A Kurdish political prisoner detained at the youth ward of Orumiyeh Central Prison, went on a hunger strike on Thursday, Nov 23, 2017 in protest to the refusal of authorities to transfer him to the political ward.
“Siamak Ashrafi, a 25-year-old prisoner from Orumiyeh, has been kept in ward 13 (the youth section) contrary to the Regulations of Prison Organizations. Despite his repeated requests for being transferred to ward 12. the prisoner authorities have refused to agree with his transfer,” an informed source told Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN).
“Ashrafi announced his hunger strike on Thursday, Nov 23, but the prison authorities have not paid attention to his demands,” the source said.
“This is the second time that the political prisoner has gone on hunger strike since the beginning of the year in protest to being kept among the Ordinary Crimes prisoners. Earlier this month, he was on hunger strike for four days. While the prison authorities had promised him his transfer to the political section, they have transferred him to the military ward”., the source said.
“On Wednesday, October 18, the Kurdish political prisoners detained in ward 1 of psychotherapy were severely beaten up by about 40 prisoners of Dangerous Crimes who were provoked by prison authorities. He was later transferred to ward 13(youth ward)”., the source added.
Siamak Ashrafi was sentenced to 3 years of imprisonment by Judge Sheikhlou at Orumiyeh Revolutionary Court (branch 2) on charges of cooperating with the Kurdish parties. Siamak Ashrafi has been in jail since a year ago.
Orumiyeh Central Prison has the highest number of Kurdish political prisoners in Iran, and the Special Intelligence Office of this prison is putting increasing pressure on these prisoners. The majority of new political prisoners have been transferred to the Ward of Non-Political Prisoners. Such treatment has led to widespread protests by political prisoners.
According to KHRN, there are currently at least 30 political prisoners held at various wards of this prison among inmates of perilous offences and their requests for transfer to section 12 (Ward of the Political Prisoners) remain unanswered.
