43 Political Prisoners Refuse Food Rations to Protest the Lack of Medical Care in Urmia Prison

Earlier this Wednesday, September 22, 43 prisoners in the political ward of Urmia Prison refused to receive their food rations in solidarity with a number of the prison’s inmates.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the prisoners carried out the refusal in protest of the lack of medical care for sick prisoners.

Shaker Behrooz, Nayeb Askari, Nayeb Hajizadeh, Ahmad Tamavi, Mohammad Houshangi, Hatam Ozdemir, Dara Rashidi, Anvar Chaleshi, Kamel Ceylan Maskan, Sirvan Amini, Mokhtar Ebrahimi, and Taher Hosseinzadeh, 12 political prisoners imprisoned in this ward suffer from various diseases. According to the diagnosis of the prison doctor, these prisoners should be sent to a well-equipped hospital outside the prison, but so far they have been barred from being sent.

Nayeb Askari, Ahmad Tamavi, Hatam Ozdemir, Sirvan Amini, and Mokhtar Ebrahimi, have kidney problems. Nayeb Hajizadeh and Dara Rashidi must undergo surgery to remove platinum prosthesis from their legs, and Anvar Chaleshi has TB.

Three Political Prisoners Facing New Charges of Questionable Legitimacy After Protesting the Beating of Nayeb Hajizadeh Yangjeh

On Monday, July 12, political prisoners Nayeb Hajizadeh Yangjeh, Kayhan Mokaram Al-Nabi, and Nayeb Askari were faced with new charges after protesting the beating of Hajizadeh Yangjeh.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, per an informed source, the lawsuit was filed at the request of Urmia Prison director Amir Sohrabi after several political prisoners protested the beating of Nayeb Hajizadeh by two prisoners accused of violent crimes.

It is said that one of the assailants was also summoned to the court as a witness in the case.

During the briefing session, the three accused were briefed on the alleged charges of “disturbing the order of the prison” and “blasphemy”.

Nayeb Hajizadeh was arrested by security forces in August 2019 and sentenced to 7 years and six months in prison shortly after being charged for membership in an opposition group. Kayhan Mokarram Al-Nabi was arrested by security forces in January 2020 and sentenced to five years in prison on charges of membership in an opposition group.

Nayeb Askari was arrested by IRGC intelligence agents in Urmia in April this year and was transferred to prison in June. Mr. Askari has been charged with collaborating with an opposition party.