Rasoul Badaghi Transferred to Solitary Confinement

HRANA News Agency – The imprisoned teacher, Rasoul Badaghi, has been transferred to one of the solitary confinements in Ward 1 of Gohardasht prison on the fifth day of his hunger strike.

According to a report released on the web site of Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran, on Sunday, May 22, 2011, Rasoul Badaghi together with a number of other prisoners announced the beginning of his hunger strike in a letter outlining prisoners’ demands. In this letter, prisoners state that until their requests are not met, they will continue their hunger strike. Rasoul Badaghi in protest to the ongoing oppression in Iran, the lack of freedom of speech, the absence of independent organizations, the continuing trend of show trials, the infliction of inhuman restrictions on political prisoners and the increasing pressures on their families has been on hunger strike for five days.

On May 26, 2011, instead of investigating Rasoul Badaghi’s legitimate demands, interrogators of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence ordered his transfer to solitary confinement. However, Rasoul Badaghi has announced that until his demands are not met, he will not end his hunger strike.

Rasoul Badaghi has outlined his requests clearly as follows:

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Full implementation of prisons’ statute including visits, access to phone and the right to furlough
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Ending any and all forms of pressures on the families of political prisoners
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Immediate improvement of prisoners’ welfare and conditions

It must be noted that Rasoul Badaghi’s health and physical condition is by no means well, and other political prisoners are extremely concerned about his well-being. Currently, in addition to Rasoul Badaghi, a number of other political prisoners including Keyvan Samimi and Mehdi Mahmoodian are on hunger strike.