Ehsan Mazandarani, imprisoned journalist, announces dry hunger strike

A relative of Ehsan Mazandarani reported that this imprisoned journalist has begun a dry hunger strike starting Sunday, after 20 days of a wet hunger strike, in protest against "insult and abuse" from a prison official and being beaten in the hospital. Sam Hosseini, the brother-in-law of Ehsan Mazandarani, stated in an interview with Radio Farda that Mazandarani was transferred to Sina Hospital in Tehran last Tuesday due to "infections in the trachea, lungs, and intestines," and that immediate family members are allowed to visit him. However, on Sunday, June 16, "one of the prison guards" announced that Mazandarani's sister and 11-year-old niece were not considered immediate family and expelled them from the room with "insult and abuse." According to these statements, this prison official also confiscated Mazandarani's niece's tablet "without providing a receipt." Following this altercation, Ehsan Mazandarani requested to return to prison, and when he got up from the bed, this official "attacked him and squeezed his right hand, which was connected to an IV, causing Mazandarani to faint." This imprisoned journalist, who has been on hunger strike for 20 days, has declared that he will continue a dry hunger strike and will not allow an IV to be connected to him. Previously, Mazandarani's brother-in-law had informed Radio Farda that he was on a wet hunger strike in protest against "injustice" in handling his case and the sentence issued against him. Mazandarani was transferred from Ward 8 of Evin Prison to Ward 2-A, affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, on May 17, and was returned to Ward 8 after a few days. He has been detained since November of last year along with several other journalists and was sentenced to seven years in prison by the Revolutionary Court in May. Afrin Chit-Saz, another journalist detained in November, received a ten-year prison sentence, while the court sentenced Ehsan Safarzadeh, who has also been detained since then, to five years in prison. The trial for Eisa Saharkhiz, another journalist detained with these three, has not yet been held. In this context, two imprisoned journalists who have gone on hunger strike are in critical condition, and there is "absolute ignorance" regarding the whereabouts of Ehsan Mazandarani, the imprisoned journalist. The Tehran prosecutor claims that they provide the highest security for journalists. Reporters Without Borders condemned the heavy sentences issued against journalists. Sentences were issued for four Iranian journalists after months of detention.