Continued Hunger Strike of Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab Despite Denial of Treatment and Serious Physical Danger

Reports received by Voice of America indicate that Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab, a civil activist and political prisoner held in Qazalhasar Prison in Karaj, has deteriorated physically due to his ongoing hunger strike and cessation of water and salt intake. As per these reports, after more than two months of hunger strike, he has entered the fourth day of a dry hunger strike, during which his alertness has decreased by half, his blood pressure has dropped below 10, and his palms have turned blue. Despite the pressures from 13 of Mr. Ahmadi Raghab's fellow inmates to prison authorities, no official has visited this ward to check on his condition. It is reported that the prison officials, including Aziz, the head of Qazalhasar Prison, and the unit heads Yaqubi and Miladi, have fabricated two cases against him for propaganda against the regime due to his protests against executions, which is why he has been on a hunger strike for 68 days. On March 9, despite his critical physical condition, Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab, along with another political prisoner, Reza Salmanzadeh, issued a statement ahead of the elections for the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the Assembly of Experts, declaring their opposition to the 'tyranny of the Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist' and shouting 'No to sham appointments' and 'No to the Islamic Republic.' Ahmadi Raghab, a signatory of the '14th Statement' for the transition from the Islamic Republic and the resignation of Ali Khamenei, was released from prison in Bahman 1401 (February 2023), but shortly after his release, on March 16 of the same year, he was arrested while attempting to participate in a teachers' protest against the serial poisoning of students in schools across Iran, during which he was 'beaten.'