Imprisoned Christian converts Amin Afshar-Naderi and Hadi Asgari have ended their hunger strikes after receiving assurances their cases will be expedited.

Amin and Hadi, who have been in prison since their arrest in August last year, began their hunger strikes on 5 and 11 February, respectively, in protest against the lack of progress in their case.

On 15 February, Article18 reported that there were concerns over Amin’s health, 10 days into the hunger strike, as he suffered a reported kidney infection, dramatic loss of blood pressure, and denial of medical treatment.

But just two days later, their hunger strike has ended after they were promised movement in their case and a reduction in their bail demands from 200 to 170 million tomans (around $50,000).

Amin and Hadi were arrested alongside three other Christians at a private gathering in Firoozkooh, east of Tehran, nearly six months ago now.

The other three Christians were released on bail in October and November, but Amin and Hadi have remained in detention, spending the first 82 days in solitary confinement in Ward 209 of Tehran’s Evin Prison, before being transferred to Ward 4.