Iran political prisoners plan ceremony to mark death of activist

Iran Focus: London, Sep. 08 – Human rights activists in the Iranian capital have told Iran Focus that prison-mates of Valiollah Feyz-Mahdavi, a political prisoner who died in custody earlier this week, plan to hold a ceremony in his honour later this evening inside Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison.
Iran Focus

London, Sep. 08 – Human rights activists in the Iranian capital have told Iran Focus that prison-mates of Valiollah Feyz-Mahdavi, a political prisoner who died in custody earlier this week, plan to hold a ceremony in his honour later this evening inside Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison.

Feyz-Mahdavi had been imprisoned since 2001 when he was sentenced to execution for membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI or MeK), Iran’s main opposition group.

He had been serving time in Gohar-Dasht Prison in the city of Karaj and had been on hunger strike since August 23.

On Wednesday, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), a broad coalition of opposition groups which includes the PMOI accused Iranian authorities of murdering Feyz-Mahdavi.

Iranian officials announced earlier this week that Feyz-Mahdavi had committed suicide but that claim was rejected by fellow political prisoners in the same ward in Gohar-Dasht Prison.

Fellow human rights activists in Evin have also released a statement commemorating his life.

Feyz-Mahdavi was held at Evin Prison prior to being transferred to Gohar-Dasht.

In February, authorities executed another PMOI member, Hojjat Zamani, in Gohar-Dasht and in July student activist Akbar Mohammadi mysteriously died while on hunger strike in Evin.