Iran prison fire heightens concern for regime political prisoners

The Evin prison, one of the most important in Iran, was the scene of a fire on Saturday (15), an episode that aroused international concern. There are detained, among others, activists considered enemies by the theocratic regime that governs the country, as well as several citizens of dual nationality.

Authorities said eight people were injured but the calls had now been controlled. A prison officer told Tehran’s official news agency that the flames started after an internal riot, already contained, at the place where clothes are stored.

Authorities deny that the episode is related to the wave of protests registered in the country a month ago, since the death of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish man who was in police custody for allegedly wearing the hijab, the Islamic veil, incorrectly.

It is further said that prisoners facing security-related charges are separate from those serving sentences for ordinary crimes. Witnesses told Reuters that shots were heard at the scene and that several ambulances were in the surrounding streets.

The US State Department spoke out overnight. In a tweet, spokesman Ned Price said Iran is responsible for the safety of US citizens in Evin. “They are wrongfully detained; they should be released immediately.”

Siamak Namazi, 51, is one of the US citizens imprisoned there. Sentenced to seven years in prison on espionage-related charges that he denies — and Washington, too — Namazi returned to Evin this week after receiving a brief leave of absence.

Environmentalist Morad Tahbaz, who in addition to Iranian and American nationality has British nationality, and American businessman Emad Shargi are also in Evin, as is journalist Niloofar Hamedi, one of many journalists detained after Mahsa Amini’s death for investigating and disclose information about the case.

Evin is a recurring target of criticism from organizations that monitor human rights. The NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) says that threats, torture and indefinite imprisonment, as well as denial of medical care, are common reports there.

“In Evin are many of Iran’s detainees and political prisoners,” Andrew Stroehlein of HRW wrote on social media. “Ill-treatment and torture are well known there — as are other detention facilities run by this abusive regime.”

In 2018, the arrest was targeted by US sanctions. “Prisoners held at Evin are subjected to brutal tactics inflicted by the authorities, including sexual assault, physical assault and electric shock,” the Treasury Department wrote in a statement at the time.

Iran’s Center for Human Rights, in a statement, said families of prisoners who had come to the prison seeking information about their detained relatives had been attacked with tear gas by security forces.

Reports on social media also show that protests were held in nearby streets, with protesters returning to chanting slogans such as “death to the dictator”, in reference to the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.