Continued Hunger Strike of Three Labor and Teacher Rights Activists in Prison

Reports from Tehran indicate that the hunger strike of Jaafar Azimzadeh, chairman of the board of the Free Workers Union of Iran, and Ismail Abdi, secretary-general of the Iranian Teachers' Trade Association, which began on the 30th of April this year in Evin Prison, continues. Meanwhile, Mahmoud Beheshti Langaroudi, spokesperson for the Iranian Teachers' Trade Association, who converted his hunger strike to a dry hunger strike on the 2nd of May, has been transferred to the hospital due to stomach bleeding. According to some labor and teachers' rights websites, Jaafar Azimzadeh and Ismail Abdi began their indefinite hunger strike on the 30th of April in protest against what they called 'the securitization of trade union activities' and 'wages below the poverty line.' Akram Rahimpour, Mr. Azimzadeh's wife, told Radio Farda: 'Mr. Azimzadeh and Mr. Abdi have each lost five kilograms during this time, and Mr. Azimzadeh's blood pressure is eight over six.' She notes that the weight and blood pressure of these two prisoners are tested twice a day. However, what has been the reaction of the officials of Evin Prison and the judiciary regarding Mr. Azimzadeh's indefinite hunger strike? Akram Rahimpour states: 'They have shown no reaction.' She then urges the judiciary officials to address their demands before the lives of these imprisoned activists are endangered. Jaafar Azimzadeh introduced himself to Evin Prison last year to serve his prison sentence. The chairman of the Free Workers Union of Iran was sentenced to six years in prison by the Islamic Revolutionary Court on security charges. Mrs. Rahimpour comments on her husband's activities: 'Mr. Azimzadeh is someone who has collected signatures to say that workers' wages are low, people cannot make a living, unemployment is high, and factories are laying off their workers. These are the activities my husband has undertaken.' She emphasizes that her husband's activities over the past few years have been aimed at defending workers' interests. In the meantime, according to the Union website affiliated with the Free Workers Union of Iran, Ismail Abdi, the imprisoned secretary-general of the Iranian Teachers' Trade Association, was taken out of Ward 8 of Evin Prison on Sunday and has not been returned. The site reported that there is still no information about the location of his transfer and the motivation of Evin Prison officials for moving Mr. Abdi. Ismail Abdi was arrested last year by security forces and sentenced to 10 years in prison on security charges. Meanwhile, the Union website reported that Mahmoud Beheshti Langaroudi, spokesperson for the Iranian Teachers' Trade Association, who has been on a hunger strike since the 1st of May, has been transferred to the hospital. The site added that initial examinations indicated that this teachers' rights activist suffered from stomach bleeding due to the hunger strike. According to the Teachers and Workers Rights website, close to the Iranian Teachers' Trade Association, Mahmoud Beheshti Langaroudi, who entered a dry hunger strike on the 2nd of May, is protesting against a 14-year prison sentence issued by the Islamic Revolutionary Court. He is demanding a public trial and a review of his charges with the presence of a jury. According to this report, Mr. Beheshti Langaroudi had previously gone on a hunger strike regarding this matter, which he ended following promises from judiciary officials to address his demands. Hassan Nayeb Hashem, a human rights activist and doctor, told Radio Farda about the consequences of hunger strikes: 'It usually takes between eight days to two weeks for individuals to survive a hunger strike, and after this period, there is a possibility of irreversible complications, including kidney issues for those who go on hunger strikes.' Mr. Nayeb Hashem also mentioned that in a wet hunger strike, three to four liters of water, as well as sodium and potassium, must be supplied to the body, and otherwise, serious heart problems may occur. Meanwhile, several labor organizations and teachers' rights advocates have supported the demands of Jaafar Azimzadeh, Ismail Abdi, and Mahmoud Beheshti Langaroudi, calling for their release and that of other imprisoned labor activists.