Re: Jailed labour activist Jafar Azimzadeh contracted COVID19 and now is on hunger strike. His life is in grave danger.
Jailed labour activist Jafar Azimzadeh, has recently contracted COVID-19 in prison in Iran. The authorities have suddenly transferred him to Rajai Shahr Prison under the pretext of transferring him to a hospital without a prior notice or any judicial explanation. He has gone on a hunger strike to protest his abduction by the prison authorities under the pretext of transferring to a hospital. Azimzadeh’s life is in a grave danger as he is suffering from COVID-19 and at the same time, he is on hunger strike. He needs your support.
Jafar Azimzadeh is a prominent labour activist and the secretary-general of the Free Workers Union of Iran (FWUI). Azimzadeh was arrested for preparing and organizing a petition, which attracted more than 41,000 signatures, to raise the minimum wage in Iran. Following this petition, he was arrested and sentenced to five years prison in March 2015 on charges of “assembly and collusion against national security” and “propaganda against the state.” Azimzadeh went on a 63-day hunger strike in 2016 demanding that these charges against him, as well as similar charges against other labour activists and teachers must be dropped. Azimzadeh’s hunger strike attracted international support and forced the authorities in Iran to grant him a temporary release on bail. Azimzadeh was then re-arrested in January 2019 to serve the remainder of his jail sentence. Additionally, Branch 1190 of the Criminal Court in Tehran sentenced Azimzadeh to 30 lashes for being absent from prison while he was given temporary leave by the prison officials.
In June 2020, the court delayed his release by giving him an additional 13 months in prison because of the bogus charge of “propaganda against the Islamic Republic.” According to FWUI, Azimzadeh should have been released in February 2020. Following the Coronavirus threat, those who were sentenced to up to five years in prison, and served a third of their sentences, were pardoned.
Furthermore, Azimzadeh was assaulted on two separate occasions in July 2020. These types of ‘assaults’ on well-known political prisoners are a common attack on opposition by the authorities of the Islamic regime. These attacks are often organised by the prison authorities through provoking non-political prisoners to attack and kill political prisoners. By utilising this method to eliminate jailed rights activists, the regime could then claim that a political prisoner died in an incident in prison.
Azimzadeh’s family has also been under pressure by the regime to stop publicising his case. They were not informed about Azimzadeh being transferred to another prison. Previously, the authorities summoned his wife, Akram Rahimpour, interrogated her, and threatened to charge her if she continues to speak with the media regarding her husband’s situation.
Jafar Azimzadeh suffers from heart, lung, eye, and intestinal diseases. His conditions are the result of having gone through a 63-day of hunger strike in 2016. Azimzadeh’s life is in grave danger as he is suffering from COVID-19; has other long-term health conditions, and is on hunger strike now.
Jafar Azimzadeh has started his hunger strike on 16 August 2020 to protest for:
1- Being transferred to a solitary confinement in Rajai Shahr prison instead of being taken to a hospital for a much needed treatment.
2- The non-compliance with COVID-19 health protocols in prison.
3. Spreading false news about the number of COVID-19 infections and death in Evin prison.
4- The psychological harassment of his family.
The Free Workers Union of Iran (FWUI) issued an open letter regarding the current situation of Jafar Azimzadeh. Please see the translation at the end of this letter.
We ask you to take an urgent action by sending a letter to the government in Iran to demand Jafar Azimzadeh’s transfer to a hospital and his immediate and unconditional release from prison.
Shiva Mahbobi, Spokesperson
Campaign to Free political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI)
Please send your letter to:
Hassan Rouhani , Email: media@rouhani.ir , Twitter: @HassanRouhani
Ali Khamenei Email: info_leader@leader.ir Twitter: @khamenei_ir
Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations
You can also send a copy to the embassy of Iran in your country
An Open Letter from The Free Workers Union of Iran
To labour organisations and human rights groups around the world
Jafar Azimzadeh’s life is in serious danger.
Jafar Azimzadeh, Chairman of the Board of the Free Trade Union of Iran, is on a hunger strike. He was sentenced to five years in prison for his trade unionist activities and for trying to organise and increase workers’ wages. He has ongoing heart and lung problems since his last time in prison, and a few days ago he caught coronavirus. Instead of transporting him to a hospital for treatment, the authorities have transferred him to Rajai Shahr prison in an attempt to kill him.
Jafar Azimzadeh has been on a hunger strike since the 16th of August in protest against this action. However, despite his deteriorating condition, acute illness, and coronary heart disease, the authorities are not willing to release him or take him to the hospital for treatment.
Jafar Azimzadeh’s life is in danger, and at any moment he may lose his life.
For this reason, we are calling on all international labour and human rights organisations and all freedom-loving people to pay special and urgent attention to Jafar’s dangerous situation and to ask the authorities in Iran in any way possible to release him. Certainly, any action taken by workers’ and human rights organisations can be effective in pressuring the authorities in Iran to release this imprisoned worker.
Free Trade Union of Iran
