Jailed Iranian Activist Mousivand Reportedly On New Hunger Strike

Jailed Iranian political activist Behnam Mousivand has reportedly gone on another hunger strike to protest the conditions of his detention.

Arash Sadeghi, a civil activist and former political prisoner, said in a tweet on August 31 that Mousivand recently stopped eating after he was transferred to solitary confinement.

According to reports from human rights groups, Mousivand launched the hunger strike after authorities of Evin prison prevented him from being transferred to a medical center outside the prison despite his deteriorating health condition, with the warden even threatening to transfer him to another prison.

Mousivand first went on a hunger strike in April after being beaten by prison guards for refusing to wear handcuffs and shackles while he was heading to receive medical treatment outside of the prison, where he is serving six years on convictions for “assembly and collusion against national security” and “propaganda against the system.”

At that time, instead of transferring Mousivand to a health center for treatment, he was moved to a quarantine ward at the notorious Evin prison on the northern edge of Tehran, human rights groups quoted sources as saying at the time.

Mousivand, 35, has been arrested several times for his political activism.

Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based on an original story in Persian by RFE/RL’s Radio Farda