A U.S. State Department Official Calls for the Release of Arash Sadeghi

Arash Sadeghi, a political prisoner reportedly on a hunger strike for 68 days, briefly became the top global trend on Twitter. Meanwhile, a senior U.S. State Department official has also called for his and his wife Golrokh Iraee's release. Following reports about the 'deterioration' of Arash Sadeghi's health, Twitter users worldwide demanded protection for this political prisoner. In this context, Tom Malinowski, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, tweeted a call for the release of Arash Sadeghi and his wife Golrokh. The Assistant Secretary wrote, 'No one should be imprisoned for peaceful civil activism.' Tom Malinowski added, 'Iran must adhere to its own laws and release Arash Sadeghi and Golrokh Iraee.' Reports indicate that in addition to Arash Sadeghi, several other political prisoners in Iran, including Ali Shariati, Saeed Shirzad, Hassan Rostgari Majd, Mohammad Reza Nokonam, Mehdi Kouhian, and Nizar Zaka, have also gone on hunger strikes. Meanwhile, Mahmoud Sadeghi, a member of parliament from Tehran, wrote on his Twitter account: 'As much as I can, as a member of parliament, I am following up and helping civil activists, especially Arash Sadeghi and Ali Shariati.' According to published reports, Arash Sadeghi has been on a hunger strike for over 68 days, and as one of his relatives told Radio Farda, he is on the brink of death and refuses to end his strike before the release of his wife Golrokh Iraee. Arash Sadeghi himself was sentenced to 15 years in prison by Judge Salavati at the Revolutionary Court in Tehran on charges such as 'collusion and conspiracy against the regime, insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic, propaganda against the regime, and forming an illegal group.' However, Golrokh Iraee, Mr. Sadeghi's wife, was also sentenced to six years in prison for writing an unpublished story about stoning in Iran, accused of 'insulting the sacred' and 'propaganda against the regime.' Reports indicate that Arash Sadeghi's mother suffered a heart attack during a security raid on their home to arrest her son in 2010 and died after several days in the hospital. Ali Shariati, who is from the reformist camp, has been on a hunger strike since November 1, and his condition has been reported as critical. Mr. Shariati was sentenced to five years in prison after participating in a protest against 'acid attacks on women'; he went on hunger strike in protest of this sentence. In this context, the continuation of prisoners' hunger strikes; 'Arash is coughing up blood.' Families of political prisoners urged Rouhani: Save the lives of Sadeghi and Shariati. 'Critical physical condition' of some political prisoners following hunger strikes. 1850 people issued a statement calling for the end of Arash Sadeghi's hunger strike. Arash Sadeghi is 'on the brink of death' in prison. Amnesty International expresses concern over the deterioration of Arash Sadeghi's condition.