Varisha Moradi, a women’s rights activist, ended her 19-day hunger strike in Evin Prison.
According to the Campaign for the Defense of Political and Civil Prisoners, Moradi had started her strike to protest prison conditions and judicial injustices in Iran, aiming to draw attention to the dire conditions faced by inmates and the lack of justice.
Her protest garnered widespread support from both domestic and international human rights activists and organizations. The end of her strike sparked further responses, with human rights advocates expressing concerns over the state of political prisoners in Iran and calling for attention to their basic rights. Organizations such as Amnesty International and the UN Human Rights Committee also highlighted her case.
Varisha, known for her resilience against injustice, is a member of the Free Women’s Society of Eastern Kurdistan (KJAR) and hails from Sanandaj. She was arrested on July 31, 2023, near the entrance to Sanandaj and was transferred to Evin Prison’s Ward 209 after 13 days.
Her first court hearing, presided over by Judge Salavati, was held on June 16, 2024, to address charges of “armed rebellion” due to her alleged ties with a Kurdish opposition party.
Her second court session in August 2024 was canceled due to her refusal to appear, and it was postponed again in September due to the absence of both the prosecutor’s representative and Judge Amouzad.
The session was finally held on October 5, 2024, in Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran.
This political activist was formally charged with “armed rebellion” in Branch 5 of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Tehran.
She did hunger strike to protest these charges and the issuance of execution sentences.