tag:www.zamaaneh.com,2010:/enzam//75 2010-12-22T14:33:18Z Movable Type 3.31 tag:www.zamaaneh.com,2010:/enzam//75.47573 2010-12-22T13:55:47Z 2010-12-22T14:33:18Z

Divisions in Islamic Republic government deepened as the Vice-president, Mohammadreza Rahimi cancelled a press conference during which he was supposed to challenge the recent statement by the judiciary announcing possible links between Rahimi and a corruption ring.

Marjan [[photow01]] Divisions in Islamic Republic government deepened as the Vice-president, Mohammadreza Rahimi cancelled a press conference during which he was supposed to challenge the recent statement by the judiciary announcing possible links between Rahimi and a corruption ring. Two days ago, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, Prosecutor General of Iran told reporters that the Vice-president may be summoned for questioning in connection with financial corruption since he has been linked to the investigation by other people under investigation. A number of Iranian lawmakers have accused the Vice-president of heading a corruption network. Rahimi rejected the statements of the judiciary and implied that the accusations are politically motivated. He maintained that while he planned to challenge the accusations against him in a press conference, he has now decided to cancel the conference in view of the crucial time facing the administration with the recent launch of the “restructuring government subsidies.” Ahmadinejad administration has finally launched its plan to phase out government subsidies on energy and food staples which has translated into quadrupling of gasoline prices and similar rises in the price of water, electricity, natural gas and food staples such as bread. Rahimi insisted that their administration has been very firm in confronting all forms of corruption and maintained that he reserves the right for himself to respond to these accusations at a later time. tag:www.zamaaneh.com,2010:/enzam//75.47558 2010-12-21T14:14:08Z 2010-12-21T14:27:46Z

Bahareh Hedayat and Mehdieh Golrou, two Iranian detained student activists have begun a hunger strike for being denied visitation rights.

Marjan [[photow01]] Bahareh Hedayat and Mehdieh Golrou, two Iranian detained student activists have begun a hunger strike for being denied visitation rights. Kaleme website reports that Hedayat started on a hunger strike three days ago while Mehdieh Golrou joined her today. Mizan Khabar website reports that the husbands of Hedayat and Golrou were prevented from visiting their wives in prison. The two student activists had issued separate messages of resistance on the occasion of National Student Day in Iran two weeks ago. Recently Bahareh Hedayat’s husband told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that his wife has become afflicted with gall bladder stones in prison. He also added that Tehran’s Prosecutor refuses to allow him to visit his wife in prison and for the past eight months the couple have not met in person. Bahareh Hedayat was an executive member of Iran’s largest student organization, Daftar-e Tahkim-e Vahdat and has been sentenced to 9.5 years in prison in the post-election crackdown on protesters. Mehdieh Golrou in also another student activists who was arrested in the protests to the 2009 presidential elections and sentenced to over two years in prison for “propaganda against the regime and assembly and collusion to disturb national security.” tag:www.zamaaneh.com,2010:/enzam//75.47556 2010-12-21T13:43:38Z 2010-12-21T13:57:57Z

Nasrin Sotoudeh, detained Iranian lawyer and Gholamhossein Arshi, post-election political detainee ended their hunger strike after several days.

Marjan [[photow01]] Nasrin Sotoudeh, detained Iranian lawyer and Gholamhossein Arshi, post-election political detainee ended their hunger strike after several days. Madreseh Feministi website reports that Nasrin Sotoudeh was allowed to contact her family yesterday and inform them that she is no longer on hunger strike. Reza Khandan, Sotoudeh’s husband reports that Sotoudeh confirmed that on Wednesday her health situation became critical and that she was transferred to the prison infirmary. Sotoudeh has said that she has broken her strike because of her “motherly duties to her two children who are still minors.” Nasrin Sotoudeh was arrested in early September and has been in solitary confinement ever since her arrest. This is the second time she went on a hunger strike to protest against mistreatment in prison and unfairness of her legal proceedings. Sotoudeh’s practice mainly focused on human rights cases and one of the charges against her is her collaboration with the Human Rights Defenders Centre in Iran. Kaleme website also reports that Gholamhossein Arashi has also ended his hunger strike after three weeks. Reportedly Arshi, who was arrested in the post-election protests to irregularities in the re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was transferred to solitary confinement for having complained about the lack of facilities at the infamous section 350 of Evin Prison. Arshi was transferred to the general section from solitary confinement yesterday and allowed to visit his family. Several Iranian political prisoners have gone on hunger strike in the past months in order to focus attention on their dire conditions and undetermined legal states in prison. Concerned opposition leaders as well as prominent figures from Iran’s cultural and religious communities have called on these prisoners to end their hunger strike. tag:www.zamaaneh.com,2010:/enzam//75.47543 2010-12-20T17:49:51Z 2010-12-20T18:23:10Z

