End of Bahareh Hedayat's Hunger Strike; 'My Commitment is to Patriotic Freedom Until Overthrow'

Following requests from the families of the victims, political prisoner Bahareh Hedayat ended her hunger strike after two weeks. In a message from Evin Prison, she stated, 'I have broken my hunger strike, but not my commitment.' In her letter written on Wednesday, September 13, the anniversary of 'the abduction of Iran's daughter, Mahsa (Zhina) Amini by her murderers,' she expressed that 'on this historic day, in honor of the requests of the family of the late Mohammad Javad Rouhi, in honor of the family of the late Mahsa Amini, in honor of the victims of the Ukrainian plane crash, and in honor of all mourners and seekers of justice, especially the mothers of the victims who have supported me during this time and requested the end of my hunger strike, I will end my hunger strike.' According to 'Kalemeh,' Hedayat emphasized, 'I break my hunger strike, but not my commitment, my commitment is with myself and with you, the suffering people of my homeland, until the traces of the Islamic Republic, this anti-freedom government, are erased from the soil of Iran.' This political prisoner added: 'It has been a year since the day when the turmoil from oppression swept through the fabric of Iranian society like a whirlwind, awakening the conscience of millions simultaneously. Since that day, the injustice imposed by the rulers has not become normal for us, nor has it disguised itself as truth in our consciences, and it only took a few days for the voice of 'Women, Life, Freedom' to resonate throughout Iran.' Bahareh Hedayat stressed that on the eve of the anniversary of 'this proud movement' that began after the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police, she undertook a hunger strike to remind everyone 'how awakened consciences can reject falsehood.' She added: 'Let us remember that truths are still trampled by the totalitarian rulers in this country. For me, the death of Mohammad Javad Rouhi in prison was, above all, a moral trial in the face of truth, just as the presence of Elaheh Mohammadi, Niloufar Hamedi, Mahvash Shahriari, and Fariba Kamalabadi (Baha'i prisoners), Sepideh Kashani, and Niloufar Bayani (environmental prisoners) symbolizes dozens of other prisoners whose daily presence here in captivity equates to the looting of conscience.' Bahareh Hedayat emphasized: 'I undertook a hunger strike to remind us of the endless resistance in the streets, to remember the will, courage, and conscience that surged in universities, and to remember the hopes that were born and condensed the ranks of struggle. Let us remember our Iran - which, despite years of anti-patriotic propaganda - emerged as a vital and connective element on the scene, binding us together from street to street, city to city, and region to region, and let us not forget that we still need these factors, we have not yet won, and the usurpers of Iran still dominate the fate of this country.' This political activist imprisoned in Evin Prison addressed the mother of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini, saying: 'Dear Mojgan Eftekhari, you and your family are the honor of the political sphere of Iran today. You are the conscience itself and a pure embodiment of the homeland. I bow my head in respect to your greatness and say nothing but my deep heartfelt gratitude. If these walls did not exist, I would not hesitate for a moment to be by your side. My commitment to you is a patriotic commitment to freedom, and I will remain committed to this until the overthrow of the totalitarian government of the Islamic Republic.' Bahareh Hedayat began her hunger strike on Thursday, September 1, in protest against issues such as the 'increased repression' of protesters by the Islamic Republic and the death of Javad Rouhi, a detained protester, stating in a letter that the reason for her hunger strike was to renew her commitment to 'the public conscience of Iranians for freedom' and 'Mahsa's uprising.' On Tuesday, September 12, on the thirteenth day of Bahareh Hedayat's hunger strike and her transfer to the hospital, her treating physicians and several others, including the mother of Mahsa Amini and 21 political prisoners, requested her to end her hunger strike.