Iranian of the Day

Zamaneh: Iranian human rights activist Hossein Ronaghi Maleki has been transferred to the quarantine section of Tabriz Prison following his arrest at the volunteer aid camp for earthquake victims in Eastern Azerbaijan province.

Saham News reports that Ronaghi Maleki has been put in quarantine to await transfer to Evin Prison in Tehran.

According to this report, the activist, who already suffered from kidney complication that developed during his earlier imprisonment after the 2009 election protests, “is now suffering from kidney hemorrhaging brought on by the beating he suffered during his arrest.”

On August 23, 30 volunteers at an independent, volunteer-run relief camp in Eastern Azerbaijan were arrested for refusing to surrender their relief supplies to government aid efforts. Some of the detainees were released on bail a few days later but some have been held in custody.

Last week, Iran’s Prosecutor General confirmed the arrest of these individuals and the “sabotage” charges they face.

Hossein Ronaghi Maleki used to run a blog under the alias Babak Khorramdin and was arrested in the crackdown on protesters that followed the 2009 presidential election, which was marred by allegations of vote rigging.

Ronaghi Maleki is sentenced to 15 years in prison. After 32 months in jail and following a number of hunger strikes, the activist was recently released on heavy bail.