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.
According to reports received by KHRN, this political prisoner, along with 30 other prisoners from a few different sections of the prison, was transferred to the quarantine by judicial order on charges of breaking prison laws. He has been deprived of the right to visit his family since then.
Earlier, a reliable source told KHRN that the former Quarantine Section had been restored by prison authorities last year and was now being used under the name of Safe Ward to punish prisoners. “The Safe Ward consists of three common rooms with a yard, separate WC and bathrooms. Prisoners, who are being punished, are transferred to this section for long periods of time upon a judicial order.”, he said.
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.
