Worries as French-Irish detainee starts water strike in Iran prison

Fears are growing for a French-Irish citizen who is on a hunger and water strike in an Iranian prison. 

French-Irish dual national Bernard Phelan, 64, was detained on 3 October by Iranian authorities as a wave of anti-government protests swept through the country. 

He was travelling on a French passport at the time and was picked up by police for allegedly taking photographs of police officers and a burned-out mosque, according to the BBC. 

He is one of two dozen foreign nationals and one of seven French citizens being detained in Iran. 

The news comes as Tehran executed British-Iranian citizen Alireza Akbari on charges of spying for the UK.

Bernard Phelan is an Irish French national unlawfully detained in #Iran since Oct. 3, 2022.

Bernard has a heart problem & a bone condition. He has been on hunger strike since Jan. 1st.@EmmanuelMacron @PresidentIRL, your citizen is in danger, what are you doing to free him? pic.twitter.com/lrm4z7wh0x

— Hostage Aid Worldwide (@HostageAid) January 12, 2023

Phelan, who grew up in Ireland, is being held in the notorious Vakilabad prison in Mashhad, Iran's second-largest city. 

The French government said it is "extremely worried about his health, which is poor and requires appropriate medical monitoring, which is not ensured in detention", according to France24. 

Iran is known for executing dozens, sometimes hundreds of people each year on different charges. Over the past few months, it has executed four men for their role in the anti-government protests. 

Tens of thousands of others have been detained for participating in the demonstrations, which were sparked by the death of the Kurdish-Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, who allegedly died after being beaten in police custody in September. 

Observers say they are the biggest challenge to the clerical government since they took power in 1979.