Father of political prisoner threatened with death

The interrogator of jailed blogger Hossein Ronaghi Maleki has reportedly threatened the prisoner’s father with death.

The jailed blogger has been refusing food to protest the judiciary’s refusal to release him to receive critical medical care, Ahmad Ronaghi Maleki told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran yesterday: “On June 5, my son’s interrogator entered the hospital and began interrogating my son for a long period and told him if he accepts the charges against him, they will grant him sick leave.”

Ahmad Ronaghi Maleki reported that his son has not accepted any of the charges. He added that his son still refuses food but is being given some nutrition through an IV.

The father adds that he told the interrogator that his son had no medical problems prior to being jailed, and reportedly the interrogator rejected the father’s statements, accusing Hossein Ronaghi Maleki of receiving funds from foreign sources and then assaulting the prisoner's father. After removing him from the room, the interrogator reportedly warned Ahmad Ronaghi Maleki that he can be made to disappear at night in a way that he would never be found again.

Ahmad Ronaghi Maleki reported that he has already written to the prosecutor demanding protection for his son, his family and himself.

Hossein Ronaghi Maleki has undergone surgery four times in the past three years in jail, and one of his kidneys has reportedly lost all function. He has begun a hunger strike to bolster his demand to be released in order to get further treatment.

Ronaghi Maleki was arrested in 2009 for his anti-government blogs and was sentenced to 15 years in jail.