Female Christian Prisoner Goes on Hunger Strike as Authorities Refuse Her Medical Care

ICC Note: Iranian Christian prisoner, Maryam Zargaran has gone on a hunger strike after prison authorities refused to provider her with proper medical attention. Maryam has needed consistent and intensive medical case since her heart surgery nine years ago. Now imprisoned in the notorious Evin prison, Maryam has been on the hunger strike since May 25 and is also refusing to accept visitors as part of the protest.

05/31/2016 Iran (Mohabat News): Reports received from Iran indicate Christian prisoner, Maryam (Nasim) Naghash Zargaran has gone on a hunger strike to protest the unfair refusal of authorities to provide her with critical medical attention.

In addition to medical concerns, Ms. Zargaran is concerned over unfair handling of her case by Iranian judicial authorities. She started her hunger strike on May 25, 2016.

She is serving her sentence in the women’s ward of the notorious Evin prison. As part of her protest she has also refused to accept visitors, which prompted her inmates to do the same in her support.

Despite her dire need for professional medical care, prison authorities have refused to send her to a hospital outside prison facilities for proper care. Ms. Zargaran underwent a heart surgery about nine years ago and needs frequent medical attention.