Iran: The cleric Mehdi Karroubi on hunger strike

Iranian opposition cleric Mehdi Karroubi, under house arrest for the past six years, was hospitalized early Thursday morning after going on dry hunger strike (no food, no drink) a day earlier to demand a trial date, his family told local media.
“His health condition deteriorated after the hunger strike and he is now hospitalized,” said Sahamnews website, which is affiliated to Karroubi’s family.
He started a dry hunger strike on Wednesday morning, a day earlier, to protest his prolonged house arrest without due legal process. His wife, Fatimah Karroubi says her husband’s demand is the eviction of security forces from his house, controlling his house arrest, and a trial in an open court.
The cleric Karroubi was put on house arrest after the 2009 popular uprising in Iran which lasted several months. The uprising was in response to a gross vote rigging by the Khamenei’s faction to bring out Ahmadinejad from the ballot boxes after a sham presidential election.
The 79-year-old Karroubi was hospitalized earlier this month and underwent a heart operation, Sahamnews reported. Mostafa Kavakebian, MP, raised Karroubi’s hunger strike in parliament on Wednesday, calling for action from the health and intelligence ministries.