Iranian political prisoner Arash Sadeghi is facing grave health concerns with over forty days on hunger strike in Evin Prison in protest to the arrest of his spouse, Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee.
Activists and human rights group that are following his situation and report that Sadeghi was transferred to the hospital after vomiting blood but returned after he refused an IV.
Sheragim Zand, a Turkey based journalist reported in his Facebook that those who are in contact with Sadeghi and have seen images of him after his long hunger strike do not have much hope of his survival.
Zand writes: “When the state officials search his home after his arrest, while confiscating his laptop and other belongings, they come across a notebook containing a short story about the penalty of stoning written by Sadeghi’s spouse… based on that handwritten and unpublished story about the penalty of stoning. They go on to initiate proceedings against his wife and in absentia issues a six year sentence for her. They later go back to Sadeghi’s home, break down the door and arrest his wife (Golrokh Iraee) in order to deliver her to prison authorities to serve out her sentence.”
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Zand says by putting his life on the line, “Arash Sadeghi is protesting against the unfair sentence and judicial process his wife has been subjected to.”
Meanwhile a group of activists have initiated a petition calling for immediate attention to Arash Sadeghi’s situation.
The group warns the authorities of the deteriorating health of Sadeghi stating: “Arash and his wife belong to no group or organization, they have not been involved in any corruption scheme, and they have not committed any crime. He is a philosophy student that was arrested after the 2009 election events and has since been spending his life in courts and prisons…”
A number of Iranian political prisoners have also issued a statement announcing their solidarity with Sadeghi.
While Behnam Mousivand from Rejaishahr has written a message of support for Sadeghi, protests in Evin Prison’s women’s ward finally resulted in an opportunity for Golrokh Iraee to visit her husband.
Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reports that prisoners in the women’s ward staged a protests last Sunday when prison authorities persisted in preventing a visit between the couple and finally at 7 pm, the two were allowed to meet briefly.
Arash Sadeghi is sentenced to 15 years in jail for charges related to national security. The couple have appealed their respective sentences. Latest reports indicate that in the past week Sadeghi is having trouble articulating and has suffered a weight loss of fifteen kilograms.
Amnesty International also issued a statement last week highlighting Arash Sadeghi’s plight and demanding the immediate release of the couple.
