Reza Khandan Released, Farhad Meisami Ends Hunger Strike
A lawyer announced the release of Reza Khandan, a civil activist and husband of Nasrin Sotoudeh, and the end of Farhad Meisami’s hunger strike.
Mohammad Ghayemi, lawyer for Farhad Meisami, a civil activist in detention, wrote on Twitter on Sunday, December 24, that following the court hearing of Reza Khandan and Farhad Meisami and agreement to change the bail condition, Reza Khandan was released on bail.
The message continued that with Khandan’s release and fulfillment of Meisami’s demands, the prisoner ended his hunger strike after 145 days. Ghayemi’s other client, Nasrin Sotoudeh, also ended her hunger strike.
Security forces arrested Reza Khandan on September 4 and transferred him to Evin Prosecutor’s Office.
Mr. Khandan had previously stated that he was summoned by telephone to the Ministry of Intelligence, but refused to go there due to the illegality of this type of summons.
Amnesty International immediately condemned Reza Khandan’s arrest and called for his and his wife Nasrin Sotoudeh’s unconditional release. Nasrin Sotoudeh, a lawyer and human rights activist, is also imprisoned in Evin.
The U.S. State Department also followed up on news of Reza Khandan’s arrest by posting a tweet in Persian.
On the other hand, Farhad Meisami, a doctor and civil activist, who had been on hunger strike in prison for about three months following Mr. Khandan’s arrest, ended his hunger strike.
Two weeks ago, the U.S. State Department, expressing concern about Farhad Meisami’s health condition, described this civil activist’s detention as arbitrary and wrote: “The United States condemns the arbitrary detention of Dr. Farhad Meisami.”
Farhad Meisami, 48, a civil activist and imprisoned doctor who has been in detention since August 30 of this year, is a close relative of Nasrin Sotoudeh and was present with her in some protests.
Iranian judicial authorities, after Meisami’s arrest, accused him of assembly and conspiracy against national security, propaganda against the system, spreading and promoting corruption and obscenity and hijab violations in society. He later went on hunger strike and announced one of his demands as the release of some prisoners, including Reza Khandan, husband of lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh.
Last month, a group of doctors held a gathering in front of the Iranian Parliament in support of Farhad Meisami, and in a letter published on Monday, December 26, asked Ali Larijani, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, to immediately transfer Farhad Meisami to an equipped hospital.
Source: Voice of America
