Irish-French man on hunger and water strike in Iran jail

Concern is growing for a man from the Republic of Ireland who is on hunger and water strike in an Iranian prison.

Bernard Phelan was arrested on 3 October during a wave of anti-government protests that have seen millions take to the streets.

The 64-year-old is originally from Clonmel, County Tipperary, but grew up in Blackrock, County Dublin.

As a dual-citizen, Mr Phelan was travelling on a French passport at the time.

He was arrested for allegedly taking photographs of police officers and a mosque which had been burned.

He is one of seven French citizens currently detained in Iran and is being held in a cell in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad, Iran’s second largest city.

Mr Phelan has denied multiple charges including disseminating anti-regime propaganda and taking pictures of security services.

He has been on hunger strike since New Year’s Day, protesting his incarceration, and on Tuesday accelerated action by refusing liquids.

Conditions inside the prison are said to be cramped, with 16 people sharing a cell amid freezing night-time temperatures.

It is understood some of Mr Phelan’s block mates have been executed.

There was widespread outrage earlier this week after a British-Iranian citizen, Alireza Akbari, was executed. Mr Akbari had been convicted of spying for the UK, which he denied.

Mr Phelan’s sister, Caroline Massé-Phelan, told The Irish Times she now fears for her brother’s life.

“We want them to let him go. It is of no interest to anybody to keep him as a prisoner. He is very sick now. He has a heart condition, he has a bone condition.

“He has been drinking tea and drinks with sugar in them. Now he has stopped that and we are very worried. It can be fatal.

“He is an Irish citizen who has no beef with Iran,” she said.

Mr Pelan had been living in Paris, France and was in Iran while working for a tourism company.

“All he was doing was promoting Iran as a tourism destination. Both the Irish and French authorities have been working hand in hand in relation to this,” Ms Massé-Phelan said.

When he announced his protest, Mr Phelan said he understand the associated risks and that he would “hold the Iranian government totally responsible for any resulting negative repercussion on [his] health”.

French government officials issued a statement on Mr Phelan’s case on Tuesday.

They confirmed Mr Phelan is one of seven French nationals currently held in Iran, and they are “extremely worried about his health, which is poor and requires appropriate medical monitoring, which is not ensured in detention”.

“We are stepping up the pressure on Iran, in co-ordination with the Irish government, to ensure that our compatriot is released without delay,” the French foreign ministry said.

The Republic of Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs said it was “aware of the case and has been providing consular assistance, in close coordination with France, since the outset”.

“The case has also been raised directly with the Iranian authorities, stressing the health condition of Mr Phelan and making the case for his urgent release on humanitarian grounds,” the department added in a statement.

“As with all consular matters, the department does not comment on the details of any specific case.”