Silenced Iranian blogger on hunger strike

Update 5 September: Hossein has ended his hunger strike due to concern over the health of his mother, who had started her own in support. 

Reports suggest that Hossein is now critically ill.

Hossein's hunger strike has brought the world's attention to his situation. Please continue to call on the Iranian authorities to release him immediately and ensure he gets the medical care he now desperately needs.

Text IRAN1 and your full name to 70505 (Over 14s only*).
Or write your own letter

28-year-old blogger, Hossein Ronaghi Maleki, is on hunger strike in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison because he is being denied vital medical treatment.

Tweet !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");

(function(d, s, id) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) return;
js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_GB/all.js#xfbml=1&appId=174469932626839";
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));

window.___gcfg = {lang: 'en-GB'};

(function() {
var po = document.createElement('script'); po.type = 'text/javascript'; po.async = true;
po.src = 'https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js';
var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s);
})();

Hossein Ronaghi Maleki suffers from severe problems with his kidneys, intestines, bladder and heart. He blames these problems on the torture and harsh conditions he has suffered over the last four years since being arrested. 

He has already undergone at least four operations, including one to remove a kidney. However the authorities are now refusing to grant him medical leave.

Text IRAN1 and your full name to 70505 now to call on the Irani authorities to release Hossein and make sure he gets medical care. Over 14s only.* Prefer to write a letter instead?

Medical care denied

On 28 August he was taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with renal and gastrointestinal bleeding. Despite needing to be hospitalised he was transferred back to the prison without receiving any medical care.

His mother, Zoleikha Mousavi, has started her own hunger strike in desperation for her son’s condition.

‘If Hossein is to die, I prefer to die too.’ - Zoleikha Mousavi, Hossein’s mother.

Free speech denied

Hossein was arrested in 2009 after the unrest that followed the disputed presidential election. He is serving a 15-year sentence for spreading propaganda against the regime, membership of the internet group Iran Proxy and insulting the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the then president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

We believe Hossein is a prisoner of conscience because he is being held solely on account of his peaceful exercise of his right to free speech and freedom of expression.

Please join us in demanding the Iranian authorities immediately release him and make sure he receives the proper medical care he urgently needs

Text IRAN1 and your full name to 70505 now to call on the Iranian authorities to release Hossein and make sure he gets medical care. Over 14s only.* Prefer to write a letter instead?

Sent your text? Then please also share this action on social media and encourage more people to stand up for Hossein.

What we will do with your text

We will add your name, but not your number, to the following co-signed letter that we will send to the authorities in Iran calling on them to:

• Release Hossein Ronaghi Maleki immediately and unconditionally
• Ensure that he receives any medical care he may require, including by granting him medical leave, and is treated humanely at all times and not punished in any way for his hunger strike
• Immediately and impartially investigate allegations of torture and bring to justice anyone found responsible

Prefer to write your own letter? You can download the most recent Urgent Action casesheet with details of how to contact the relevant authorities below

Text terms and conditions

*Texts charged at standard network rate, no more than 10p. Please ask bill-payers permission. By giving us your number you agree to future communication from us by SMS. To unsubscribe, text STOP to 70505 at any time. See full terms and conditions