Farzaneh Ghareh-Hosseinlou's Hunger Strike in Mashhad Prison; U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Expresses Concern

Following Farzaneh Ghareh-Hosseinlou's hunger strike in protest against the mistreatment by officials at Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad towards her and other inmates, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom expressed concern for her condition. Eric Ueland, Vice Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, stated on Monday, June 18, that "the mistreatment of Ms. Ghareh-Hosseinlou and others imprisoned for expressing their opinions by the Islamic Republic's officials is disgusting." He added, "The U.S. government should lead international efforts to document and gather evidence of this systematic violence by the Islamic Republic against prisoners, including the cessation of medication distribution and sending opponents of compulsory hijab to psychiatric hospitals." Suzy Gelman, a commissioner of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, also stated, "The systematic mistreatment of religious prisoners of conscience by the Islamic Republic, especially the imposition of medical restrictions on them, is a moral affront, and those responsible must be held accountable." She added, "The U.S. government must fully implement the recently passed Mahsa Amini Human Rights and Security Accountability Act, or Mahsa Law, to stop this behavior and impose targeted sanctions against senior regime officials and key institutions responsible for egregious human rights violations against imprisoned religious minorities in Iran." Farzaneh Ghareh-Hosseinlou and her husband, Hamid, were arrested after a security forces raid on their home following the fortieth-day memorial of Hadith Najafi, a victim of the nationwide protests in 2022. They were accused of involvement in the death of a Basij member named Rouhollah Ajamian, an accusation they have strongly denied. Following this accusation, Farzaneh Ghareh-Hosseinlou, a laboratory sciences expert, was sentenced to five years in exile, and the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Alborz province sentenced Hamid Ghareh-Hosseinlou to 15 years in prison after commuting a death sentence in April 2023. It is reported that both the husband and wife are followers of the Gonabadi Dervishes and believers in Sufism. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom is an independent, bipartisan federal agency established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. The commission makes recommendations on foreign policy to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress of the United States to prevent religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. Atakeh Rajabi, a former imprisoned teacher, reported "increased pressures" on Farzaneh Ghareh-Hosseinlou in Mashhad prison. New restrictions have been imposed on Farzaneh Ghareh-Hosseinlou in prison; crime: making a voice call to congratulate Nowruz. Hundreds of doctors have requested that the cases of Hamid and Farzaneh Ghareh-Hosseinlou be reviewed in a "court free of any suspicion." The reaction of Dr. Ghareh-Hosseinlou's lawyer to the claim by Ajamian's father regarding the interference of "Valiati" in the case: state media should allow a defense. The judiciary of Alborz province: Hamid Ghareh-Hosseinlou's sentence is 15 years in prison.