Increased Concerns for Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab; Eleventh Day of Hunger Strike in Protest Against Legal Fabrication in Prison

On the eleventh day of Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab's new hunger strike, a source close to this political prisoner told Voice of America that his family is extremely worried due to the damages from previous hunger strikes and his severe gastrointestinal condition. This source stated on Thursday, October 11, that the political prisoner, who is in Qezel Hesar prison in Alborz province, is 'deprived of access to medical services' and has developed multiple illnesses after years of imprisonment and numerous hunger strikes. According to him, this round of Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab's hunger strike is 'in protest against illegal fabrications' during his imprisonment and 'the issuance of prison and exile sentences, aimed at keeping this political prisoner in jail.' The source also mentioned that he 'could have benefited from the possibility of conditional release according to the law, considering that he has served more than a third of his sentence,' but 'to keep him in prison, the Revolutionary Court of Shahriar illegally sentenced him in absentia to another year of imprisonment and two years of exile in Qeydaar, Zanjan.' This informed source emphasized that Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab has gone on hunger strike in protest against 'these illegal fabrications.' Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab, who is one of the signatories of the '14th Statement' calling for the resignation of Ali Khamenei and a transition from the Islamic Republic, was sentenced to 'one year in prison and two years of exile to Khodabandeh County in Zanjan province and a two-year ban on residence in Tehran and Alborz' based on a case that was formed against him in prison with accusations of 'propaganda against the regime' and 'for publishing his audio file.' Previously, a source close to Mr. Ahmadi Raghab had told Voice of America that the enforcement of another year of imprisonment for this political prisoner is aimed at preventing him from enjoying freedom and is a 'clear violation of human rights.' According to this source, due to civil and human rights activities, the authorities of the Islamic Republic have forcibly taken Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab's job as a firefighter away from him for seven years. Additionally, it is noted that the Revolutionary Court has initiated another case against Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab, a political prisoner. Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab was last arrested on March 7, 2023, when he intended to participate in a teachers' protest against the serial poisoning of students, and he was 'beaten' during his arrest. The judiciary of the Islamic Republic has sentenced this human rights activist to 'three years and nine months in prison.' Since then, Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab has faced renewed legal fabrications and has repeatedly gone on hunger strikes in protest against human rights violations.