Arash Sadeghi to End Hunger Strike Following Temporary Release of His Wife

Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee, the wife of Arash Sadeghi, reported in an interview with Radio Farda that after a brief visit with Mr. Sadeghi, he will end his long hunger strike following her temporary release. On Tuesday, January 3rd, Ms. Ebrahimi stated that she was released from prison after posting a bail of 500 million tomans. According to Ms. Ebrahimi, who had a short meeting with her husband at the prosecutor's office, Arash Sadeghi is in poor condition due to the hunger strike. However, Mr. Sadeghi told his wife that he is now willing to end his strike following her release. Mr. Sadeghi, a political prisoner, has been on hunger strike for over seventy days, primarily demanding the release of his wife, who was imprisoned for writing an unpublished story against stoning, accused of "propaganda against the regime" and "insulting sacred values." Arash Sadeghi's situation has drawn widespread attention on social media globally, with a campaign for his release using the hashtag "Save Arash" gaining significant traction on Twitter. Amnesty International also issued a statement on Monday, accusing Iranian judicial authorities of delaying the release of Arash Sadeghi and Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee, calling for them to "stop playing with Mr. Sadeghi's life." Earlier, Amir Raisian, Arash Sadeghi's lawyer, mentioned on his Twitter account that the 500 million toman bail for Golrokh Ebrahimi had been posted, and she would be released by Tuesday, January 3rd, after completing administrative procedures. According to Mr. Raisian, after her release, Arash Sadeghi is expected to be transferred to the hospital. This point was also confirmed by Golrokh Ebrahimi in her interview with Radio Farda, emphasizing that due to the prolonged hunger strike, Arash Sadeghi must be transferred directly from prison to the hospital. In this context, on January 1st, Arash Sadeghi's lawyer announced that the prosecutor's office had agreed to grant him medical leave. A bail of one billion tomans has been set for Mr. Sadeghi. Other individuals, including Saeed Shirzad, Mohammad Reza Nokounam, Hassan Rostegari Majd, Mehdi Kouhian, and Lebanese businessman Nizar Zakka, have also been reported to be on hunger strikes in prison, with Amnesty International mentioning their names on Monday.