Political Prisoner Arash Sadegi in Critical Condition
Arash Sadegi, an Iranian student activist, has been on a hunger striker for over 67 days, starting on October 24, 2016. His health has been deemed critical and he was transferred to the infirmary due to hypotension, heart palpitations, asthma and coughing up blood. After receiving an oxygen mask and its source, Sadeghi has been returned to his ward. His current hunger strike is in protest of the arrest of his wife, Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee, on the grounds of the content of an unpublished work of fiction about the stonings in Iran. The fiction was initially discovered during a raid of their home in 2014.
Stoning to death is a form of capital punishment in Iran, often used for women convicted of adultery. Iran’s practice of stoning is controversial both internationally and inside Iran. Iraee has been sentenced to six years in prison on charges including “insulting Islamic sanctities”. Both of them were convicted and sentenced after a trial that consisted only of two brief sessions, with neither one having legal representation.
The doctors have reported that his condition is extremely serious and dangerous and as the doctors did the forensic examination on him yesterday, they said it is likely that he will slip into a coma and may die. Sadeghi has stopped medical treatments since he is banned from visiting his wife and the authorities have not met his other demands. He has lost over 19 kilograms, along with severe physical fatigue, abnormal heart rate, chronic breathing, as well as kidney and intestinal problems.
Sadeghi is serving a 15-year prison sentence on the charges of “assembly and collusion against national security,” “propaganda against the state,” “spreading lies in cyberspace,” and “insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic.” Iranian authorities have canceled all his visits.
