The mother of Siamak Namazi, an Iranian-American citizen imprisoned in Iran, says she learned through her son's cellmate's family that he has gone on a hunger strike. According to Ms. Namazi, this has "significantly increased the family's concern, as it will definitely harm his health." In a post she published on her Facebook page on February 19, she urged the authorities to at least allow her and the father of this Iranian-American citizen to visit him and "jointly persuade him to end his hunger strike." She states that she has not heard any news about her son's condition for some time: "Unfortunately, despite the order of the supervising judge of the security prison, I have not been able to meet Siamak, and his lawyer has also not been able to meet him." Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabai, Mr. Namazi's lawyer, told Reuters that the news of the "hunger strike" was reported by Eisa Saharkhiz, a jailed journalist who is his cellmate. Mr. Tabatabai also mentioned three days ago that not only has he not been allowed to meet his client, but they have not even placed the power of attorney in the file. Mr. Alizadeh Tabatabai stated that Siamak Namazi has been "under interrogation for the past five months." Mr. Namazi, the former director of strategic planning at Crescent Petroleum, was arrested in Iran last October. He was born in Tehran and educated in the United States, and Reuters reports that in 2007 he was recognized by the "World Economic Forum" as one of the "Young Global Leaders." Reuters also states that an official at the Iranian Interests Section in Washington declined to provide comments about him, and the U.S. State Department has said it cannot comment due to privacy issues. Ahmad Kiarostami, a friend of Mr. Namazi, expressed concern about the reasons for his "hunger strike" in an interview with the same news agency, stating, "The Siamak I know is not someone who would easily resort to such actions." Mr. Namazi's lawyer had previously expressed ignorance as to why he has not been released like other Iranian-Americans who were freed on the day the nuclear agreement was implemented.
Siamak Namazi Has Gone on Hunger Strike
Siamak Namazi, an Iranian-American prisoner, has gone on a hunger strike, raising serious health concerns for his family. His mother is urging authorities to allow them to visit him and persuade him to end the strike. Namazi has been under interrogation without access to his lawyer for five months.
👥 Key Players
⚡ Actions
📰 What Happened
Siamak Namazi, an Iranian-American, has gone on hunger strike in prison, raising family concerns.
- Siamak Namazi protest Iranian authorities
- Ms. Namazi request Iranian authorities
- Iranian authorities interrogate Siamak Namazi
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Siamak Namazi's hunger strike underscores serious human rights concerns in Iran.
📝 Key Evidence
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%