Soheila Hejab on hunger strike
Iran
It has been reported that Iranian lawyer and human rights defender Soheila Hejab went on hunger strike in protest of the increasing pressure on political prisoners and the harassment of her and her family by members of the security forces.
On 18 March 2020, Hejab was sentenced by the Revolutionary Court of Tehran to 18 years in prison. Hejab was violently arrested by the Revolutionary Guards when she left the court and forcibly taken to Qarchak prison. Hejab was charged for “propaganda against the state”, “gathering and collusion”, “disturbing public opinion with intent to cause unrest” and “forming an illegal group”.
Hejab had been on hunger strike since 19 September 2021 in protest of the increasing pressure on political prisoners and the harassment of her and her family members. Several sources report that Hijab has been beaten up during her hunger strike by her fellow prisoners. Following promises from authorities, she ended her hunger strike on 3 October 2021. Nevertheless, Hejab still suffers from severe health problems in the Qarchak prison and earlier it was announced that she has been denied the right to medical treatment and to visit her family.