Iranian political prisoners begin indefinite hunger strike on second anniversary of Amini’s death

September 15 (EUROPA PRESS) –

A group of 34 political prisoners from Iran’s Evin prison have begun an indefinite hunger strike on Sunday, coinciding with the second anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish-Iranian woman who died after being arrested in Tehran for wearing her veil incorrectly.

The prisoners also want to “commemorate” the beginning of the Women, Life, Freedom movement that began with protests over Amini’s death, Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohamadi said in a statement.

“The political-ideological female prisoners of Evin have started a new hunger strike to join the protests in Iran against the government’s repressive policies,” she said.

On Saturday evening, female political prisoners in Evin gathered together and chanted slogans and sang songs against repression, according to the Bidarzani news portal, which published a recording of the prisoners’ voices.

Amini’s family has been ordered not to leave their home for the day, Radio Farda reported, while in the town of Saqqez many shops have been closed and a large police contingent and helicopter can be seen monitoring the area.

“The Ministry of Information contacted Amyad Amini on Sunday morning and informed him that if he or his wife left the house, they would be arrested” because “they do not have the right to leave the house,” it said.

Political and civil organisations have called for a general strike in the Kurdistan region and other Iranian cities on Sunday, coinciding with the anniversary of Amini’s death.