Prisoner of conscience Abbas Lisani began a hunger strike on 1 January, apparently in protest at the Ardabil Prison authorities’ refusal to grant him short-term leave, which is commonly granted to Iranian prisoners, and at the harassment of his family. Officials have apparently told him that unless his family stop publicising his case, he will not be granted any prison leave, despite the fact that he needs medical treatment for injuries caused by torture he suffered in 2004. On 13 January 2007 his wife was reportedly allowed to see him in Ardabil Prison to urge him to end his hunger strike, which he refused to do. He apparently looked pale and weak.
