Iranian activist on hunger strike dies in prison

Saleh Hamid, Al Arabiya English

Vahid Sayadi Nasiri, an Iranian political activist, who had been held in Qom Prison for criticizing Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, died on Wednesday, on 60th day of a hunger strike, Human rights group reported on Thursday.

HRANA, a news agency in Iran dedicated solely to reporting on human rights issues, quoted the family of Nasiri, who is their only son, that the later was released recently from an Iranian prison only to be arrested back early last August by Qom’s intelligence unit who later on threw him in the city’s prison.

According to HRANA, Nasiri was sentenced to four years and half in prison on charges of insulting Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and “propaganda against the state.” The charge stemmed from postings Nasiri made on his Facebook account.

According to Nasiri’ sister, he had been on hunger strike to protest being kept in a high security section in Qom Prison and to demand being transferred to Evin Prison.

Nasiri went on hunger strike in October 2018 to protest being locked up with ordinary criminals which violates Iran’s own regulations on the principle of separation of crimes. The Iranian political activist’s hunger strike affected his digestive system, leaving him unable to take any liquids due to the prison negligence, according to Nasiri family.

The family added that, after their son collapsed he was transferred by the prison administration to the hospital, and informed them that he died in the hospital on Wednesday, after the deterioration of his health suddenly, asking them to collect his body for burial.

During a wave of popular protests in Iran that broke out on December 28 and lasted for several months, 10 detainees died under torture, while 25 people were killed by security protesters.

Iranian MP Ali Reza Rahimi, announced that the authorities arrested about 5000 people during the recent protests, which broke out in more than 100 cities in different parts of the country.

SOURCE:https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2018/12/13/Iranian-activist-on-hunger-strike-dies-in-prison.html