazazardeh – Sentenced to 2 years – Detention period: 18 months
5 – Behrouz Zare – Sentenced to 2 years – Period of detention: 12 months
6 – Reza Mohammad Hosseini – Conviction (Pending) – Detention period: 2 months
Source: Human Rights Campaign
