Urmia prisoners on dry hunger strike
Published by Ali on December 12, 2020
International Liberty Association: According the news from Central Prison of Urmia, North-West Iran, 14 prisoners started a dry hunger strike protesting the Judiciary’s failure to commute their sentences, on the morning of Wednesday, 9 December. These prisoners have staged a sit-in in the sentry room on Friday morning.
These prisoners are including 9 Sunni prisoners and 5 political prisoners.
According to spokesman for the Iranian Judiciary, Gholam Hossein Esmaili, the legislation on reduction of sentences was going to be enforced. He also has mentioned that the number of prisoners who have to serve sentences would be reduced. He had ordered expeditious examination of all cases which could be subject of the new legislation and the prisoners be released, on summer.
Apparently, that prisoners with national security charges are not included among the prisoners whose sentences are eligible for reduction.
ILA: Many prisoners in Iran go on hunger strike as a last resort to achieve their demands. Many of these strikes are in protest to the Judiciary’s failure to examine their cases, violation of prisoners’ rights, or long term arrest and detention without standing trial.
