Political prisoners in Ghezel Hesar stage hunger strike after violent raid

Hengaw – Wednesday, July 30, 2025

Political prisoners held at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj have launched a mass hunger strike in protest against a violent raid by security forces and the subsequent transfer of several inmates to solitary confinement.

According to information received by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, the hunger strike began on Saturday, July 26, 2025, and includes all political prisoners currently held at Ghezel Hesar.

The collective action follows a violent assault by prison guards and security forces, who stormed Ward 4—the unit housing political prisoners—and transferred numerous inmates to solitary confinement.

This rare and aggressive operation by the Islamic Republic’s forces appears aimed at suppressing political prisoners involved in the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign.

In a previous report, Hengaw cited sources confirming that over 100 armed members of the Special Prison Guard Unit, acting on the orders of Allah-Karam Azizi and Hassan Ghobadi, the prison's deputy warden, along with agents from the Ministry of Intelligence, launched the operation. The assault was led by Hossein Kamrei, head of security, and supported by Rahim Feyzi, Ahmad Shirazi, Mohammad Sabzeh Makan, and a prison officer known as Fallah. These individuals actively participated in the coordinated attack.

During the raid, all prisoners were severely beaten, handcuffed, shackled, and had bags placed over their heads before being forcibly transferred to solitary confinement.

This coordinated crackdown marks a new escalation in the repression of political prisoners and highlights the Islamic Republic’s continued efforts to silence dissent within its prison system.