Security Forces Prevent Civil Activists from Gathering in Front of Evin Prison

Reports from the capital of Iran indicate that security forces in Tehran prevented a group of civil activists and citizens from gathering in front of Evin Prison on Monday morning, January 2, to protest the situation of political prisoners on hunger strike. The gathering took place near this prison. Mohammad Nourizad, a political activist critical of the Iranian government, wrote on his Telegram channel that the protesters initially gathered in front of Evin Prison but were dispersed by the authorities towards Chamran Highway. Videos of the continuation of the protesters' gathering on Chamran Highway and under a bridge next to Evin Prison have been published on Mr. Nourizad's Telegram channel and other social media platforms. In these videos, dozens of protesters are seen moving, with many of them writing the names "Arash and Golrokh" on their hands. Some also hold pictures of Arash Sadeghi, Golrokh Iraee, and other political and ideological prisoners, including Mohammad Ali Taheri, the founder of the Circle of Mysticism. In these videos, police officers ask the protesters not to stop and to continue moving. According to images shared on social media, this protest was held peacefully. The Zeytoon website also reported that "more than 800 people gathered in front of Evin Prison for the freedom of Arash Sadeghi, Mohammad Ali Taheri, and Ali Shariati." In recent days, a call for a gathering on Monday, January 2, in front of Evin Prison to protest the situation of Arash Sadeghi was published on various websites and social media. This announcement stated that Arash Sadeghi, in the seventieth day of his hunger strike, had "severe nausea," "coughed up blood clots," and was "in critical condition." According to this announcement, "the officials of the Evin Prosecutor's Office, contrary to the prosecutor's order, obstructed the bail for Golrokh Iraee, preventing her release." Mr. Sadeghi has been on hunger strike for 71 days in protest against the detention of his wife, Golrokh Ebrahimi. Amir Reisiian, Arash Sadeghi's lawyer, wrote on his Twitter page on Sunday evening that the 500 million tomans bail for Golrokh Ebrahimi had been deposited, and with the completion of administrative procedures, she would be released by Tuesday, January 3. According to Mr. Reisiian, after Golrokh Ebrahimi's release, Arash Sadeghi would be transferred to the hospital for treatment. Ali Shariati, another political prisoner, has also been on hunger strike for 62 days. He was sentenced to "acting against national security" for participating in a gathering in front of the parliament to protest the acid attacks in Isfahan, and after his arrest on November 1, he announced that he would continue his hunger strike until this charge was removed from his case. Motahareh Parsi, Ali Shariati's wife, stated in an interview with the Zeytoon website that her husband had fainted on Saturday, January 1, and his "blood sugar was 43 and his blood pressure was 8 over 6." She emphasized that her husband, who has been hospitalized in Evin Prison's medical facility for 40 days, "cannot walk" and his left kidney "is in severe pain and is deteriorating." Meanwhile, Elias Hazrati, a representative from Tehran in the parliament, has also written a letter to the head of the judiciary requesting that this authority address the situation of Arash Sadeghi and Ali Shariati and "restore any rights that have been violated." Ali Motahari, Mahmoud Sadeqi, and Ahmad Mazani, three other representatives from Tehran in the parliament, and Rahmatollah Hafezi, a member of the Tehran City Council, have also expressed concern and requested attention regarding Arash Sadeghi's situation in tweets. Bahram Parsai, the spokesperson for the Hope faction in parliament, also reported that the issue of Arash Sadeghi's hunger strike was raised in the faction's meeting on Sunday, January 1. He noted that several members of parliament visited the Revolutionary Court in Tehran to follow up on the hunger strike of political prisoners, stating that "assurances have been given in this regard." Saeed Shirzad, a civil activist, has also been on hunger strike since December 8 in protest against the "silent death of prisoners" and has announced his hunger strike by sewing his lips shut, referencing multiple cases of human rights violations of prisoners. He had previously stated in response to requests to end his hunger strike that he would continue it for 30 days and would then decide to either end it or convert it to a dry hunger strike depending on whether the "voices of the voiceless" were heard. In recent weeks, reports have also emerged about the hunger strikes of several other prisoners, including Nizar Zaka, Hassan Rostgari Majd, Mohammad Reza Nokonam, and Mehdi Kouhian. Morteza Moradpour, who ended his hunger strike after 65 days on Wednesday, January 4, was released from prison on Friday, January 6. In recent years, many political prisoners in Iran have gone on hunger strikes, and several of them, including Hoda Saber and Akbar Mohammadi, have died due to lack of medical care during their hunger strikes. In this context, the deteriorating health of Ali Shariati and efforts to save Arash Sadeghi, "the prosecutor's agreement" with Arash Sadeghi's medical leave, the entry of several members of parliament into the issue of long hunger strikes of political prisoners, and a U.S. State Department official's call for Arash Sadeghi's release have been noted. Following the end of the hunger strike, political prisoner Morteza Moradpour was "released."