Iran: Mass hunger strike by political prisoners in protest

LONDON - 24 August 2017: More than a dozen political prisoners, including prisoners of conscience, have gone on hunger strike in protest at the cruel, inhuman and degrading conditions they have been forced to endure at a maximum-security prison in Karaj, Alborz province, Amnesty International said on Thursday.

Political prisoners at Raja’i Shahr prison were recently transferred to a newly opened area where conditions have been described as suffocating.

They are held in cells with windows covered by metal sheets, and deprived of access to clean drinking water, food and sufficient beds. They are also barred from having in-person family visits and denied access to telephones, which are usually available in other parts of the prison.

"The fact that detention conditions have become so poor that desperate prisoners feel they are forced to go on hunger strike to demand the most basic standards of human dignity is disgraceful and highlights the urgent need for reforms to Iran’s cruel prison system," said Magdalena Mughrabi, Deputy Middle East and North Africa Director for Amnesty International.

"The Iranian authorities must urgently ensure that adequate food, drinking water, medicine, health care and sanitation are available to all prisoners in Raja’i Shahr prison," she added.

On July 30, about 53 political prisoners were violently transferred to Section 10 of Raja’i Shahr prison. Among them are prisoners of conscience including human rights defenders, trade unionists, journalists, students, peaceful political dissidents, and members of Iran’s persecuted Baha’i community.

At least 17 political prisoners went on hunger strike in protest at the transfer. Human rights defender and trade unionist Reza Shahabi joined the hunger strikers on August 16 following his arrest and transfer to the same section.

According to information obtained by Amnesty International, in early August, some of the prisoners who went on hunger strike were held in solitary confinement for up to 12 days as punishment for their peaceful protest.