Prosecutor's Office Approves Medical Leave for Arash Sadeghi

Arash Sadeghi's lawyer, a political prisoner who has been on a long hunger strike, announced that the prosecutor's office has agreed to grant him medical leave. Amir Reisiian stated on Saturday, January 1, that a prosecutor informed Arash Sadeghi's family to visit the prison on Sunday morning [January 2] to arrange for his and his wife Golrokh Iraee's medical leave by posting bail. According to him, with this bail arrangement, Arash Sadeghi will go on medical leave; his wife will also be granted leave from prison so that he can break his hunger strike in response to these actions. Arash Sadeghi has been on a hunger strike for 69 days, which has received widespread attention on social media, leading to an international campaign for his freedom under the hashtag "Save Arash." Sadeghi's main demand is the freedom of his wife, who has been accused of "propaganda against the regime" and "insulting sacred values" due to writing an unpublished story about stoning, resulting in a six-year prison sentence. On Saturday, around 1,300 political and civil activists in Iran signed a letter calling for an end to the hunger strikes of Arash Sadeghi and Ali Shariati, a reformist political prisoner who has also been on a hunger strike since October 31. The letter, published on the Ensaf News website, was signed by figures such as Mostafa Tajzadeh, Azar Mansouri, Azam Taleghani, Keyvan Samimi, Hossein Karoubi, Feyzollah Arab-Sorkhi, Saeed Madani, and Habibollah Peyman. The letter states: "We urge each political and ideological prisoner, especially Mr. Arash Sadeghi and Mr. Ali Shariati, not to use their lives as a tool to pursue their demands and to pursue their requests by breaking their hunger strike and alleviating the concerns of their families, friends, and compatriots." The signatories also warned Iranian judiciary officials to "act wisely" to "prevent a disaster." Recent reports indicate the deteriorating health of Arash Sadeghi and Ali Shariati, with Sadeghi's family stating that he is "coughing up blood." A U.S. State Department official also called for the release of Sadeghi and Golrokh Iraee, emphasizing that no one should be imprisoned for their peaceful civil activities. Arash Sadeghi has been sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Tehran Revolutionary Court for charges of "collusion and conspiracy against the regime, insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic, and forming an illegal group." Ali Shariati has been sentenced to five years in prison for charges of "collusion and conspiracy" through participating in protests against acid attacks in Isfahan, "propaganda against the regime, insulting the leadership, insulting the presidency, and having a satellite dish at home."