In continuation of the protests against the death sentence issued for labor activist Sharifeh Mohammadi, 85 political prisoners in Evin Prison went on a hunger strike on Thursday, July 11. A number of imprisoned labor activists also described the sentence as “unjust, shocking, insane, and unacceptable” in a statement.
Eighty-five political prisoners held in Evin Prison began their hunger strike at 11 PM on Wednesday, July 10, protesting the “unjust sentence” of Sharifeh Mohammadi and in solidarity with the campaign supporting her.
Thirty of these political prisoners are in the women’s ward, 30 in ward eight, and 25 in ward four of Evin Prison.
These prisoners announced that they would continue their hunger strike until 11 PM on Thursday, July 11.
They had previously called on other prisoners and the general public to join them in this protest movement.
Sharifeh Mohammadi, a labor activist held in Lakan Prison in Rasht, was sentenced to death on charges of “rebellion” by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of this city on July 4.
The judge cited Mohammadi’s opposition to executions under the Iranian regime and a Ministry of Intelligence report about her membership in the “Coordination Committee to Help Form Labor Organizations” as grounds for this accusation.
The issuance of the death sentence for Mohammadi has sparked widespread reactions from labor, civil, and political activists, as well as a number of independent labor unions.
On Tuesday, July 9, social media users expressed their protest against Mohammadi’s sentence using the hashtag #FreeSharifeh, calling for the unconditional release of this labor activist.
Previously, on July 4, sixteen female political prisoners in Evin Prison joined the campaign to defend Sharifeh Mohammadi by publishing a letter and demanding the annulment of her sentence.
They emphasized that Mohammadi, after seven months of temporary detention, enduring torture and interrogation in various detention centers, was sentenced to death “in a threadbare scenario with baseless charges,” and declared that they stand with her and other prisoners whose lives are in danger.
Mohammadi was arrested on December 5, 2023, on charges of “propaganda against the regime” and later faced the charge of rebellion.
More than a month after her arrest, on January 13, 2024, Mohammadi was beaten by Ministry of Intelligence interrogators to extract a forced confession against herself.
Since coming to power, the Iranian regime has consistently arrested, tortured, and imprisoned civil, labor, and political activists critical of the government.
Since the start of nationwide protests against the Iranian regime in September 2022, the repression of civil, labor, and political activists, as well as other protesters by the government, has intensified and continues to this day.
