A group of prominent Iranian political activists has urged jailed labour activist Reza Shahabi to end his hunger strike over concern for his health.
The Nedaye Azadi website reports that nationalist-religious figures Ahmad Hajseyedjavadi, Habibollah Peyman, Hossein Shahhosseini, Azam Taleghani and Lotfollah Meysami have called on Shahabi to end his strike and continue pursuing legal channels to resolve his case. They also urged the authorities to process his case in a timely manner, as is his right.
Shahabi was arrested 15 months ago and so far remains in an undetermined judicial state. In his last phone call to his family, he informed them that he is fed up with the situation and was going on a hunger strike to force the authorities to take notice of his case.
Shahabi was the treasurer of the Sherkat-e Vahed bus drivers union, and all union officers have come under severe persecution by Iranian authorities in recent years for organizing strikes more than six years ago.
Shahabi was suspended from work six years ago for his participation in the strikes. Just weeks before his latest arrest 15 months ago, he had won a legal battle to be allowed back to work.
