Amnesty International Warns About Saeed Shirzad's Health Condition in Prison

Amnesty International has issued a statement titled "The Inhumane Conditions of Prison Must Change" warning about the health of Saeed Shirzad, a political prisoner and Iranian human rights activist. The statement recalls that Shirzad ended his 39-day hunger strike on January 14 after a verbal promise from the officials of Rajai Shahr Prison to address his complaints regarding "inhumane treatment" of political prisoners. He now requires special medical care. Shirzad, who has been sentenced to five years in prison, sewed his lips shut and began his hunger strike on December 8 in protest against what he described in a letter to judicial authorities as the "slow death of prisoners in Rajai Shahr Prison." In this letter, he cites issues such as "denial of medical services to prisoners, beating of prisoners, insulting behavior of prison officials towards prisoners and their families during visiting hours, and the poor air quality inside the prison due to covering the windows of political prisoners' wards with metal sheets" as the reasons for his hunger strike. On January 14, Shirzad ended his hunger strike after the prison deputy promised to address his complaints. He had been transferred to the hospital two days earlier after experiencing dangerously low blood pressure and fainting. Amnesty International further states that on January 5, a group of political prisoners condemned the authorities for their indifference to the inhumane conditions of the prison in a letter supporting Shirzad. The organization adds that reports from Rajai Shahr Prison indicate that guards frequently beat prisoners, especially during their transfer to hospitals or courts, insult them, and even sexually assault them. This organization emphasizes that the only reason for Shirzad's arrest and five-year prison sentence was his peaceful activities in defense of human rights. Amnesty International calls on Iranian judicial authorities to take necessary actions to protect prisoners in Rajai Shahr Prison from torture and any form of mistreatment, ensure that all political prisoners are treated in accordance with international laws and standards, and allow domestic and international observers to visit Rajai Shahr Prison.