Source: Radio Zamaneh

Kaleme Website reports that detained journalist and filmmaker, Mohammad Nourizad has gone on a hunger strike after being subjected to "heavy beatings."

Mohammad Nourizad

Mohammad Nourizad was arrested last December by Iranian security forces. He had published three critical letters addressed to Ayatollah Khamenei in his personal weblog prior to his arrest.

According to Kaleme, after being beaten by prison officials, Nourizad has gone on a hunger strike and told his family: "if things continue in this manner, I will not survive long."

Jafar Panahi, the other detained Iranian filmmaker has also gone on hunger strike since last Sunday in protest to "torture as well as mental and psychological abuse" in prison.

Reportedly on Tuesday five individuals connected with "Evin security elements" beat up Mohammad Nourizad in the prison yard and then moved him from his cell which was shared with another inmate to a "closed room with no light, air or hygienic services."

Prison doctors have diagnosed his head injuries as "concussion."

Nourizad has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison and fifty lashes: one year for "activities against the regime", two years for "insulting the leadership", 91 days for "insulting the presidency", 91 days for "insulting the head of the judiciary" and fifty lashes for "insulting Ayatollah Alamolhoda."

News from Evin Prison indicates that prisoners from section 7 and 8 of the prison have announced that they are planning to join the section 350 "political strike."

Daneshjoo News website reports that the prisoners have called on their families and other "members of the Green Movement" to join their efforts.

Detainees of section 350 of Evin Prison had announced that they will go on a "political strike" until the anniversary of the disputed presidential elections of 2009, to protest the dire situation of Iranian prisons.

In the past year, the Islamic Republic has imprisoned numerous protesters and issued heavy sentences to end the political turmoil that has overtaken the country since the controversial re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.