Arsham Rezaei’s Food and Medicine Strike in Rajai Shahr Prison, Karaj
Hrana News Agency – On Monday, the 18th of Bahman, Arsham (Mahmoud) Rezaei, a civil activist imprisoned in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj, has begun a strike refusing food and medicine in protest of inadequate medical care and opposition to his transfer to medical leave. Mr. Rezaei suffers from hiatal hernia, helicobacter bacteria (stomach infection), and duodenal ulcer, and requires medical treatment.
According to Hrana News Agency, the news outlet of the Human Rights Activists collection in Iran, on Monday, the 18th of Bahman 1400, Arsham (Mahmoud) Rezaei, in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj, began a strike refusing food and medicine.
He was transferred to Rajai Hospital in Karaj on Wednesday, the 13th of Bahman, to undergo endoscopy, and the physician announced that Mr. Rezaei suffers from hiatal hernia, helicobacter bacteria, and duodenal ulcer. Mr. Rezaei’s strike is in protest of inadequate medical care and opposition to his transfer on medical leave.
Despite stomach discomfort and difficulty eating, Mr. Rezaei has been deprived of proper medical care. This political prisoner has also suffered problems in his left knee due to beating with a baton during his detention.
Previously, an informed source stated that despite the prison physician’s order to transfer him to the hospital and conduct an MRI test, his transfer has been prevented.
Arsham Rezaei was arrested by IRGC intelligence forces in Tehran on the 17th of Dey 1397, and on the 22nd of Aban 1398, he was temporarily released from Evin Prison with a bail of 200 million tomans, until the end of legal proceedings.
The court hearing to examine the charges against this civil activist was held on the 7th of Esfand 1397 in Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court under the presidency of Judge Mohammad Moghisseh, without the presence of a lawyer and without prior notice. He was sentenced to a total of 8 years and 6 months imprisonment for charges of propaganda against the system, assembly and conspiracy to act against national security, and insulting the leadership. This sentence was ultimately confirmed by Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals under the presidency of Judge Seyyed Ahmad Zargar. With the application of Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the severest punishment of 5 years imprisonment for the charge of “assembly and conspiracy to act against national security” is enforceable against him.
Arsham Rezaei was arrested on the 27th of Aban of last year to serve his 5-year sentence and was transferred to one of the solitary cells of Rajai Shahr Prison known as the Suite. He was again transferred on the 29th of Aban from Rajai Shahr Prison to an unknown location, and after 3 days was transferred to one of the solitary cells of the Security Ward of the prison. He was ultimately transferred on the 29th of Azar 1399 to the political ward of Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj. Before his transfer to prison, this civil activist was informed of charges at Branch 2 of the Evin Prosecutor’s Investigation Section under the presidency of Judge Haji Moradi, and a bail of 500 million tomans was issued for him.
The court hearing to examine Mr. Rezaei’s charges from his new case was held on the 1st of Bahman of this year in Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court under the presidency of Judge Iman Afshary. He was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment and 4 months forced labor in agricultural jihad for charges of “propaganda activity against the system and assembly and conspiracy to commit crimes against domestic and foreign security of the country.” He was ultimately, in this case which was opened jointly with two other prisoners named Mohammad Aboulhasani and Shakila Manfred against him, condemned by the Court of Appeals as the second defendant to 11 months imprisonment and 4 months forced labor in the Organization of Agricultural Jihad. With the application of Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the severest punishment of 11 months imprisonment is enforceable against him.
Source: Hrana
