The people of Iran are continuing to protest against their situation and against the corrupt clerical regime that denies them the most basic of human rights. Since the end of last year, Iranians from all across the country have participated in strikes, protests and anti-government demonstrations. They are from all walks of life, from different social classes and of different age groups. They are from different ethnic and religious backgrounds. The one thing that links these people is their desire for regime change, democracy, freedom and human rights.
It has been reported that more than 70 political prisoners are partaking in a hunger strike in the Central Prison of Urmia. Reports indicate that they have been striking for a week so far and at the weekend their families gathered outside the prison to hold a rally. They called on the relevant authorities to respond to the prisoners’ demands.
The strike was sparked by an incident that angered the prisoners. On Monday 15th October, security guards in Ward 12 of the prison beat some of the prisoners and transferred some of them to solitary confinement. It appears that the security guards carried out this attack because the prisoners had protested the beating of another prisoner who was then sent to solitary confinement.
Sixty political prisoners in Ward 12 are participating in the hunger strike and they are joined by another 10 political prisoners that are held in Ward 13.
Kamran Darvishi and Hamid Rahimi are also participating in the hunger strike. These two political prisoners were violently beaten and put in solitary confinement.
During the attack by security guards, many of the political prisoners were hurt and suffered severe injuries. These include Hassan Rastegari who had been violently hit and now has bruises over his body and Ahmad Tamuie who has several teeth broken. Turaj Ismaeeli has a deep wound after being stabbed with something sharp and Kamal Hassan Ramezan’s nose was broken.
Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, the prisoners have been denied medical attention.
For the past few days, some of the high-level prison officials have been going to the prison to demand that the prisoners end their strike. They have been promising to follow up on the demands that are being made, but, not surprisingly (again), nothing has been done. The prisoners know that any promises made by the officials are lies.
Three of the prisoners have been summoned by the judge that is supposed to oversee the affairs of the prison. The prisoners will not go to see the judge. Instead, they are calling on the judge to come to the prison if he wants to talk.
Like prisoners in different jails across the country, those in the Central Prison of Urmia are badly mistreated and are forced to live in appalling conditions. They are denied essential medical care and are routinely subjected to unprovoked attacks by security guards. In the Central Prison of Urmia, three prisoners have died in the past few weeks because they were denied medical attention.
Source » ncr-iran