Amirali Minaei, a Christian citizen imprisoned in Evin, went on a hunger strike and went on a drug and alcohol strike.
Amir Ali Minaei, a Christian citizen imprisoned in Evin Prison, went on a hunger strike and drug strike to protest his condition.
Amir Ali Minaei, a Christian citizen, was arrested in December 2003 and spent more than two months in Ward 209 of Evin Prison, before being temporarily released on bail of 600 million Tomans after several interrogations. He suffered from heart disease due to psychological pressure during his initial arrest and the threat of being imprisoned again.
In March 2023, Judge Iman Afshar, the head of the Revolutionary Court, sentenced him to three years and seven months in prison. He also ordered the deprivation of Amir Ali's social rights after the end of his prison term. The charge against him is "propaganda against the regime through the establishment of a house church."
Amir Ali, who is 31 years old, has been in Evin Prison since April 1403. In recent months, he was severely beaten by a prison guard for requesting medical attention, which aggravated his heart disease. In addition, in March, while exercising in the prison's air conditioning unit, he suffered a severe leg injury and fracture. His fellow inmates took him to the prison's infirmary, but they did not provide him with any medical attention.
According to his fellow inmates, Amir Ali requested to be transferred to the hospital, but was met with opposition and indifference from prison officials, which worsened the condition of his leg, making it difficult for him to walk. Amir Ali was finally transferred to the hospital ten days after the incident, and doctors only put a splint on his leg, but on April 10, they put a cast on his leg. It should be noted that due to the lack of medical attention and the worsening condition of his leg, radiology images showed that Amir Ali needed surgery.
He had gone on a hunger strike to protest the lack of medical attention for his physical condition, and now, due to the lack of access to a telephone during his imprisonment, he has also stopped taking his heart medication.
"Mansour Borji, the director of Article 18, said in response to Amir Ali Minaei's situation: "We are extremely concerned about Amir Ali's condition, especially given the heart condition he is currently suffering from. We call on the Iranian authorities to immediately restore his access to his phone. We also demand the immediate and unconditional release of this young man, whose only crime was gathering for prayer and worship with his co-religionists. The Islamic Republic must end the persecution of Christians, especially converts, in accordance with its commitments in international treaties and even its own constitution."
Mansour Borji also added about the situation of prisoners: "Prisoners are often forced to accept conditions outside the law in order to benefit from benefits such as temporary leave, pardon or early release. Authorities and interrogators are trying to use these people as informants or collaborators; that is, people who continue their daily lives on the surface, but secretly collect information about other Christians and their activities. This action is considered a form of coercion that further violates the rights of prisoners and places them under constant surveillance and pressure."
