BS: Iranian blogger - 2 month hunger strike

Subject: RE: BS: Iranian blogger - 2 month hunger strike
From: ChanteyLass
Date: 10 Mar 12 - 11:23 PM

I don't think I have seen anything about this from Amnesty International or any other organization. When I do, I will sign those petitions or letters. I do not know how effective that will be, but I don't know what else I can do.

Subject: BS: Iranian blogger - 2 month hunger strike
From: YorkshireYankee
Date: 10 Mar 12 - 09:22 PM

Two-month hunger strike leaves Iranian blogger weak

An excerpt:

The Iranian blogger and government critic Mehdi Khazali entered his 61st day of hunger strike inside the notorious Evin prison in Tehran on Friday. Several Twitter and Facebook campaigns have been trying to highlight Khazali's plight to world media organisations and demanding his release. Khazali has been critical of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and backed reformists in the disputed 2009 election. He has been imprisoned several times and previously vowed to go on hunger strike if he was jailed again. Since his reported arrest on January 9, Khazali has gone without food, even refusing water for a brief spell earlier this week. A letter reportedly sent by him from the prison last month describes the conditions in his ward.

There have been several Twitter campaigns for the release of Khazali over the last few days. Khazali, who is the son of a prominent Iranian cleric, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison, 90 lashes and 10 years of exile. According to news reports, he suffered stomach bleeding at the end of last month and has been take to hospital.

A letter sent by Khazali from inside Evin prison mid-February, in response to calls for hims to end his hunger strike, describes the conditions in ward 350:

Many are incarcerated here only as a payback for disagreements with high ranking officials. They are under physical and mental torture pressure to give false confessions of having connection with foreign intelligence agencies.

They are being pressured to confess to embezzlement from government agencies, while no money has been embezzled from those agencies.

During torture sessions no religious or moral standards are observed. Even when prisoners refer to religious figures and swore upon them as to their innocence, they ridicule them and say "Who are these people".

Images, links and more info (on Mr Khazali -- and on efforts to increase world awareness of his situation) available at the link above...