Hamzeh Savari, political prisoner in Ghezelhesar, goes on hunger strike in solidarity with Mokhtar Alboshokeh

Hamzeh Savari Lafteh, a political prisoner held in Ghezelhesar prison in Karaj, began a hunger strike on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, in solidarity with Mokhtar Alboshokeh, a political prisoner held in Arak prison. According to HRANA, the Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran, his strike will last one week.

Mokhtar Alboshokeh has been on hunger strike since 6 October, protesting officials' failure to keep their promise to transfer him from Arak prison to Sheiban prison in Ahvaz, and has been moved to solitary confinement. DIAR reported earlier that Alboshokeh is being held in solitary confinement in Arak prison with kidney disease and a hernia.

More than 21 years in prison since adolescence

Hamzeh Savari was arrested by security forces on 2 September 2005, at the age of 16. The Ahvaz Revolutionary Court sentenced him to death on charges of "corruption on earth", "moharebeh" and "acting against national security"; the sentence was later reduced to life imprisonment. He has now spent more than 21 years in prison and in that time has been held in Karoun prison in Ahvaz, Rajaee Shahr prison in Karaj, Evin and Ghezelhesar.

According to HRANA, Savari has repeatedly been moved to solitary confinement and has been beaten before. He suffers from heart disease, pleurisy, a knee injury, chronic stomach pain, neck arthritis and spinal problems, and has repeatedly been denied specialist treatment. Restrictions on family visits, access to a lawyer and leave are also part of the pressure that, according to the rights group, is applied to him.

Ghezelhesar prison under pressure

Hamzeh Savari's hunger strike comes as Karaj's Ghezelhesar prison has in recent months been the site of a large number of executions, and its political prisoners have repeatedly raised the alarm about the lives of their fellow inmates. Reza Mohammadhosseini, another political prisoner in this prison, recently warned about the continuing executions of those arrested in the national revolution.

Hamzeh Savari, arrested at 16, has gone on hunger strike after more than 21 years in prison, in solidarity with another prisoner.