Seventeen political prisoners are on hunger strike in protest to being transferred to a high security Section in the Rajaie Shahr Prison in Karaj. They have been transferred to Section 10 which is equipped with 40 cameras and six listening devices in each cell.
The names of some of these political prisoners are Abolghassem Fouladvand, Saied Masouri, Mohammad Banazadeh Amir Khizi, Saied Shirzad, Amir Ghaziani, Khaled Hardani, Shahin Zoghi Tabar, Jafar Eghdami, Loghman and Zaniar Moradi, Majid Assadi, Payam Shakiba and Houshang Rezaie.
According to reports, on July 30, the head of Rajaie Shahr Prison Yousef Mardani, along with masked special guards units attacked Section 12 and destroyed all of the prisoners’ belongings, including air conditioners and a water purifier which belonged to the prisoners. Guards ripped the prisoners’ pictures, broke their eye glasses and severely beat the prisoners. They also destroyed the prisoners’ writings and stole their money.
Eight prisoners were detained in solitary cells until August 7. Another six prisoners were kept in solitary for 17 days. They were banned from fresh air for the first 12 days. The windows in Section 10 are covered with metal plates and there are cameras and listening devices even in the restrooms and showers and the prisoners are constantly being monitored. These prisoners have not been given their medicine and ailing prisoners are facing serious problems. The condition of hunger striking prisoners is also very critical.
Shahin Zoghi Tabar passed away while visiting with his family in the visiting hall.
Reza Akbari Monfared and Abolghassem Fouladvand who are relatively older than other prisoners cannot move around on their own and receive help from other prisoners.
Reza Shahabi, a labor activist and member of the Board of Governors of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company Syndicate went on a hunger strike on Tuesday August 8 after being arrested and transferred to Section 10. He is protesting his court sentence.
