Manouchehr Bakhtiari, political prisoner and father of Pouya Bakhtiari, transferred to hospital

The family of Manouchehr Bakhtiari, the father of Pouya Bakhtiari, one of the victims of the November 2019 protests, has reported that this political prisoner has been transferred to the hospital in 'bad physical condition.' Mona, Mr. Bakhtiari's daughter, wrote on social media on Tuesday, December 5, that her father was moved to the Qazvin hospital 'following a hunger strike he had undertaken.' Ms. Bakhtiari emphasized her father's urgent need for surgery, stating that he is hospitalized. Manouchehr Bakhtiari began his hunger strike on November 7 in protest against being denied medical treatment outside of prison, and this hunger strike continued until November 24 in the Chubindar prison in Qazvin. Following numerous messages and requests from political figures, including Prince Reza Pahlavi, he agreed to end his hunger strike a day before the anniversary of his son's death. Mr. Bakhtiari was sentenced to three and a half years in prison by the Revolutionary Court on charges of 'spreading falsehoods' and 'propaganda against the regime.' Other members of his family have also been repeatedly arrested or imprisoned over the past three years. The pressure on the family seeking justice for Pouya Bakhtiari continues. Pouya Bakhtiari was shot during the nationwide protests in Iran on November 25, 2019, and was killed at the age of 27. The severe government crackdown and the risk of protests going 'underground' are ongoing issues.