26 Days of Hunger Strike and Sewn Lips

Ali Moradi, a Kurdish political prisoner, sewed his lips and embarked on hunger strike in protest to his illegal transfer and exile to Bander Abbas prison.

A local source told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that Kurdish political prisoner Ali Moradi has sewn his lips and embarked on a hunger strike since 4 April to protest his “illegal exile from Minab Prison to Bandar Abbas Prison.”

The source added that Ali Moradi suffers from a heart condition and that authorities at the Central Prison of Bandar Abbas have neglected his needs and transferred to a solitary cell on 27 April.

“Last February, after an inspector from the Prisons Organization by the name of Shams went to Minab Prison, Ali Moradi spoke with him about the need for action regarding the hygienic and medical conditions of prisoners. Afterwards, on orders from the Head Warden at Minab Prison, the Intelligence Ministry beat and insulted Moradi, and he was transferred to a solitary cell. Fifteen days after his transfer to a solitary cell, in an illegal move, prison authorities exiled him to Bandar Abbas. In protest to his illegal exile, Ali Moradi sewed his lips together on Friday, 4 April, and embarked on a hunger strike. Prison authorities have so far neglected his demands and during this time, he has been deprived of the right to visit with his family or to call them,” the source told the Campaign.

On 18 January 2003, Ali Moradi was arrested in the village of Kani Dinar, near Marivan. He was later tried by the Marivan Revolutionary Court on charges of “moharebeh (enmity with God) through membership in Komala Party,” sentenced to 30 years in prison and exile to Minab Prison. Ealier, in 1998, he also served 5 years in prison on charges of ‘cooperating with Kurdish groups,’ and had to spend five years in Minab Prison,” said the source.