HRANA News Agency – Arash Sadeghi, human rights activist in Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj, has gone on hunger strike on January 27, 2018, following his wife, Golrokh Irai and Atena Daemi were beaten and exiled. He has gone on hunger strike while he is suffering from severe illness and physical weakness.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Golrokh Irai and Atena Daemi were beaten in Evin prison and exiled to Garchak prison in Varamin on Wednesday, January 24, 2018. The two detainees, who are currently detained in quarantine of ward 3, do not have suitable situation.

Golrokh Irai and Atena Daemi were beaten and exiled to Garchak prison in Varamin then Arash Sadeghi, husband of Golrokh Irai, who is detained in Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj as exile, went on hunger strike as protest on January 27, 2018, after being aware of this incident.

Mr. Sadeghi had reported his intention to start a hunger strike on January 27, 2018, by writing a letter to prison authorities and relevant institutions. He also announced that authorities are responsible for the consequences of the strike.

Arash Sadeghi has begun his hunger strike while he is suffering from severe illness and physical weakness and needs medical treatment and proper diet after his 70-day hunger strike.

The human rights activist, who was sentenced to 19 years in prison by the Revolutionary Court earlier, had gone on hunger strike to protest against arresting his wife which continued more than 70 days. Mr. Sadeghi suffers from many diseases, including asthma, colitis, severe stomach and kidney discomfort, and all are complications of the long hunger strike that has worsened because of lack of treatment.

Need to be mentioned that Arash Sadeghi had been first arrested on July 9, 2009 in front of Allameh Tabatabaei University along with a group of students who were protesting against the presidential election’s result and released after 90 days on the bail.

This civil rights activist was arrested again in May 2014 by the IRGC and after 6 months released on a bail of 6 billion IRR. During his temporary release, his house was raided by security forces that caused his mother’s death after a heart attack.

Mr. Sadeghi was arrested for the last time in June 2016 in Shahdi Moghadas court of Evin.

He started a hunger strike in protest against the sentence and detention of his wife, Golrokh Ibrahimi Irai that lasted for more than 70 days.

It is also worth mentioning regarding Golrokh Ibrahimi Irai, the human rights defender and Arash Sadeghi’s wife was arrested on September 6, 2014. Then in April of 2015, she was sentenced to 6 years of imprisonment in Branch 15 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court on charges of insulting holy sanctuaries and propaganda against the regime, which was confirmed in Branch 54 of the Appeals Court without her presence.

Mrs. Ibrahimi Irai was arrested on October 24, 2016, without receiving a written summons by security forces for the execution of the 6-year imprisonment and was transferred to Evin Prison.

This human rights activist was accused of insulting holy sanctuaries and blasphemy based on an unpublished story criticizing stoning and taking stoning as sacred. Other examples of her charges include the lack of hijab and the promotion of not wearing hijab through sharing her photos with her husband on Facebook, opposition to retaliation order, signing a statement in opposition to the death penalty, participation in gatherings to support political prisoners, and meeting with Political prisoners.

Mrs. Irai who had suffered from a severe illness, went to jail without medical treatment, and now needs medical treatment.

Her imprisonment was reduced from 60 months to 30 months by considering the reduction of imprisonment on the occasion of Nowruz.

Need to be mentioned, Atena Daemi, 29, was arrested on October 21, 2014 and was held for 86 days in solitary confinement of ward 2-A. She was transferred to women’s ward of Evin prison on January 18, 2015.

The prisoner was tried eventually in a court, presided by judge Moghiseh, judge of branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran in the presence of her solicitor and the other inmates (Omid Alishenas, Aso Rostami, and Ali Nouri) after several postponement of the court hearing. She was charged with propaganda against the regime, gathering and collusion against the national security, insulting the Supreme Leader, insulting the Islamic Republic’s founder and concealing evidence of the crime because of her peaceful civil activities, and was sentenced to 14 years in prison on March 14, 2015. Her sentence was reduced to 7 years in appeal court.

Athena along with her sisters was charged with insulting the officers after being arrested for serving her sentence, they were sentenced to three months and one day in Branch 1162 of Quds Complex in Tehran at the elementary level. Ms. Daemi went on hunger strike on protest against this issue.

Finally, on Saturday, May 27, 2017, the appeal hearing of the Daemi Sisters (Atena, Ensieh and Haniyeh) was held at Branch 48 of appeal court headed by Judge Mirahmad and they were acquitted. The civic activist ended her hunger strike after 54 days on Wednesday, May 31, 2017 after seeing the verdict.

Ms. Daemi lost about 19 kg of her weight and suffered severe drop in blood pressure during the strike, her stomach lost the ability to fully absorb water during the strike but she received no proper medical treatment.