TEHRAN: Social media photos presupposed to be of an emaciated jailed Iranian dissident on starvation strike have prompted outrage on-line as supporters warned on Friday he dangers demise for protesting the obligatory carrying of the hijab.
Farhad Meysami, 53, who has been in jail since 2018 for supporting ladies activists protesting in opposition to Iran’s headband coverage, started his starvation strike on Oct. 7 to protest latest authorities killings of demonstrators, the dissident’s lawyer stated.
The pictures of Meysami went viral on social media on the identical day Iran launched award-winning director Jafar Panahi on bail after seven months in jail. Panahi stated the pictures of Meysami reminded him of survivors of the Auschwitz focus camp.
Iran’s judiciary denied the starvation strike declare and stated the photographs had been from 4 years in the past when Meysami, a doctor, did go on starvation strike.
As proof, the semi-official YJC information company posted what it stated was Meysami’s newest picture, during which he doesn’t look emaciated and is sitting on the ground of his jail cell with a bag of what seems like chips subsequent to him.
Reuters was unable to substantiate when the photographs had been taken.
Iranian authorities launched Panahi on bail after he began a starvation strike this week to demand to be freed pending a retrial, the semi-official ISNA information company reported, citing the Administrators Guild of Iran.
There was no official phrase from Iran’s judiciary on the discharge, however movies on social media purportedly confirmed Panahi chatting with well-wishers outdoors Evin jail.
“The pictures of Farhad Meysami… remind one of many folks in Auschwitz or of (Mahatma) Gandhi, since Meysami has written about non violence,” Panahi stated. “Many are left behind bars… so how can I say I really feel completely satisfied?“
Iranian authorities detained Panahi in July to serve a six-year sentence which a court docket initially ordered in 2010 for “propaganda in opposition to the system.” In October, the ruling was quashed by Iran’s supreme court docket which ordered a retrial.
Iran has been rocked by nationwide unrest following the demise of Iranian Kurdish lady Mahsa Amini on Sept. 16 in police custody, one of many strongest challenges to the Islamic Republic because the 1979 revolution.
Morality police arrested Amini for flouting the hijab coverage, which requires ladies to decorate modestly and put on headscarves. Ladies have performed a outstanding position within the protests, with many waving or burning their headscarves.
Rights teams say greater than 500 protesters have been killed and practically 20,000 arrested. At the very least 4 folks have been hanged, in accordance with the Iranian judiciary.
“My consumer Farhad Meysami’s life is in peril,” tweeted lawyer Mohammad Moghimi. “He went on starvation strike to protest the latest authorities killings within the streets.” He stated Meysami had misplaced 52 kg (115 lb).
Pictures present Meysami curled up on what seems like a hospital mattress, and one other standing, his ribs protruding.
“Surprising photos of Dr. Farhad Meysami, a courageous advocate for ladies’s rights who has been on starvation strike in jail,” tweeted Robert Malley, Washington’s particular envoy for Iran.
“Iran’s regime has unjustly denied him and 1000’s of different political prisoners their rights and their freedom. Now it unjustly threatens his life,” he stated.
Amnesty Worldwide stated: “These photos (of Meysami) are a stunning reminder of the Iranian authorities’ contempt for human rights.”
In a letter revealed by BBC’s Persian Service on Thursday, Meysami made three calls for: an finish to executions, the discharge of political-civil prisoners and an finish to “forced-hijab harassment”.
“I’ll proceed my not possible mission within the hope that it could turn into potential afterward with a collective effort,” he wrote.