Hunger Strike of “Nasser Noor Delgtapeh” Christian Citizen

“Nasser Noor Delgtapeh”, a Christian citizen imprisoned in Evin Prison, continues his hunger strike.

Nasser Gol Tapeh, a resident of Parand, was arrested on February 8, 2024 (18 Bahman 1403) following a raid on his home by security forces. He was previously arrested in 2017 on charges of forming and running a house church and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. However, on October 16, 2022 (25 Mehr 1401), after serving approximately 5 years, he was released from prison, only to be arrested again in the current year.

Mr. Gol Tapeh was conditionally released after serving one-third of his sentence. However, according to statements by “Iman Salimani”, his lawyer, requests for sentence reduction were rejected, and subsequent appeals were also denied.

Now, approximately two years after his release, he has been arrested again by security forces and is being held in Evin Prison. Nasser Noor is protesting the unjust and illegal nature of his arrest by going on a hunger strike, which he continues to maintain. He has also suffered severe physical problems due to his long imprisonment in the past and harsh prison conditions, and his current hunger strike has increased concerns about his health status. Despite protesting his unlawful arrest and initiating a hunger strike, he has not only been denied access to a lawyer of his choice, but no specific charges have been announced against him to date.

According to reports published by human rights organizations, if Nasser Noor is not released in the coming days, which are near the Nowruz holidays, there is a possibility that he may remain in temporary detention without trial until after the holidays, and his hunger strike will bring further concerns about his health condition.