Seven Iranian political and women’s rights activists started their protest for the release of Nasrin Sotoudeh, outside United Nations human rights headquarters in Geneva today, despite extreme weather conditions.

Marjan [[photow01]] Seven Iranian political and women’s rights activists started their protest for the release of Nasrin Sotoudeh, outside United Nations human rights headquarters in Geneva today, despite extreme weather conditions. A Facebook page launched for this protest reported that Shirin Ebadi, Mahboubeh Gholizadeh, Mansoureh Shojai, Shadi Sadr, Parvin Ardalan, Khadijeh Moghaddam and Asieh Amini finally managed to reach the United Nations headquarters in Geneva despite the heavy snowfall in Europe and started their sit in in support of Nasrin Sotoudeh, the Iranian lawyer who has been incarcerated in Iran for over a hundred days. Shirin Ebadi told reporters at the location: “Ms. Pillay should be aware that a lawyer, a human rights activist in Iran, is at death’s door and she needs to do something.” The Nobel Peace laureate went on to add: “Nasrin Sotoudeh is not the only political prisoner in Iran and a number of other prisoners are also on hunger strike and over 40 journalists and bloggers are incarcerated as well.” Three days ago, these Iranian activists announced that they will hold a sit in at the United Nation’s office in Geneva today, December 20, in order to protest against the situation of Nasrin Sotoudeh in Iran’s Evin Prison. Nasrin Sotoudeh, a lawyer predominately involved in human rights cases, was arrested in Iran last September and has been held in solitary confinement ever since in an undetermined legal state. She is currently on hunger strike in protest to unjust treatment by the judiciary and the prison authorities. Shirin Ebadi told Radio Zamaneh that their sit in will continue for an “undetermined” time stressing that they have gathered in protest because Sotoudeh’s health is failing due to the hunger strike. She added: “Our demand is Nasrin’s release on bail and an examination of the charges against her in a just court.” Iranian authorities have declined several applications by her lawyer for a bail hearing. tag:www.zamaaneh.com,2010:/enzam//75.47541 2010-12-20T16:56:18Z 2010-12-20T18:18:43Z

Jafar Panahi, prominent Iranian filmmaker was sentenced to six years in prison and 20 years ban from filmmaking and travelling abroad.

Marjan [[photow01]] Jafar Panahi, prominent Iranian filmmaker was sentenced to six years in prison and 20 years ban from filmmaking and travelling abroad. ISNA reports that Farideh Gheyrat, Panahi’s lawyer has announced that she will appeal this “unusually heavy sentence.” Panahi was arrested twice in the post-election protests to the alleged vote fraud that secured Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s victory in the 2009 presidential elections. He was first arrested in August of 2009 at a commemoration ceremony for the victims who were killed in the post-election street demonstrations by government forces. He was later arrested in March 2010 in a raid of his home. He was arrested with his family and guests, and a number of pro-government media suggested that he was arrested for planning a film about the protests. While all the detainees of that night were released, Panahi remained in custody in an undetermined legal state for over three months and finally after a week on hunger strike, he was released on a $200,000 bail. His trial was finally held in November after many delays and in it Panahi denied the charges against him and described the attacks against him as an attack on the totality of Iran’s art and culture community. Panahi has been prevented by the Islamic Republic from attending a number of international film festivals including the Berlin and Venice festivals this year. tag:www.zamaaneh.com,2010:/enzam//75.47538 2010-12-20T16:30:11Z 2010-12-20T18:13:42Z

11 people were hanged in Sistan-Baluchistan today in connection with last week’s suicide bombing in the Shiite mourning procession in Chabahar.

