Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN): Kurdish political prisoner, Ghader Mohammad Zadeh who has been in prison for the past 14 years, has gone on hunger strike in protest to being transferred to the Safe Ward (formerly known as Quarantine) of Orumiyeh Central Prison since March 02. Prison authorities have said that they would take his requests into consideration if he breaks his hunger strike.
A source close to this political prisoner told KHRN that “Mohammad Zadeh has been transferred to the safe ward as a punishment on March 02, and his health condition is critical on his twelfth day of the hunger strike. Moreover, during the past days, the family of this political prisoner have filed a complaint at Orumiyeh Judiciary against the authorities of Orumiyeh Central Prison due to his transfer to the safe ward without a specific reason.“
The former Quarantine Section was restored by prison authorities over the last years and it is now being used under the name of Safe Ward to punish prisoners.
Mohammad Zadeh was arrested along with Mohammad Amin Abdollahi in 2005 by security forces in Bokan. These two political prisoners were transferred to the Orumiyeh Central Prison after being detained in solitary confinement cells of the Ministry of Intelligence Detention Centre in Mahabad and Orumiyeh cities. Finally, after 12 months of uncertainty about their situation, the two political prisoners went on trial at Branch 1 of Revolutionary Court in Mahabad on the charge 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 Court of Appeal.
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 Orumiyeh Intelligence Office.
This political prisoner, who has been in prison for more than 14 years, has been deprived of any temporary leave (Furlough) and conditional release.
