Farhad Meysami (born November 17, 1969) is an Iranian physician, teacher and civil activist. He believes in non violence and civil disobedience.^[1] He was sentenced to five year sentence in August 2018 for crimes such as “spreading propaganda against the regime”.^[2] He was released in February 2023 after a four-month hunger strike that grew international attention.^[3]

Farhad Meysami graduated from Tehran University of Medical Sciences, and opted for a career in high school education. He later established a publishing company, Andisheh-Sazan, which grew in the late 1990s.^[4][5] Andisheh-Sazan was particularly known to high schoolers for its test preparation books published for the Iranian university entrance exam (in Iran:Concours). At the peak of its growth, Meysami shut down the company and engaged in human rights activism in Iran.^[5] He was arrested on July 31, 2018, and went on a hunger strike on August 1, 2018.^[6]

Meysami was arrested at his personal library and transferred to ward 209 of Evin prison in Tehran.^[6] He went on a hunger strike on August 1, 2018 to protest against "unjustified accusations, the illegal procedure following his detention, and denial of his right to access an independent lawyer".^[7][8] He was not able to publicly announce his hunger strike before the 19th day of his strike, as he was being held in solitary confinement until that day.^[8] The allegation brought against Meysami is acting against the national security,^[9] a rather common accusation against political and civil rights activists in Iran. Apparently, Meysami's support for the “Girls of Enghelab Street”—a series of protests against compulsory hijab in Iran— is being used to corroborate the charges against him. To provide the material evidence for the accusation the security forces have confiscated pin-back buttons from his library in Tehran. The pin-back buttons have “I do not agree with compulsory hijab” marked on them in Persian.^{[9][6][8][10][11]}

Reza Khandan, a friend of Meysami's who had several phone conversations with him after his detention, published the following lines on his Facebook on behalf of Meysami, explaining the reasons behind his hunger strike:^[12]

My hunger strike is out of respect for my own dignity and the dignity of those who have been detained on baseless accusations; those who are being interrogated while they have no access to a proper and legitimate legal representation. I will not, under any conditions, succumb to the demands of this illegal procedure.

On 24 October 2018, Amnesty International called on Iran to release Farhad Meysami immediately and unconditionally. Amnesty confirmed that he is being held in the medical clinic at Evin prison in Tehran against his will to pressure him into ending his hunger strike.^[18]

Late November 2018, a group of UN human rights experts including Javid Rehman U.N. Special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran and four others experts concern about Meysami's situation who has been on hunger strike since August.^[19]

The US State Department also supported Farhad Meysami in a statement. Following US State Department support for Farhad Meysami, he wrote a sharp letter of criticism against US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the Donald Trump administration:

"I would rather spend my whole life in the imprisonment of a group of oppressive compatriots and spend my life trying to correct their mistakes,but I do not want the support of those who, by turning their backs on all principles of law and ethics, have come out of the wise and peaceful the JCPOA agreement and impoverished millions of my compatriots by imposing inhumane sanctions. Of course, I thank all the human rights activists. But I urge Mr. Pompeo and Mr. Trump to shed their crocodile tears elsewhere".^[20][21]

In December 2018, Meysami was given a five year prison sentence, a one year restriction on his civil and political rights and a two year travel ban by Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court,^[22] for charges of “spreading propaganda against the system” and “gathering and colluding to commit crimes against national security.” His sentence that was upheld on appeal in August 2019.^[2]

On 14 October 2020 it was reported that he spent eight days in solitary confinement after contracting COVID-19.^[22]

On the evening of February 10, 2023, Iranian media outlets reported the release of Farhad Meysami from prison. Mohammad Moghimi, the lawyer for Farhad Meysami, confirmed his release in an interview with the Etemad newspaper. Moghmi stated that Meysami had been asked to post bail for his release, an offer which he declined. Ultimately, Meysami was set free without having to post bail. ^[23]