16 political prisoners go on hunger strike in Evin prison

GVF -- The names of sixteen political prisoners on hunger strike in Evin priosn have been released. The prisoners’ hunger strike is in response to their transfer from Evin prison’s ward 350 to solitary confinements in ward 240.

Journalists Bahman Ahmadi Amooei and Keyvan Samimi were among the first prisoners to be taken to solitary confinement on Monday afternoon. The rest were transferred to solitary confinement at 3am on Tuesday 27 July.

According to the Kaleme opposition website, the sixteen prisoners were transferred to solitary confinement in ward 350 following their protests against their mistreatment by prison officials as well as harsh prison conditions. Their names are as follows:

1. Ali Malihi, student activist
2. Bahman Ahmadi Amooei, journalist 
3. Hossein Nouraninejad, journalist and member of the reformist party Islamic Iran Participation front (Mosharekat)
4. Abdollah Momeni, student activist and a spokesperson for the Office for Fostering Unity
5. Ali Parviz, student activist 
6. Hamidreza Mohammadi, political activist
7. Jafar Aghdami, civil activist 
8. Babak Bordbar, photojournalist 
9. Zia Nabavi, student activist prevented from studying
10. Ebrahim (Nader) Babaei, civil activist and Iran-Iraq war veteran 
11. Kouhyar Goudarzi, human rights activist and weblog writer
12. Majid Dorri, student activist 
13. Majid Tavakkoli, student activist 
14. Keyvan Samimi, journalist 
15. Gholamhossein Arshi
16. Peyman Karimi Azad, arrested during the Ashura protests on 27 December

It should be noted that among the mentioned prisoners, journalist Bahman Ahmadi Amooei began his hunger strike three days ago. On the following day he was joined in his strike by five other prisoners including Maid Tavakkoli, Abdollah Momeni and Kouhyar Goudarzi. The rest of the prisoners joined their comrades on Wednesday 28 July and have vowed to continue with their hunger strike until their demands are met by authorities. The sixteen political prisoners are demanding to be transferred from solitary confinement as well as an apology by the prison officials for the mistreatments experienced by inmates.