Marjan [[photow01]] 11 people were hanged in Sistan-Baluchistan today, Monday, in connection with last week’s suicide bombing in the Shiite mourning procession in Chabahar. Sistan-Baluchistan provincial justice department announced that these individuals were “related to” and “supporters of” Jundollah and their sentences were carried out after the supreme judicial bodies approved them. In a statement Sistan-Baluchistan provincial justice department said the executed were involved in “the terrorist operations of the past years, in killing people, bombings, importing weapons, armed robbery and kidnapping.” They added that the provincial judiciary will not hesitate in executing the exact sentences and religious penalties set for “enemies of God and corrupt of the earth.” Ebrahim Hamidi, Sistan-Baluchistan department head told IRNA that these individual “went through all the legal and religious procedures of receiving a fair and public trial.” Five days ago, a suicide bombing attack in a central square of Chabahar city killed 39 people and injured 86 more. Jundollah militant group that claims to fight for the rights of Sunni Baluchi minority in the region took responsibility for the attack. Iran immediately after announced the arrest of nine people in connection with this attack. Iranain authorities have accused Israel, the US and Britain of supporting these terrorist acts. Islamic Republic authorities have also accused Pakistani regional authorities of harbouring these terrorists. tag:www.zamaaneh.com,2010:/enzam//75.47532 2010-12-20T13:27:49Z 2010-12-20T18:08:58Z

Iranian labour activist, Reza Shahabi ended his hunger strike yesterday after over two weeks on strike in protest to his undetermined legal state.

Marjan [[photow01]] Iranian labour activist, Reza Shahabi ended his hunger strike in prison yesterday after over two weeks on strike in protest to his undetermined legal state. Reza Shahabi, an executive member of Sherkat-e Vahed public transportation for Tehran and the suburbs drivers union, was on a hunger strike in protest to the judiciary’s refusal to make a decision about his case. Reza Shahabi, who was the treasurer of the Sherkat-e Vahed drivers union, was arrested in June by intelligence officers after being called to the central office of Sherkat-e Vahed and interrogated for over six months at Evin Prison. Shahabi was amongst the people who were suspended from work during the labour strikes of Sherkat-Vahed workers in 2005. Shortly before his arrest, after four years of unemployment and receiving no income, the labour court had finally returned him back to work. Human rights activists report that Shahabi has been subjected to physical and mental abuse to accept the state-devised charges against him. On the seventh day of his hunger strike, Shahabi was transferred to the hospital after his health condition became critical. On September, after the authorities announced Shahabi could be released on bail, his family prepared a 60,000-dollar bail for him but the authorities then demanded $100,000. Although two months has elapsed since the judiciary issued Shahabi’s release order, they have not processed his case and he remains in an undetermined legal state. Currently in addition to Reza Shahabi, Manosour Osanlo, Ebrahim Madadi, Gholamreza Gholamhosseini, Morteza Kamsari, and Ali Akbar Nazari are the other Shehrkat-e Vahed executive union members who are imprisoned by Iranian authorities. Mohammad Nourizad, Nasrin Sotoudeh, Arash Sadeghi and Gholamhossein Arshi are four political prisoners who are currently on hunger strike in Islamic Republic prisons in protest to the actions of the judiciary. Recently Iranian opposition leader, MirHosein Mousavi lauded the resistance of the prisoners on hunger strike but urged them to end it delivering a message of concern from all Iranians. Numerous concerned political, social and cultural figures of the country have also called on the prisoners to end their hunger strike. tag:www.zamaaneh.com,2010:/enzam//75.47516 2010-12-19T19:08:15Z 2010-12-19T19:19:53Z

Bahareh Hedayat, prominent Iranian student activist is reportedly suffering from gall bladder stones in Evin Prison and is in need of surgery.

