Jailed dissident on hunger strike vomiting blood

Mohammad Nourizad

Five days into Mohammad Nourizad’s hunger strike, reports indicate that the jailed Iranian filmmaker and journalist is in critical health condition.

Concerned for his health, members of the Iranian film community have issued a statement urging him to end his strike.

Mohammad Nourizad’s personal website reports that he is now vomiting blood and having severe gastric bleeding.

Nourizad began his hunger strike on Saturday in protest to his three-minute trial in which he was insulted and sentenced with complete disregard to his health complications.

Several prominent members of Iran’s film community visited his family and in addition to expressing full support for Nourizad and his family, urged him to stop his hunger strike.

Earlier, former Iranian president, Mohammad Khatami and opposition leader, Zahra Rahnavard also called on Nourizad to end his strike.

Nourizad family have called for the support of the public in securing his release. In a petition, Iranians are urged to add their signature to a protest against “tortures and inhuman treatment of Nourizad and other government dissidents.”

Currently in addition to Nourizad, Nasrin Sotoudeh, Arash Sadeghi, Reza Shahabi and Gholamhossein Arshi are on hunger strike in Iranian prisons.