The U.S. State Department has asked Iran to “immediate release” of Farhad Meysami an activist who was arrested this year for condemning mandatory hijab laws in Iran.
Meysami, who is a medical doctor, was arrested in July and has been on a hunger strike since August 1, demanding his own freedom and the release of other well-known activists detained on vague charges, without standard legal protections.
The State Department tweeted December 7 that “U.S. condemns arbitrary detention of Dr. Farhad Meisami. We are deeply concerned about his rapidly deteriorating health and call on Iranian regime to immediately release him. The people of #Iran deserve a govt that respects their rights, not one that subjects them to slow death.”
SEE ALSO: More Women Inspired by the ‘Girl of Revolution Street’Nasrin Sotoudeh, another prominent activist and rights defender and her husband were also arrested in the summer. Sotoudeh has also gone on a hunger strike since late November in support of Meysami, warning that his health is in serious danger.
The anti-hijab movement has gained more traction in Iran this year as many lone women have dared to remove their headscarves in public places as a show of defiance. Some of them have been arrested and prosecuted.