Human Rights Defenders Express Concern Over the Health of Atena Daemi and Ismail Abdi

A number of human rights defenders, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have expressed concern over the health of Atena Daemi and Ismail Abdi, prisoners who are on hunger strike, and have called for attention to their situation. Atena Daemi, a civil activist, has been on hunger strike since April 8 in protest against a new ruling issued against her and her two sisters. Previously, she had been sentenced to seven years in prison for charges including 'propaganda against the regime, insulting sacred beliefs, and insulting the leader of Iran' and has been serving her sentence since December of last year. Masoumeh Nemati, Atena Daemi's mother, provided details about her daughter's health: 'We met with Atena yesterday, and her condition is not good and has worsened; she is lethargic and numb. She can only drink water with stomach syrup and consumes only two glasses of water a day. When her condition deteriorates, she is taken to the prison infirmary for IV fluids. Her appeal court is scheduled for Saturday, which should be held with her and her sisters present. I hope it will yield results so that she ends her hunger strike and alleviates our concerns.' Amnesty International has launched a global campaign in defense of human rights defenders titled 'Standing with the Bravest' and has included Atena Daemi as one of the human rights defenders whose situation should be addressed. Raha Bahreini, a researcher on Iran at Amnesty International, stated: 'The 'Standing with the Bravest' campaign is a global initiative that Amnesty International will work on over the next two years. The aim of this campaign is to confront the unprecedented level of intimidation, violence, and harassment against human rights defenders occurring globally. Amnesty International plans to address the situation of human rights defenders in Iran over the next two years. Given that human rights defenders in Iran face heavy prison sentences and many are currently imprisoned, Amnesty International's goal is the immediate and unconditional release of all these human rights defenders. This campaign will also address the violent discourses against human rights defenders. In many countries, including Iran, human rights defenders face not only harassment and arbitrary detention but also often officials resort to rhetoric that labels them as terrorists, foreign agents, or spies, creating a climate of suspicion and hostility against them, while human rights defenders are on the front lines of defending a fair, just, and equal society. With this aim, Amnesty International has called on everyone to stand with human rights defenders and support their courage and bravery.' Raha Bahreini further added about Atena Daemi's situation: 'Atena Daemi is one of the human rights defenders highlighted in this global campaign. Her health condition is critical after 47 days of hunger strike in Evin prison, and for this reason, Amnesty International has issued several urgent actions for her and has conducted extensive correspondence with Iranian officials. Iranian authorities must end this blatant injustice against this human rights defender and release her immediately and unconditionally, and currently, they should also ensure her access to medical services outside the prison.' Ismail Abdi, the imprisoned secretary-general of the Iranian Teachers' Trade Association, has also been on hunger strike since April 29 in protest against his trial process. He has been sentenced to six years in prison for charges of conspiracy to disrupt public order and propaganda against the regime and has been serving his sentence since November 2016. A close associate of his told Radio Farda that Mr. Abdi has not only suffered severe weight loss but has also experienced fluctuations in blood pressure and kidney problems and needs to be urgently hospitalized. Over 15,000 Iranian teachers have signed a letter sent to the judiciary demanding the release of Ismail Abdi. Sattar Rahmani, a member of the British Universities and Colleges Union, stated: 'The teachers' petition campaign has reached 15,500 signatures and was delivered yesterday by several teachers to the judiciary and the presidential office. This shows that a large number of teachers inside are protesting against the imprisonment and security charges against Mr. Abdi. This is just part of the signatures, and they continue to come in. At the international level, Amnesty International has also launched a campaign for the release of Ismail Abdi. The International Federation has also protested against Mr. Abdi's detention. Many human rights organizations have also protested against Mr. Abdi's six-year prison sentence and supported his demands to remove security charges from teachers and trade activists.' Human Rights Watch also issued a statement calling on Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who was re-elected, to pay attention to citizens' rights and implement legal reforms. The statement noted: 'During Hassan Rouhani's first term, security forces continued to harass, interrogate, and detain hundreds of human rights defenders and journalists.' Human Rights Watch further referenced Hassan Rouhani's statements during his election campaign that 'Iranian citizens elect a lawyer to defend their rights by voting for him,' urging him to fulfill his promises in defending human rights.