Iranian political prisoners die on hunger strike

Iranian political prisoners die on hunger strike

The Association of Iranian Political Prisoners in exile reports that four political prisoners who had gone on “dry” hunger strike, along with tens of others, in Tabriz prison since June 24 died on July 5.

Iranian officials, “Guardians”, informed their families of the deaths, citing stomach haemorrhage, and forbade the families to hold funerals.

The association suspects that the four -- Jafar Abbasi, Abdolreza Hamedi, Hamidreza Dadashi and Mehrdad Vesoghi -- may have died from torture, following repeated reports of torture in order to break the hunger strikers' resistance and make them eat.

Since July 2, political prisoners have not been allowed to receive visitors, to prevent news of the hunger strike and deaths being publicised outside the prisons. The father of one Tabriz prison hunger striker was told that his son, along with 27 other hunger strikers, was transferred to Evin prison in Tehran.

Families fear the transfer story could be a cover for their deaths. The bans on family visits in Shiraz, Isfahan, Tabriz and Ahwaz prisons have also brought anxiety to prisoners' families and more rumours of deaths of political prisoners, hunger striking since June 7.

In another report, Mohsen Tonavi and six other political prisoners detained in the prison in Isfahan city, are thought to have been executed.

The association is calling on organisations and individuals to protest to the Iranian government for the lives of the political prisoners and hunger strikers. Messages can be sent to the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, PO Box 3219, Manuka ACT 2603; fax (06) 290 2431. n

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