Imprisoned Iranian women go on hunger strike after abuse from guards

Amnesty International is calling on the Middle-Eastern country to probe allegations

Amnesty International is calling on Iran to probe allegations of abuse against female prisoners by guards after nine women went on hunger strike.

The women are being held in the notorious Evin Prison, in the capital Tehran, and include activists and journalists.

They say they were subjected to degrading body searches and had their personal belongings taken away by female guards, and the hunger strike is a response to this mistreatment.

The nine women will continue their strike until they receive a formal apology and guarantees that these incidents will never happen again.

Ann Harrison, deputy Middle East and North Africa programme director for Amnesty, said: 'These women are being held solely for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association.

'They should not be in prison at all and on no account should they be subjected to degrading treatment. They must be released immediately and unconditionally.'

The human rights charity has also reiterated a plea to allow family visits to imprisoned human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh who has been on hunger strike since October 17.

47-year-old Sotoudeh was arrested in 2010 and has been in solitary confinement, as well as prevented from face-to-face meetings with her two children and other relatives.

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