At least 45 political prisoners in Fashashuyeh prison have gone on hunger strike in protest to the judiciary’s opposition to their temporary release due to coronavirus outbreak in prisons.

It was reported that on Monday, at least 45 political prisoners in Tehran’s Central Prison went on hunger strike in protest to issues such as rejection of temporary leave and release, and months of confusion.

Sohail Alipanah, a 20 years old prisoner arrested during the November protests said: “We now have been buried in this mass grave.”

He wrote that despite the release of financial and narcotic criminals, the political prisoners have remained in prison.

On Tuesday, the spokesman for the judiciary announced that despite the temporary release of 85000 prisoners in the country, what he called “security prisoners” remain in prison.

A large portion of political prisoners currently in Iran were arrested during the November protests. According to official reports, at least 10000 protesters were arrested in November and months after.

According to judiciary officials, before the release of the 85000 prisoners, Iranian prisons were filled up to three times the capacity. They are currently filled at about twice the capacity.

Families of political prisoners recently wrote a letter to the leader of the Islamic Republic, Ali Khamenei, asking for the release of their loved ones. Over 100 prisoners of the previous regime in a joint letter supported the release of the political prisoners.