Fifteen political prisoners and prisoners of conscience have been on hunger strike for nineteen days in Rajai Shahr, also known as Gohardasht prison near Tehran.

Human rights organizations report that the prisoners are protesting the conditions of their incarceration, including lack of outdoor time, bad air circulation in the prison, and confiscation of their private belongings.

According to several websites, the prison guards forcibly moved these prisoners to a different ward on July 30, confiscating their personal belongings. This led to their hunger strike that continues.

Center for Human Rights in Iran reports there are monitoring cameras in the new wars, as well as special equipment to jam mobile and internet connections.

CHRI also says that the family of one of the prisoners told them about personal belongings, including clothing and medication is being withheld from the prisoners.

During the past three weeks, the prisoners were allowed outdoors only on three occasions.

Prisoners also believe the new ward is bugged for eaves dropping. Mohammad Seifzadeh, a lawyer in Iran has told CHRI that if this is true, it is a violation of their privacy rights and is illegal.

Mr. Seifzadeh himself spent a few years in prison after the unrest in 2009-2010. He was arrested for defending human rights cases.

It is estimated that in the Rajai Shahr prison there are about fifty political detainees.