Mother of Sanaz Allahyari, a prisoner of conscience on hunger strike: "My daughter is innocent, release her"
The mother of Sanaz Al-Hayari, a labor activist who has been on a hunger strike (dry strike) in Evin Prison since July 4 to protest the continued temporary detention of her husband, told the Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that her daughter is not in good physical condition after six days of hunger strike and was transferred to the prison's health center on Monday, July 8 due to "a severe drop in blood pressure and body tremors." Ms. Norouzi also said that after two days of not being allowed to contact her family, her daughter was able to speak to her for a few minutes on the morning of July 8: "She said she was fine, but I know she was lying. She just said to tell the others that I refused to have my head bandaged at the hospital yesterday because I had to be released."
On the orders of Ali Chahar Mahali, the head of Evin Prison, Sanaz Alhayari was deprived of contact with her husband Amir Hossein Mohammadifar in Evin Prison and contact with her family on July 8. The head of the prison gave this order to punish and force her to break her hunger strike, but the next morning, according to Sanaz Alhayari's mother, she was allowed to contact her mother for a few minutes.
Ms. Gol Norouzi told the campaign: "I was unaware of my daughter yesterday. But they allowed Sanaz to call me this morning (July 9): "Sanaz knows how worried I am about her. I have four sons and a daughter. I have just lost a daughter, and I don't live in Tehran so I can quickly go to prison or the prosecutor's office. I live in Hamedan, far from Tehran. My husband also had an accident two weeks ago, after meeting Sanaz in front of the door of Evin Prison, and he hasn't been feeling well since that day. I went crazy when I heard that Sanaz was on a hunger strike. I've been crying all day since yesterday, wondering what happened to my daughter. Sanaz told them this morning that my mother is worried about me, let me call for a minute. She called, said I'm fine, but her voice was weak. I know she says it's good for me not to worry. She just said that yesterday she wouldn't let me have my head attached to her in the hospital. "He said, 'I didn't do anything to deserve to be in prison for so long, why should I break my strike?' Sanaz wasn't feeling well in prison before. We asked them to take her to the doctor, but I don't know why they didn't take my daughter."
Ms. Al-Hayari had previously suffered from severe weakness and tremors. An informed source told the Campaign on June 10, 2019 that she had lost a lot of weight, but despite the family’s requests to transfer her to the hospital for more specialized examinations, this has so far been prevented with the argument that “ her illness is not serious and does not require follow-up. ”
Sanaz Al-Hayari's mother stated that she had repeatedly gone to the Revolutionary Court and the Tehran Prosecutor's Office to demand the release of her son on bail, saying: "I went everywhere but they didn't give us any answers. I went to the prosecutor's office before Eid, what should I do? My Turkish and Persian are not good. I cried, I begged them, I said I have a daughter, please release her. They said okay, but she was not released. Even though her interrogations were over, they did not agree to her and her husband's release. Three times during this time, they said okay, we will release her, but they did not release her. Not only are they innocent, they are still in prison, but their living situation and home are also uncertain. They were tenants. I don't know what happened to their jobs, homes, and belongings."
Gol Khanum Norouzi, who lives in Hamedan and is forced to come to Tehran every week to visit her daughter, told the campaign: "With this situation, we come to Tehran with her father every week from Hamedan to visit her. God knows how difficult it is. Now I am going to Tehran on Sunday to see what condition my daughter is in after all this time of strike. I don't know if I should go to the Revolutionary Court again, go to the parliament... I don't know."
Ms. Noorzoi says she wants her daughter and husband to be released: "Why should a young girl be in prison for so long, if she hasn't done anything? I want her release. I can't take it anymore. I've been crying for six months."
Sanaz Alhayari and Amir Hossein Mohammadi Qor, two labor activists and members of the online magazine “Gam,” were both arrested at their homes in Tehran on January 9, 2018, and sent to Evin Prison after participating in the Haft Tappeh sugarcane workers’ protests (November 2018). Both have been in temporary detention for six months, and despite requests for release on bail pending a final verdict, bail has so far been denied for unknown reasons. On July 3, Amir Hossein Mohammadi Far wrote in a letter to Ali Chahar Mahali, the head of Evin Prison, and Judge Moghiseh, that if they are not released by July 4, along with the other Haft Tappeh detainees, he and his wife will go on a hunger strike.
Mr. Mohammadi Fardar wrote in part of his letter: "It has been almost six months since my wife and I were temporarily detained, and it has been more than five months since the interrogation and investigation stages were completed, and despite the issuance of bail, we are still in temporary detention. During this time, the measures we have taken through our families have not yielded any clear answers, and we are in limbo."
Another part of the letter stated: "My wife Sanaz Alhayari and I were arrested at the same time, and this has caused many problems in our personal lives, including dismissal from work, termination of insurance, arrears of housing rent, and arrears in installments of several loans. It has imposed many hardships on our families. If the authorities do not take any concrete action in this regard by July 13 of this year, I will use the only expression I have in my hand to defend my rights and Sanaz Alhayari's rights in protest against actions that are above the law. I will refrain from eating solid food. It is obvious that the consequences of this strike are directly aimed at the security and judicial authorities."
The couple began their hunger strike on July 4.
Sanaz Al-Hayari and her husband are accused of three charges: " associating with hostile groups and parties , " " gathering and colluding against national security ," and " forming a group with the intent to disrupt national security ." In May 2019, their final defenses were taken from them at the Seventh Interrogation Branch of Evin Prison, but their trial date has not yet been determined.
Sanaz Al-Hayari, born in 1987, graduated in economics. She was previously arrested again in March 2008 for her membership in the Freedom-Seeking and Equality-Demanding Students ( DAB ) group and was held in Evin Prison for 17 days. She was later sentenced to five years of suspended imprisonment by the Revolutionary Court on charges of acting against national security.
Another member of the Gam magazine, which covers labor news more, Amir Amirgholi and Asal Mohammadi were arrested after protests by Haft Tappeh sugarcane workers. Ms. Mohammadi was released on bail of 400 million Tomans a month after her arrest, but Amir Amirgholi, along with Sanaz Alhayari and Amir Hossein Mohammadifar, remain in prison.
Source: Human Rights Campaign
