Father of slain Iranian protester on hunger strike over denied medical leave

The father of a protester killed in Iran’s 2019 demonstrations has been on a hunger strike for over a week, protesting his continued detention and lack of access to critical medical care.

Manouchehr Bakhtiari was sentenced to 18 years and 74 lashes in January for his calls for accountability after his son Pouya, 27, was killed during the anti-government protests of November 2019.

His family has reported that he is being denied medical leave for serious health issues, including the need for hernia and prostate surgeries, despite forensic recommendations supporting his request.

Bakhtiari’s son, Pouya, sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head in Karaj amid security forces’ crackdown on protests, during which hundreds of demonstrators were killed.

Since Pouya’s death, Bakhtiari and his family have called for investigations into what they say is state-sanctioned violence against citizens.

Bakhtiari’s daughter, Mona, recently took to social media to express the family’s alarm over her father’s worsening health. According to her statement, Bakhtiari “collapsed inside the prison, but authorities refused to transfer him to an outside hospital, only moving him to the prison infirmary.”

In her post, she appealed to human rights organizations, activists, and the Iranian public to stand up for her father. The Bakhtiari family has called for his immediate release.

Before starting his hunger strike eight days ago, Bakhtiari sent an audio message from prison, saying, “From October 28 until my release from prison, I will be on hunger strike, and the Islamic Republic is responsible for whatever happens to me.”

Many prisoners in Iran are forced to resort to hunger strikes as a last resort to achieve their demands, including delays in case processing and violations of their rights as prisoners, often putting their lives at risk.

Bakhtiari’s wife, Nahid Shirpisheh, who has also publicly advocated for accountability, is currently serving a five-year sentence in Zanjan Prison. Her charges likewise stem from efforts to seek justice for their son Pouya.