Political prisoner Mohammad Nazari, imprisoned in Tehran for the past 24 years, has been on hunger strike for the past 77 days in protest to the non-enforcement of Article 10 of Procedural Law in his case. His health condition has been reported critical.

“Mohammad Nazari, an Azeri political prisoner arrested and imprisoned on June 9, 1994, and sentenced to life imprisonment, is on the 78th day of his hunger strike. He has lost 25 kilograms during this period and suffers from inability to talk and walk. “, an informed source told Kurdistan Human Right Network (KHRN).

“During the hunger strike, Mr. Nazari has been transferred to the prison’s clinic several times in addition to being admitted to one of the Karaj hospitals for one night and two days. Mr Nazari’s insistence on continuing the hunger strike has caused a widespread concern among his family, cellmates and other political activists but the judiciary has not taken any of his requests into consideration.”, the source added.

On August 10, following an unexpected transfer of about fifty political prisoners from ward 12 of Rajaee Shahr prison in Karaj to ward 10 (the security ward) and violating all their basic rights, 12 of these prisoners went on hunger strike. Eventually all the concerned prisoners- except Mohammad Nazari- ended their strike after 40 days at the request of families, political and civil activists.

On Sept 25, 2017 when 60 days had passed from the hunger strike of Mr Nazari, a number of his cellmates expressed their concern about his health condition in an open letter to the UN Secretary-General and the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights of Iran while calling for international support for his legitimate demands.

“Mr Nazari was sentenced to life imprisonment per Article 186 of the old Procedural Law on charges of “ٌWaging war against God and the state”. However, this Article has now been amended and Mr Nazari should be released from the prison based on Articles 10, 99, 120, and 728 of the new Penal Code enacted in 2014. “, the above-mentioned four prisoners explained in their letter.

“The new law requires the prisoners imprisoned in accordance with the old Article 186 to be released. However, the prosecutor’s office and the judicial-security authorities have prevented the enforcement of this legal provision. So, Mohammad Nazari has gone on hunger strike since July 30, and now he has lost his power of speech and is on the verge of death.”, the above-mentioned political prisoners added.

Mohammad Nazari has already written several open letters about the refusal of the Orumiyeh Intelligence Office to release or transfer him to Orumiyeh Central Prison. He had also stated that he suffered from multiple health problems and needed urgent medical care at a hospital out of prison. However, Rajaee Shahr prison authorities in Karaj refused to grant permission for medical furlough (temporary leave) while claiming that they had “lost” the dossier of his case files.

In August 2002, Nazari sewed his lips and went on hunger strike to demand a review of his case, but the Judiciary have so far ignored his requests despite several written requests.

Born on July 11, 1971 as son of Hamdollah, Nazari was arrested by agents of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence in the city of Boukan, West Azerbaijan Province, on May 30, 1994. Six months later, Judge Abdolahad Jalilzadeh at Orumiyeh Revolutionary Court (branch 1) sentenced him to death for his alleged membership in the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI), an opposition group seeking autonomy for Iran’s Kurdish region.”

Despite making an appeal against, the verdict against him was finalised. Nazari’s sentence was reduced to life imprisonment in 1999 amid the Islamic festival of Eid Qorban when the supreme leader pardoned some prisoners upon the recommendation of the Judiciary. He was transferred to Raja’i Shahr prison in Karaj after serving about 13 years and a half in prison at the Central Orumiyeh prison along with several other political prisoners.

Two of his cellmates known as Zahir Mostafaei and Mohammad Mehdi Zali lost their life late 2010 after 17 years of imprisonment and in June 2012 after 21 years of imprisonment respectively due to illness in the prison and neglect of the authorities.

Nazari also suffers from heart disease, but Mahabad court refuses to grant permission for treatment at a hospital outside the prison.