Watchdog

Inmates at a prison in the southwestern Russian city of Novocherkassk have started a hunger strike to protest alleged rights violations, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.

About 10 prisoners are demanding a meeting with representatives of the prosecutor's office to report on abuses in the prison. They say the prison administration is hiding the violations.

Valentina Cherevatenko, a member of the Public Monitoring Commission at the Federal Correction Service (FSIN) for Rostov Oblast, told RFE/RL that the commission had previously received complaints from the Novocherkassk prison.

She added that she was present twice when the commission considered complaints made by the convicts.

Prisoners say they are unhappy with the poor work of medical personnel, the system for receiving packages from relatives, and the high cost of phone calls.

Iran's foreign minister has confirmed that Iran's consul in Oslo resigned earlier this month.

Manuchehr Mottaki confirmed the resignation of Mohammed Reza Heydari, who quit his job at the Iranian Embassy in Oslo on January 7.

Heydari said he stepped down to protest Tehran's crackdown on pro-reform demonstrators in late December, and then suggested to RFE/RL's Radio Farda that other Iranians might be considering similar steps.

Tehran had earlier denied that Heydari quit.

Although Mottaki confirmed the resignation, he said that the Iranian government does not accept it.

It is unclear whether Heydari, who suspected he was being targeted in a hard-line purge over his opposition sympathies, will seek asylum in Norway.

compiled from agency and RFE/RL reports