Activist dies in Iranian custody following hunger strike

An Iranian prisoner who had been on hunger strike in protest at the death of an opposition figure died yesterday.

The death of Reza Hoda Saber, a journalist and political activist, coincided with the second anniversary of the disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, which sparked protest rallies in 2009.

Opposition website Kaleme said Hoda Saber had begun a hunger strike after opposition activist and women's rights campaigner Haleh Sahabi died at the funeral of her father on 1 June after scuffles broke out with security forces. Tehran is a key backer of Syria and has dealt harshly with any internal dissent.