Reza Shahabi Beaten While On Hunger Strike!

Reza Shahabi, a member of the Executive Committee of the Trade Union of the Tehran Vahed Bus Company, began his hunger strike after he was transferred from ward 350 of Evin to Rajai Shahr prison along with six other prisoners, on June 1.

Today, while being taken to the infirmary of Rejai Shahr prison he was beaten up and insulted by a prison guard named Seyyed Mehdi. A 65-year-old prisoner was also beaten up! The two prisoner were being taken to the infirmary for medical checks, including their blood pressure. Since Reza Shahabi began his hunger strike his weight has gone down from 85 to 78 kilograms. The appalling conditions of Reza Shahabi incarceration over the past few years have already ruined his health.

On June 14 Reza Shahabi wrote a letter to Tehran’s Attorney General. In it he officially declared that he was on hunger strike and made a number of demands, including being returned to Evin prison’s ward 350 and sick leave (so that he can have an operation on his slipped disc).

Iranian Workers’ Solidarity Network condemns the Iranian regime’s imprisonment of labour activists and demands the immediate and unconditional release of all labour activists and workers.

Iranian Workers’ Solidarity Network

* In April 2012 Branch 15 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court sentenced Reza Shahabi to six years in prison, banned him from trade union activities for five years and fined him 7 million tomans (€4700 at the time).