Five Iranian detainees - including four student leaders arrested two weeks ago - are on a hunger strike.

Majiod Tavakkoli, Ehsan Mansouri, Ahmad Ghassaban and Abolfazi Jahandar, began their hunger strike at Evin prison, north of Teheran, last Saturday to protest against their jailing and the psychological torture they claim to have undergone.

Mostafa Darianavard, a fifth detainee imprisoned for three years, has been on a hunger strike for 30 days.

Darianavard, arrested for "subversive activies", has been moved to an area of the prison where drug traffickers are detained.

According to some sources, Darianavard has lost 27 kilogrammes and his health is deteriorating.

Tahkim Vahdat, spokesman for one of the principal student organisations of the Islamic republic, denounced the severe pressure applied to one of the detained student leaders.

Students from the Islamic Association at Amir Kabir university in the Iranian capital recently complained that members of the organisation jailed after recent anti-government protests were being subjected to physical and psychological torture in prison.

AKI, RAH

Güncelleme Tarihi: 24 Temmuz 2007, 15:21