Over 50 Political Prisoners in Evin to Go on Hunger Strike in Protest Against Sharifeh Mohammadi's Death Sentence

In continuation of widespread protests against the death sentence issued for Sharifeh Mohammadi, a labor activist imprisoned in Lakan prison in Rasht, 55 political prisoners in Evin prison have announced that they will go on hunger strike on Thursday, July 21. These political prisoners, consisting of 30 women in the women's ward and 25 men in ward four of Evin prison, stated that they are protesting the "unjust death sentence of Sharifeh Mohammadi and joining the campaign in support of her." This announcement has also been shared on Instagram pages attributed to Narges Mohammadi and Golrokh Iraee, two political prisoners held in Evin prison. Recently, 16 female political prisoners in Evin issued a statement declaring that the death sentence for Sharifeh Mohammadi signifies a death sentence for all labor, political, civil, human rights activists, and women’s rights activists, expressing their support for the imprisoned labor activist. Many activists, labor organizations, and domestic and international human rights entities have called for the cancellation of Ms. Mohammadi's death sentence, labeling it "medieval" and "criminal." On Tuesday, July 19, many human rights, civil, and political activists, along with social media users, expressed their opposition to Sharifeh Mohammadi's death sentence by launching a Twitter storm under the call of the "Campaign to Defend Sharifeh Mohammadi." In this context, Mohammad Habibi, a teachers' union activist, wrote on the social media platform "X": "Defending Sharifeh Mohammadi is defending union activity. It is defending the right to organize, and this sentence is an unjust attempt to instill fear and terror against any form of collective organization." Ismail Bakhti, a representative of the dismissed workers of Haft Tappeh sugarcane, also wrote: "The accusation against her is a lie, a lie. Please make her voice heard." Additionally, Saeed Dehghan, a lawyer residing in Canada, wrote: "What contradiction does protesting poverty, discrimination, corruption, and oppression have with the 'foundations of the regime' that a labor activist must be sentenced to death?!" Protests have also been held in various countries, including Sweden, Germany, and Canada regarding this matter. Sharifeh Mohammadi, who was a member of the "Coordination Committee to Help Establish Labor Organizations" over a decade ago, was arrested in December of last year and sentenced to death on July 14 by the Revolutionary Court of Rasht on charges of "baghy" (rebellion). This sentence was issued based on accusations from the Ministry of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic regarding her alleged membership in "Komala," which has been strongly denied by Ms. Mohammadi, her husband, Siros Fathi, and Komala. The Coordination Committee to Help Establish Labor Organizations, which Sharifeh Mohammadi was a member of in the 1980s, has also rejected the accusations against her. Reports indicate that she has been tortured, and government agents have accused her of "membership in the armed Komala group" without any evidence. The hunger strike of political prisoners across Iran is in protest against Sharifeh Mohammadi's death sentence. The support of 16 political prisoners for Sharifeh Mohammadi, a labor activist sentenced to death: The government wants to silence the voice of protest. Two human rights organizations condemned the death sentence for Sharifeh Mohammadi and called for global intervention. The condemnation of the issuance of the death sentence for Sharifeh Mohammadi continues from organizations in Iran.