Thirteenth Day Passes of Kurdish Political Prisoner Keyvan Rashu Zadeh’s Hunger Strike: Condition Reported as Critical
Hengaw: Monday, April 29, 2024
Keyvan Rashu Zadeh, a Kurdish political prisoner from Urmia serving a 7.5-year sentence in Urmia Central Prison, has reached the thirteenth day of his hunger strike. Recently subjected to torture, he is currently held in solitary confinement, with his physical condition rapidly deteriorating.
According to a report received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights on Monday, April 29, 2024, Keyvan Rashu Zadeh enters his thirteenth day of hunger strike following recent beatings and torture inflicted by guards at Urmia Central Prison.
This Kurdish political prisoner was transferred from solitary confinement to the prison’s secure ward on Saturday amidst his hunger strike, only to be returned to solitary confinement the following Sunday, April 27, 2024, after declaring a dry hunger strike.
Informed sources indicate that on Monday, June 13, 2022, Keyvan Rashu Zadeh initiated a hunger strike in protest of prison officials’ refusal to grant him leave. He has been denied the right to leave for 1665 days (equivalent to 4 years and 7 months).
Arrested on October 8, 2019, along with four others, namely Omid Saeidi, Kamran Qasemi, Abdulaziz Mohammadpour, and Naeb Haji-Pour, by Ministry of Intelligence forces in Urmia, Keyvan Rashu Zadeh was subsequently transferred to the detention center of this security institution.
The trial for these five individuals took place in December 2020 in the second branch of the Urmia Revolutionary Court, under the presidency of Judge “Sheikhloo”. They were each sentenced to 10 years and 1 day of imprisonment for “acting against national security through membership in the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan”.
Subsequently, their sentences were reduced to 7 years and 6 months of imprisonment through the application of Article 442 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Presently, these five political prisoners are serving their sentences in Urmia Central Prison, deprived of the right to leave.
It is noteworthy that Keyvan Rashu Zadeh is married and had only been married for three months at the time of his arrest.
