HRANA News Agency – Eisa Saharkhiz, imprisoned journalist was transferred to ward 8 of Evin prison. This critical journalist had been already transferred to quarantine of Evin prison from ward 2-A and broken his hunger strike.
According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), the first trial of Mr. Saharkhiz was held in the 28th branch of the revolutionary court headed by Judge Moghayeseh on March 5, and the investigation has been postponed to next hearing by his request of respite.
Close people to the famous journalist said that he had lost his weight because of the long and intermittent hunger strike in ward 2-A.
Some of older prisoners have described the 8th ward of Evin prison as “the worst ward.”
“Failure to adhere to the principle of separation of prisoners in accordance with their crimes”, “congestion and population more than the capacity and the problem of sleeping on the floor”, “poor hygiene situation and prevalence of disease”, “poor heating and cooling system”, “restrictions of library facilities” and “mistreatment of prisoners” are part of the problems that prisoners and their families have protested at in different ways.
Eisa Saharkhiz was arrested by the revolutionary guards by the warrant issued by branch number 12 of Tehran court on November 2, 2015, and his personal accessories were seized.
He was charged with “propaganda against the regime,” “assembly and gathering and colluding with the intention to harm the national security” and “insulting the authorities”, which are based on his articles.
He is one of the famous journalists who has been arrested and imprisoned many times. The former head of editorial board of Aftab monthly had also been arrested on July 2, 2009 and was sentenced to three years in prison by branch number 15 of the revolutionary court. Besides, on August 5, 2011 he was sentenced to 2 years in prison for his journalism.
Eisa Saharkhiz who is suffering from different diseases and was hospitalized few months before his freedom, was the prisoner of Rajaei Shahr prison.
After being released despite being banned from working, he criticized the supreme leader by writing articles which were publicized in his Facebook page and some websites like Roozonline.
According to the report of hardliners the arrest of Eisa Saharkhiz and several other journalists including “Ehsan Mazandarani”, “Afarin Chitsaz” and “Saman Safarzaee” has been done within security project as counter to the influence which was raised after a speech by Khamenei about the ways of influence of “the enemy” and the necessity to confronting with it in the media.