A Kurdish political prisoner detained in Orumiyeh central prison has gone on hunger strike after being transferred to a solitary confinement cell.
Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has been informed that Ghader Mohammad Zadeh, who was transferred to solitary confinement on June 09 after protesting to being deprived of a bed (forced to give up his bed to another prisoner as a punishment) as well as the decision of the prison authorities to transfer him to labour ward, has been on hunger strike since Friday, June15.
Mohammad Zadeh was arrested along with Mohammad Amin Abdollahi in the city of Bukan in 2005 by security forces in Bokan. The two political prisoners were transferred to the Orumiyeh Central Prison after being detained in solitary confinement cells of the Intelligence Ministry’s Detention Centre in Mahabad and Orumiyeh cities. Finally, after 12 months of uncertainty about their situation,the two political prisoners went on trial at Revolutionary Court (Branch 1) in Mahabad on charges of Moharebeh.
The Revolutionary Court sentenced Mohammad Zadeh to 18 years of imprisonment while Mohammad Amin Abdollahi was sentenced to 18 years in jail plus exile to Tabas prison. This verdict was later approved by the Orumiyeh Appeal Court.
Mohammad Zadeh was also sentenced to a further 6 months of imprisonment in February 2010 on another charge of “communication with foreign media” by the Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court following an indictment filed by the Ourmiyeh Intelligence Office.
This political prisoner, who has been in Orumiyeh prison for more than 12 years, has been deprived of any temporary leave ( Furlough) and conditional release.
