PARIS – A jailed Iranian freedom of speech campaigner who is on a hunger strike and “in critical condition” will start refusing water after being denied medical leave, his brother said yesterday.
Hossein Ronaghi, 37, was arrested days after speaking out against a bloody crackdown on protests that erupted across Iran in September over the death in custody of Mahsa Amini.
“Hossein said in a call from prison that he’s recently had seizures several times,” his brother Hassan wrote on Twitter.
“Today Hossein’s (blood) pressure dropped severely and he lost consciousness,” he said.
Ronaghi has been denied medical leave “despite the fact that he is in critical condition”, his brother added.
“Hossein said he would begin refusing water from tonight.”
Renowned Iranian filmmakers Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof, who are jailed with Ronaghi in Evin, both expressed concern for his life, warning he could suffer a heart attack at any moment, London-based television channel Iran International reported.
Ronaghi had been giving an interview to the channel on September 22 when security agents came to his home, Iran International said.
It published a video showing Ronaghi looking anxious but insisting the interview continue.
The activist, who contributes to The Washington Post, managed to slip out via his building’s car park and later issued a video message from an undisclosed location, it added.
But he was detained and beaten by security officers when he went to Tehran’s Evin prison to meet prosecutors on September 24, his brother said at the time.
“Whatever happens to Hossein, the judiciary, intelligence ministry, prison organisation, the prosecutor, and the leader’s office will be responsible,” Hassan tweeted yesterday.
Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights says at least 326 people have been killed in protests across Iran since Amini died in custody on September 16, three days after her arrest for allegedly flouting the Islamic republic’s strict dress code for women.
Thousands of people have been arrested, including more than a dozen lawyers who were detained after working to defend those already in custody. – AFP, November 13, 2022
