Iran: Political Prisoners End Hunger Strike In Evin Prison
By GVF
Twelve political prisoners on hunger strike in Tehran’s Evin prison have ended their collective show of protest, according to opposition websites.
In a statement published today, the twelve inmates announced they had ended their strike on Sunday night. “This will undoubtedly not single the end of civil protests against the human rights violations and the injustices taken place, and the green protest of the Iranian nation will continue until they gain their full individual and social rights and liberties.”
On 18 June, twelve political prisoners in ward 350 of Evin prison began an “indefinite” hunger strike to protest the recent killings of two other political prisoners, Haleh Sahabi and Reza Hoda Saber, and the ongoing human rights abuses in the country. Days later, six other political prisoners in Rajaei Shahr prison also joined in the hunger strikes in solidarity with their comrades in captivity.
“We would like to express tremendous amount of gratitude for the support of our dear friends in Rajai Shahr prison and the actions taken by compatriots abroad and the pain-stricken families who have never retracted their support from us,” the statement said.
Addressing the Iranian people, the inmates explained that “Our hunger strike was, on the one hand, a response to the call of our conscience and the fulfilment of our moral duty as cellmates of Hoda Saber and, on the other hand, represented our cries of protest and rage against the injustice towards Saber and, before him, Haleh Sahabi. The two responsible … citizens lost their lives for their ideals. Our hunger strike was a collective protest against the incompetence, arrogance, and lies that have been institutionalised in parts of country’s ruling establishment.”
“The behaviour of the authorities during this period and our summoning before the judiciary was a clear sign of their lack of accountability and responsibility and, of course, the incompetence and weakness of the judiciary system. The latest developments were yet another test, demonstrating the worthlessness and insignificance of the life of a human and [especially] that of a detainee in the eyes of the judiciary as well as the security apparatus.”
The prisoners said the widespread support and solidarity they had received from civil society and the Iranian population as a whole had been a clear sign of the Green Movement’s “liveliness and vigour” and highlighted the importance of human rights in the eyes of the people.