Marjan [[photow01]] Bahareh Hedayat, prominent Iranian student activist is reportedly suffering from gall bladder stones in Evin Prison and is in need of surgery. Amin Ahmadian, Hedayat’s husband told the International Campaign for Human Rights that Bahareh Hedayat did not suffer from this ailment prior to being incarcerated and the stones must be “a product of the prison conditions.” He added that he has not been allowed to visit her wife in person for the past eight months because Tehran’s Prosecutor, Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi has refused his requests to visit his wife. Ahmadian reported that Bahareh Hedayat is being held in a section of the prison called “methadone” along with a number of other women political prisoners and this section reportedly has fewer facilities compared to the general section and its telephone lines are also cut off. Bahareh Hedayat is an executive member of the student organization, Tahkim-e Vahadat which is Iran’s largest student organization. She was arrested last December and has been sentenced to nine and a half years in prison which was also approved in the appellate court. She has been charged with “assembly and collusion against the regime”, “insulting the leader and the president” as well as “propaganda against the regime." Bahareh Hedayat was nominated for the Student Peace Prize in 2010 by the European Student’s Union, an umbrella organization of 45 national unions comprised of students from 35 different countries. tag:www.zamaaneh.com,2010:/enzam//75.47515 2010-12-19T18:23:29Z 2010-12-19T18:30:29Z

On the first day of the implementation of subsidy cuts and the rising of energy and food prices, Iranian authorities began a new wave of arrests targeted at social and political activists.

Marjan [[photow01]] On the first day of the implementation of subsidy cuts and the rising of energy and food prices, Iranian authorities began a new wave of arrests targeted at social and political activists. Hadi Heydari, Fatemeh Arabsorkhi, Mohammad Shafii and Alireza Taheri were a number of reformist figures which were arrested today. Hadi Heydari, journalist and caricaturist, was previously arrested in October at a gathering in support of political prisoners and incarcerated for over two weeks. Kaleme website reports that the Ministry of Intelligence summoned them for questioning and arrested them for the alleged charge of “lack of cooperation” with the interrogators. Intelligence officers have also arrested Fariborz Rais Daana, an economist and member of Iran’s Writer’s Association, and Abolfazl Tabarzadi, another political activist. In the past year and a half, the Islamic Republic establishment has arrested thousands of dissidents who have challenged the legitimacy of the 2009 presidential elections and the victory of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Although the mass street demonstrations that immediately followed the elections have ended, the arrests have continued as the government fears the protests have not been defused and are in fact like a fire under the ashes which may be stoked by the economic difficulties that the cutting of government subsidies could entail. tag:www.zamaaneh.com,2010:/enzam//75.47502 2010-12-19T13:27:54Z 2010-12-19T13:37:42Z

Manouchehr Mottaki, Iranian foreign minister who was recently removed through a sudden dismissal by Ahmadinejad, hit out at the administration describing his dismissal “un-Islamic, outside political practices, undiplomatic and offensive.”

Marjan [[photow01]] Manouchehr Mottaki, Iranian foreign minister who was recently removed through a sudden dismissal by Ahmadinejad, hit out at the administration describing his dismissal “un-Islamic, outside political practices, undiplomatic and offensive.” According to Mehr news agency, Mottaki denied the Vice-president, Mohammadreza Rahimi’s statement that he was privy to Ahamdinejad’s intention to replace him with Ali Akbar Salehi, Iranian head of Atomic Agency. Mottaki was dismissed on Monday while he was on a diplomatic mission in Senegal. Manouchehr Mottaki also announced that he was not even informed about the farewell ceremony which took place yesterday. Yesterday a farewell ceremony was held for Manouchehr Mottaki during which the Vice-president contended that Mr. Mottaki was aware of the changes announced by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad before starting on his trip to Senegal. The ceremony was reportedly held up for 45 minutes for Manouchehr Mottaki to show up and then carried out without his presence. Manouchehr Mottaki announced today that he was not told about the date for his farewell ceremony and the introduction of Salehi. An Ahmadinejad aide insisted today that Mottaki had been informed about everything. Prior to the dismissal, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had had several disputes with his former foreign minister over assigning special envoys to different areas of the world. The manner in which Mottaki was dismissed has been criticized by several Iranian officials. Speaker for the parliament, Ali Larijani described Ahamdinejad’s move as “inappropriate” saying: “If the intention was to replace the foreign minister, it was only right to do it tactfully and respectfully with regards to the minister, not when he is travelling, which fuels inappropriate interpretations of the country's situation.” tag:www.zamaaneh.com,2010:/enzam//75.47500 2010-12-19T12:50:52Z 2010-12-19T13:01:37Z

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced that the subsidy cuts will take effect starting today, Sunday, and described the plan as the “biggest surgery” to the Iranian economy in the past fifty years.

