SHO’LEH SA’DI GOES HUNGER STRIKE

PARIS 8 Mar. (IPS)   Mr. Qasem sho’leh Sa’di, the Iranian political dissident arrested ten days ago has started hunger strike, according to one of his sons, Javad.

          Author of several open letters in which he questions the legitimacy of the leadership of Ayatollah Ali Khameneh'i, the leader of the Islamic Republic and bitterly crticicises his policies, both domestic and international, including his opposition to dialogue with the United States, Mr. Sho’leh Sa’di was detained last Monday at the Tehran international airport, on his return to Tehran, coming from Paris, where he was undergoing medical check up.

A university professor and prominent lawyer, Mr. Sho’leh Sa’di has also criticised President Mohammad Khatami for his leniency, predicting the “death” of the reforms his promised six years ago and the fall from the public eye of the official reformists.

“My father has started hunger strike from Saturday and would continue it until his situation is cleared”. Mr. Javad Sho’leh Sa’di told Iran Press Service.

“Whatever happens to me in iran, Mr. Khameneh'i would be the prime responsible”, the veteran politician had told IPS before leaving for home.

Mr. Sho’leh Sa’di’s wife, Fakhrolsadat, said though she had not been authorised to meet her husband, but from a very brief telephone conversation, it seems that he has no special complain to make.

But she acknowledged that since the departure of a United Nations human rights delegation from Iran, authorities attitude with political prisoners had changed.

With Mr. Mohsen Sazegara, a veteran journalist and also bitter critic of the present Iranian theocracy, Mr. Sho’leh Sa’di has formed a new political formation named National Coalition of Iranians for Freedom, calling for radical, but smooth changes, transforming the regime into a full secular, democratic one. ENDS SHO’LEH SA’DI HUNGER STRIKE 8303