Women political prisoners in Tehran's Evin prison have announced their intention to go on a hunger strike as part of their ongoing protest against the death sentence issued to a Kurdish activist.
This marks the second major protest action by these inmates following the announcement of the death sentence for Pakhshan Azizi.
The news of the strike was shared via jailed human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize awardee Narges Mohammadi's Instagram page.
It said the prisoners would join the "No Execution Tuesdays" campaign with the hunger strike.
On Saturday, the same prisoners initiated a sit-in protest at Evin prison.
Beginning at 7:00 PM, they chanted slogans demanding the cancellation of the death penalty for Azizi.
The prisoners had previously gathered en masse in the prison yard to protest against the death sentence.
Azizi was convicted of "membership in groups that waged an armed uprising against the Islamic government and whose leaders are involved in rebellion."
In addition to the death sentence, she received a four-year prison term for alleged membership in the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK).
The court proceedings, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, took place on May 28 and June 16, 2024.
The verdict was sent to Azizi's lawyers last week.
She is currently held in Tehran's Evin Prison, where she has reportedly been deprived of phone calls and visitation rights for the past two weeks.
In a letter recently published by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Azizi cited multiple instances of torture and harassment during her detention.
On August 4, 2023, Iranian Intelligence Forces arrested her in Tehran's Kharazi town, marking the beginning of her current ordeal.
Azizi's history of activism dates back to at least 2009 when she was arrested during a Kurdish students' protest in Tehran against executions in Kurdistan.
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