Marjan [[photow01]] Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced that the subsidy cuts will take effect starting today, Sunday, and described the plan as the “biggest surgery” to the Iranian economy in the past fifty years. In a television interview on state television last night, Ahmadinejad announced the long-dreaded implementation of subsidy cuts and a few hours after this announcement, the government issued a statement announcing gas prices would soar from 1000 rials (10 US cents) a litre to 4000 rials. The price of gas over the 60 litres monthly quota given each household is also set at 7000 rials. Officials have announced that the price rises in energy will not affect the price of public transportation for the time being. For several years, the Iranian government has been planning to phase out subsidies on energy products and food items in a five-year plan. The subsidies are said to be worth 100 billion dollars a year. In 2007, the government announcement to ration gasoline triggered riots in Tehran and wary of such outbreaks, heavy police presence is reported in Tehran today. ILNA also reports rises in electricity, water and natural gas prices. While electricity and water prices almost quadrupled, the price of natural gas is increased almost seven times. The government says that it will return the money from subsidy cuts to the people through cash payments. About 74 dollars has been paid out to some 60.5 million Iranians to help them cope with the change. The families are to receive this benefit every two months which translates into 2.5 billion dollars a month in the state’s budget. The subsidy cuts which have been long time in the making, were especially challenged by the parliament over Ahmadinejad’s insistence on having absolute authority in spending the billions of dollars that it is supposed to add to government coffers. tag:www.zamaaneh.com,2010:/enzam//75.47489 2010-12-18T16:06:12Z 2010-12-18T17:14:04Z

Manouchehr Mottaki, former Iranian foreign minister did not attend his own farewell ceremony in what appears as a protest against his sudden dismissal.

Marjan [[photow01]] Manouchehr Mottaki, former Iranian foreign minister did not attend his own farewell ceremony in what appears as a protest against his sudden dismissal. Iranian media reported that the ceremony was supposed to be held in the presence of Mottaki together with Vice-president Mohammadreza Rahimi and the head of Iran’s Atomic Agency, Ali Akbar Salehi who is now filling Mottaki’s shoes as the caretaker of the foreign ministry. Reportedly after waiting 45 minutes for the arrival of the former foreign minister, the ceremony was carried out without him. Manouchehr Mottaki, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s longtime foreign minister was suddenly dismissed by Ahmadinejad while the FM was on a diplomatic mission in Africa. The Vice-president played down the suddenness of Ahamdinejad’s actions contending Manouchehr Mottaki was already privy to the fact that he was being replaced before going on to Senegal and maintained that Islamic Republic government officials faithfully carry out their duties to the last minute. Rahimi also indicated that Manouchehr Mottaki will be given another post in the government in the near future. Despite these remarks, the dismissal of Manouchehr Mottaki appears as the final act in a series of disputes that have unfolded in the past months between Ahmadinejad and Mottaki. tag:www.zamaaneh.com,2010:/enzam//75.47484 2010-12-18T10:03:19Z 2010-12-18T15:16:13Z

Shirin Ebadi and six other Iranian women activists are planning to sit in protest in front to Human Rights headquarters in Geneva on Monday in protest to the situation of detained lawyer, Nasrin Sotoudeh in prison in Iran.

Marjan [[photow01]] Shirin Ebadi and six other Iranian women activists are planning to sit in protest in front to Human Rights headquarters in Geneva on Monday in protest to the situation of detained lawyer, Nasrin Sotoudeh in prison in Iran. Radio Zamaneh has gathered that these activists are planning to draw attention to the plight of Nasrin Sotoudeh who is being ignored by the Iranian judiciary after 103 days in solitary confinement and on her second hunger strike, and they are urging the public to join them. In a statement, Shirin Ebadi, Khadijeh Moghaddam, Mansoureh Shojai, Parvin Ardalan, Shadi Sadr, Asieh Amini and Mahboubeh Gholizadeh announced their intention to sit in protest in Geneva urging the public and in particular women and human rights activists to join them in calling for the release of Nasrin Sotoudeh. The statement indicates that after finalization of preliminary investigations and end of the trial, she should receive a verdict in at most a week. In addition, continuing to keep her in solitary confinement after the beginning of her trial is also against regulations. Sotoudeh has been kept in solitary confinement since the first day of her arrest and all her lawyer’s requests to set up a bail has been turned down. This has left Sotoudeh no alternative but to go on hunger strike to protest this situation. These activists write: “we urge all free thinkers of the world as well as women’s rights activists and the members of the global human rights family to join this endeavour in solidarity with their sisters for the immediate release of Nasrin Sotoudeh and call on them to deliver the voice of our enchained companion to the world in every way they can from staging protests to sending emails and protest letters to Iranian embassies in different countries of the world to gathering in front of Iranian embassies and any other way possible.” Nasrin Sotoudeh is an Iranian lawyer who was arrested last September by the Islamic Republic and is charged with “propaganda against the regime and collaboration with the Human Rights Defenders Centre” in Iran. Recently they have added that charge of “failing to adhere to the Islamic dress code (hijab).” Sotoudeh's practice was mostly concentrated on human rights violation cases and before her arrest, she was attorney to a number of prominent post-election political prisoners. tag:www.zamaaneh.com,2010:/enzam//75.47486 2010-12-18T09:46:39Z 2010-12-18T15:59:13Z

