Iranian journalist and political figure Isa Saharkhiz has resumed his 48-day hunger strike to protest his unjust arrest.
The reformist journalist was arrested on November 2, 2015 by Iran’s powerful hardline Revolutionary Guards, reportedly for “Insulting the Supreme Leader” and “Propaganda against the regime”. But after more than two months in jail, Saharkhiz, his family and lawyer have not received any official charges from Iran’s judiciary.
Saharkhiz, who suffers from severe kidney problems and heart disease, has since his arrest been denied contact with his lawyer, and his family has only been allowed to visit him in prison once. In an interview with Journalism Is Not A Crime last month, Saharkhiz’ son, Mehdi, said his father was “strong emotionally, but weak physically.”
Despite his critical health condition, Saharkhiz started a wet hunger strike on the day of his arrest, but agreed to end his protest after 48 days, on December 19, 2015, at the request of a group of prominent reformist political activists.
According to Mehdi, his father only terminated his hunger strike on condition that he was either released on bail or brought to trial. But although his release on bail was scheduled for January 2, 2016, Saharkhiz remains behind bars and with no official court case. Saharkhiz has consequently announced he is back to only drinking liquids like water and juice.
Saharkhiz was arrested along with at least three other Iranian journalists, who were allegedly accused of being members of an “infiltration network” colluding with hostile Western governments, but none of them have been tried in court.
The reformist journalist has already spent four years in jail in Iran, including nine months in solitary confinement following the disputed 2009 presidential election in Iran. Back then he also went on hunger strike, which caused his heath to deteriorate.
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