The horrible situation of political prisoners transferred from Rajai Shahr Prison to Evin
14-August-2023
Category: Prisoners، Repression
August 7, 2023
News Category: Suppression – Prisoners –
Breathing in Confinement: Political prisoners transferred from Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj to Evin Prison are being held in Halls 9 and 10 of Ward 8 of Evin Prison in inhumane and appalling conditions without the least amenities and disregarding the law on segregation of crimes.
According to “Breathing I Confinement,” the news outlet of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, 8 political prisoners who were transferred from Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj to Evin Prison are being held in appalling and inhumane condition. These prisoners have been placed in Halls 9 and 10 of Ward 8 of Evin Prison. In addition, their personal belongings transferred from Rajai Shahr Prison to Evin have yet to be delivered to them.
On Thursday, August 2, during the evacuation of Rajai Shahr Prison, 8 political prisoners, including Saeed Masouri, Afshin Baymani, Hamzeh Savari Lafta, Motalleb Ahmadian, Mohammad Shafiei, Hossein Gachloo, Loghman Aminpour, and Masoud Reza Ibrahiminejad, were transferred from this prison to Evin Prison.
An informed source in this regard told the reporter of Breathing in Confinement: “They have divided the political prisoners between Halls 9 and 10 of Ward 8 of Evin Prison. In the cells of Hall 10, which are about 15 square meters, there are 5 three-tiered bunk beds, and they have placed 5 of the political prisoners on the middle bunk bed in which they cannot even sit on the bed.”
This informed source regarding the hygienic condition in Ward 8 of Evin Prison said: “This ward has a very poor hygienic condition. The entire ward is infested with lice and bedbugs to the extent that the prisoners cannot sleep throughout the night.”
The source continued: “None of the belongings of the prisoners that were transferred from Rajai Shahr Prison have been delivered to them. Evin Prison’s chief, Heydarollah Farzadi, has told the prisoners that they are only entitled to have a few items, including a blanket, spoon, plate, and cup.”
It is worth noting that Heydarollah Farzadi, the current head of Evin Prison, was previously the chief of Diesel Abad Prison in Kermanshah for 10 years. Additionally, Alireza Shir-Mohammad-Ali was killed in Evin Prison during Farzadi’s two-year tenure as the head of Evin Prison.
On Saturday, August 3, Mehr News Agency reported the permenant closure of Rajai Shahr Prison. Some of the political prisoners were transferred to Evin Prison, while another group, mostly consisting of those detained during recent protests, were moved to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj. Milad Azmoon, Alireza Kafa’i, Amir Mohammad Khosh-Eghbal, Alireza Barmarz Pournak, Mohammad Mahdi Hosseini, Hossein Namati, Mehdi Imani, and Navid Najjaran, eight protesters detained in relation to “Ekbatan Town” case and detainees from recent uprisings, including political prisoners, have been transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj in the past few days.
Mohseni Ezhei, the head of the judiciary, has decided to permanently close down this prison in order to eliminate the evidence of widespread executions of political prisoners took place in the 1980s, particularly the massacre of political prisoners in the summer of 1988. As the name of Rajai Shahr Prison, also known as Gohardasht, gained significant attention after the trial of Hamid Nouri (Abassi), one of the perpetrators of the 1988 massacre, in a Swedish court.
Moreover, over 90% of executions in Tehran and Alborz provinces took place in this prison.