Canadian Foreign Minister issued a statement calling on Iran to “immediately release” the seven Baha’i leaders who have been detained since two years ago.

Marjan [[photow01]] Canadian Foreign Minister issued a statement calling on Iran to “immediately release” the seven Baha’i leaders who have been detained since two years ago. AFP reports that Lawrence Cannon issued a statement yesterday saying “I note with regret the reports that Iranian authorities are continuing the imprisonment of the seven Baha’i community leaders whose 10-year sentence was announced in September 2010.” “These individuals have been held without cause for 28 months in harsh conditions at Gohardasht Prison. The accusations against them reflect a deliberate distortion of their religion and their service to the community,” he goes on to add. “Canada maintains that any imprisonment on such charges is too long and that these individuals should be released unconditionally and reunited with their families as soon as possible.” The seven Baha’i leaders were arrested two years ago and in August of this year they were sentenced to ten years in prison. A preliminary sentence of 20 years in prison was reduced by half in the appellate court. Canada also protested against the preliminary sentencing and noted the discordance of the charges with the severity of the sentences. Behrouz Tavakoli, Jamaleddin Khanjani, Saeed Rezai, Fariba Kamalabadi, Mahvash Sabet, Vahid Tizfahm and Afif Naimi are the seven Baha’i leaders that have been charged with “espionage, activities against national security and enmity with God (Moharebeh)” by Iranian judiciary. Baha’ism, which was founded in 1863 in Iran, is not accepted as a legitimate religion by the Islamic Republic and the 300 thousand Baha’is that live in Iran face severe discrimination in the workplace and educational institutions. tag:www.zamaaneh.com,2010:/enzam//75.47469 2010-12-17T18:27:01Z 2010-12-17T18:53:33Z

MirHosein Mousavi lauded the resistance put up by post-election political prisoners in Islamic Republic jails and urged the several prisoners who are currently on hunger strike to end their strike.

Marjan [[photow01]] Iranian opposition leader, MirHosein Mousavi lauded the resistance put up by post-election political prisoners in Islamic Republic jails and urged the several prisoners who are currently on hunger strike to end their strike. In an official message posted on Kaleme website, MirHosein Mousavi addresses the detainees on hunger strike writing: “Our people are much more aware of your hardships and sacrifices today than any other time. Your message of resistance has gotten through by word of mouth and from one heart to the other through the Green breeze of awareness, and reached every corner of our beloved Iran.” He adds that the people are now aware that these “courageous men and women are willing to resist to their last breath in order to save the hope of a dignified life for their people.” Mousavi noted that the political detainees languishing in Iranian prisons today are “informed and educated individuals from every class, group and stratum of the society.” He urged them to end their strike and relieve the country of its grave concern for their health. In the post-election protests in Iran over the past year and a half, several political detainees have gone on hunger strike to protests against irregularities in the legal proceedings against them and demand just treatment by the judiciary and the prison authorities. According to Kaleme website, Nasrin Sotoudeh, Mohammad Nourizad, Gholamhossein Arshi, Reza Shahabi and Arash Sedghi are currently on hunger strike in Iranian prisons and in critical health conditions. In the past week, numerous prominent figures from Iran's political, cultural and religious communities have expressed concern for the well-being of the prisoners and called on them to end their hunger strikes.