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Alert

Akbar Ganji back in prison after just two weeks to recover from hunger strike

(RSF/IFEX) - RSF has condemned the Iranian authorities' decision to send journalist Akbar Ganji straight back to Evin prison when he was discharged from Milad hospital on 3 September 2005, just two weeks after he called off a two-month-long hunger strike.

"We believe that Ganji's return to prison is premature," the organisation said. "We also deplore the fact that senior Iranian officials did not keep their promises towards Ganji and his family by assuring him that he would be able to receive treatment at home. Instead Ganji has been imprisoned again and his wife has still not been given permission to visit him."

RSF added, "We reiterate our support for talks that should result in Ganji's release and, now that Ganji is back in prison, we call on the negotiators to move quickly to reach a solution."

Ganji lost more than 25 kg during a hunger strike which lasted more than two months and which he ended on 22 August. The Iranian authorities nonetheless deemed his state of health to be good enough to return him to prison on 3 September.

His wife, Massoumeh Shaffie, told RSF on 25 August that, "certain officials promised that his fate would be resolved in the coming days." She also asked the Iranian authorities to "keep their promises".