Concerns Raised Over Atena Daemi's Condition After 38 Days of Hunger Strike

According to reports, Atena Daemi's hunger strike has entered its thirty-eighth day, and several human rights organizations and 18 political prisoners have expressed concern for her condition. The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran on Wednesday, May 17, stated on its Twitter account that it is worried about the health of this political prisoner, reporting her "physical weakness and serious gallbladder and liver problems." Atena Daemi's mother also wrote on her Twitter account that her daughter has been "vomiting blood and frequently suffers from nausea" due to the prolonged hunger strike. Eighteen political prisoners in Evin Prison have also written a letter to Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, the Tehran prosecutor, asking him to address the situation of Fatemeh (Atena) Daemi, who is on hunger strike. Amnesty International also expressed concern last week in a statement regarding the health of this civil rights activist imprisoned in Iran. Atena Daemi has been on hunger strike since April 8 in protest against a new sentence issued against her and her two sisters. Atena Daemi and her two sisters have been sentenced to three months in prison, with this sentence suspended for one year for her two sisters. The charges against this political prisoner and her sisters include "insulting" officials during Ms. Daemi's arrest. In an open letter published on November 30, 2016, Ms. Daemi described her arrest, stating that she asked the officers to show her the arrest warrant, and they attacked her home and beat her without providing any warrant. Prior to this new sentence, Atena Daemi had been sentenced to seven years in prison by Judge Mohammad Mogheiseh, head of Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court, on charges of "gathering and colluding and propaganda against the country," "insulting the sacred and leadership," and "concealing evidence of a crime." International human rights organizations say the reason for her conviction is "posting on Facebook criticizing executions, graffiti criticizing executions, attending the graves of victims of the 2009 elections, and informing about political prisoners." Meanwhile, according to the family of Hengameh Shahidi, a women's rights activist and imprisoned journalist, her health condition has become dangerous due to her ongoing hunger strike. Ismail Abdi, a member of the Iranian Teachers' Trade Association, has also been on hunger strike since May 1 in protest against heavy sentences issued by the judiciary against activists of teachers' and workers' unions. On Tuesday, Malijeh Hosseini, the wife of Ehsan Mazandarani, a jailed journalist, reported on her Instagram that her husband's health condition is inappropriate and that prison officials are preventing his transfer to the hospital. Several personalities and human rights organizations have expressed their concern for the health of the hunger-striking prisoners.