Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN): Kurdish political prisoner Ghader Mohammad Zadeh who has been in prison for 14 years, has been transferred to the Safe ward (formerly known as Quarantine) of Orumiyeh Prison since February 20, and The authorities have not responded to his request to return to the ordinary ward of prison so far.

“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 from the right to visit his family since then,” a reliable source told KHRN.

According to the source, the location of the former quarantine was restored by prison authorities last year and is now being used as a safe ward to punish prisoners: “It consists of three common rooms with yard, separate WC and bathrooms, and prisoners with a judicial order with a view to being punished will be transferred to this section for long periods of time.”

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 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 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 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. Mohammad Zadeh went on hunger strike on Friday, June 15 in protest to the decision of the prison authorities to transfer him to labour ward for a couple of days.