"The Iranian government is accelerating its repression of free speech and assembly in response to national protests, with a growing number of arrests and sentencing of writers and creative artists, many of them well-known voices of dissent, including blogger Hossein Ronaghi, and rappers Toomaj Salehi and Saman Yasin," said PEN America on November 11, 2022.
The Press Release notes: "Among the most urgent cases is blogger Hossein Ronaghi, who has been detained in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison since September 24 and has been undertaking a hunger strike for the past 50 days. The Voice of America Farsi service spoke with Hossein Ronaghi’s brother on Friday and reported that his condition has become grave because he has not had access to necessary medications for kidney disease, prostrate or bladder inflammation, or ulcers. This, along with his ongoing hunger strike, and two broken legs while in custody, has resulted in him vomiting blood continually. Without medical attention, it is feared he could suffer a stroke or heart attack." Ronaghi had already lost one kidney from torture in a previous imprisonment.
"Saman Yasin, a Kurdish rapper, was charged with “enmity against God,” a crime that carries the death sentence, in connection with his dissident views on October 29. Yasin writes songs with political themes, including about unemployment and government oppression, and has also supported the Mahsa (Jhina) Amini protests."
"Representatives of Toomaj Salehi confirm that he is being tortured and held in solitary confinement, and that family visitation rights are being denied."