Shirzad's Decision to Continue Hunger Strike; Arrest of More Protesters Against Moradpour's Situation

As Saeed Shirzad, a political prisoner, announces his decision to continue his hunger strike, some news sources report the arrest of several individuals who had gathered in front of the Tabriz courthouse to protest the situation of Morteza Moradpour. According to reports from various news outlets, including the Human Rights Activists News Agency, on Saturday, December 24, nine people protesting Moradpour's condition were arrested. Those arrested include Saleh Malabasi, Mehdi Zanjirbalaghi, Akbar Aboulzadeh, Nima Abbaspour, Hadi Hamidi Shafigh, Oldouz Ghasemi, Sajjad Khalilnejad, Akbar Samimi, and Javad Ahmadi Yakanli. In recent days, Moradpour's family and some relatives had gathered three times in front of the Tabriz courthouse. During one of the protests on Tuesday, December 20, 14 people, including Hassan Moradpour, the father, and Fardin Moradpour, the brother of Morteza Moradpour, were arrested but released after a few hours. Morteza Moradpour has been on a hunger strike in Tabriz prison for 61 days, and a voice message from him was released on Saturday, stating that he would continue his hunger strike. The 29-year-old prisoner cited the rejection of his request for the application of Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code as one of the reasons for his hunger strike. According to Article 134 of the new Islamic Penal Code, although a judge issues independent punishments for each crime, the more severe punishment must be executed at the time of enforcement. Moradpour was arrested in June 2009 after participating in the Ilgoli (Shahgoli) Tabriz walking event and was released on bail after six months. He was sentenced to three years in prison by the Tabriz Revolutionary Court on charges of 'propaganda against the Islamic Republic' and 'conspiracy and collusion to commit a crime against national security' and has been imprisoned again for the past 13 months. Regarding Moradpour's charges, his current lawyer, Jafar Afsharnia, wrote on his Facebook page that his client 'only chanted for the necessity of education in the mother tongue and the preservation of Lake Urmia' during his arrest. Besides Moradpour, several political prisoners, including Saeed Shirzad and Arash Sadeghi, are also on hunger strikes. Saeed Shirzad, a political prisoner in Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj, has been on a hunger strike since December 8 in protest against what he calls the 'silent death of prisoners' and citing multiple instances of prisoners' rights violations, has declared his hunger strike by sewing his lips shut. On December 20, the families of some political prisoners executed in 1988, known as the 'Kavaran Mothers,' and several old political prisoners called for the end of the hunger strikes of Arash Sadeghi, Morteza Moradpour, Ali Shariati, Saeed Shirzad, Mohammad Ali Taheri, and other hunger-striking prisoners in Tehran and other cities. However, Shirzad responded to this request by stating that he would continue his hunger strike for 30 days and afterward, depending on whether the 'voices of the voiceless' are heard, he would either end his hunger strike or convert it into a dry hunger strike. This political prisoner has demanded 'the right to use the phone for political prisoners like other prisoners, immediate follow-up on the status of sick prisoners, the removal of cancer-causing devices and jamming devices that disrupt mobile signal reception, and the removal of steel cages behind cell windows that hinder proper ventilation.' Saeed Shirzad, a member of the Society for the Defense of Street and Working Children, was arrested on June 7, 2014, and in September 2015, in Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court presided over by Judge Abolqasem Salavati, he was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of 'conspiracy and collusion with the intent to act against national security.' Political prisoner Arash Sadeghi has also been on hunger strike since November 25 in protest against the handling of the case and the six-year prison sentence issued for Golrokh Irani, his wife. Additionally, according to reports, Ehsan Mazandarani, a jailed journalist, has also been on hunger strike for the past five days after returning to prison. According to the family of this imprisoned journalist, Mr. Mazandarani was returned to prison despite a letter from the judiciary's trusted physician regarding his poor physical condition. According to this report, the prison guard confiscated Mr. Mazandarani's medications upon his arrival and stated that 'according to the order of the head of the judiciary, he must serve his sentence in quarantine.' This is while Mr. Mazandarani had previously been imprisoned in Ward 8 of Evin Prison. This imprisoned journalist, who has previously gone on hunger strikes several times, was released on Sunday, October 10, for treatment in the hospital. In this context, the 'Prisoners' Rights' campaign for prisoners' access to adequate nutrition, health, and medical facilities has been launched. Several political and civil activists have called for the release of Morteza Moradpour. The arrest of protesters regarding Moradpour's 'critical condition' and the 'critical physical condition' of some political prisoners following hunger strikes have been reported. The sixth week of the hunger strike of a civil activist from Tabriz has been noted. 1850 people have issued a statement calling for the end of Arash Sadeghi's hunger strike.