Prisoner update: Condition of imprisoned journalist Keyvan Samimi 'dire'

GVF -- According to reports, the health condition of imprisoned journalist on hunger strike, Keyvan Samimi, has been described as “dire.”

The Kaleme website affiliated with opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, reported yesterday that after twenty days of hunger strike, Samimi is in a good mental condition despite his deteriorating health condition. Since the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, Samimi is said to have been breaking his fast after sunset with only tea and water. This has added to concerns regarding the state of his well-being in the notorious Evin prison.

Three weeks ago, Samimi and sixteen other inmates at Evin prison began a hunger strike due to intolerable prison conditions as well as their transfer to solitary confinement. Two weeks after the commencement of their strike, all of the political prisoners except Samimi ended their strike due to numerous calls by Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mahdi Karroubi and other prominent reformist figures. Howeber, the 62-year-old journalist announced that he would continue with his strike until all the strikers were transferred from solitary confinement.

It should be noted that Samimi’s family are extremely concerned about his condition and have urged judiciary officials to provide him with much needed medical attention. The journalist was arrested and sentenced to six years in prison following the fraudulent presidential election that saw Ahmadinejad retake control of government in June 2009.

Since his arrest on 14 June 2009, he has been released from prison only once and for a couple of days.