Political prisoners at Karaj’s Rejaishahr Prison have announced a hunger strike in solidarity with Fakhrosadat Mohtashamipour, who has been going without food at Evin Prison in pursuit of a personal visit with her husband.
A statement from the political prisoners says the strike will begin on Sunday, in protest of “summoning, arrests, threats and pressures placed on the families of political prisoners, as well as pressures and illegal and inhumane restrictions forced on prisoners.” They say they’ll continue their strike until officials change some of these practices.
Among the signatories are jailed labour activist Mansour Osanlou, Rasoul Bedaghi of the Iranian Teacher’s Association, journalists Issa Saharkhiz and Reza Rafii, political activists Heshmatollah Tabarzadi and Behrouz Javid, and student activists Ali Ajami and Majid Tavakoli.
Two days ago, the reformist Islamic Iran Participation Front also called on Iranians to join a political fast on Sunday in solidarity with Mohtashamipour.
A women’s rights and political activist, Mohtashamipour was arrested on March 1 in the protests demanding the release of opposition leaders MirHosein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi and their wives, who are under house arrest.
Mohtashamipour’s husband, an executive member of the Participation Front, has been also been imprisoned in Evin Prison since last March.
Mohtashamipour has said she will continue her hunger strike until she is allowed to visit her husband in person.
