The interviewer is former jailed teacher and labour activist Rohollah Mardani
Mardani: You along with three other prisoners named Mr. Ismail Abdi, Amir Salar Davoodi and Majeed Azar Kheez, have spoken about the prevalence of the Coronavirus in the country. You have also warned about the serious danger of the government’s negligence around preventing the entry of the virus into the prison system. Can you please elaborate on this?
Azimzadeh: Mr. Mardani, the reality is that the prisoners don’t have control into the exposure and spread of the Coronavirus. You, who are outside of prison, can easily stay home and protect yourselves. What I mean is that those who live in prison, do not have this opportunity and are highly susceptible to being exposed. Let me explain something here. What I am referring to is about Ward 8 of Evin Prison. I am talking about my situation and of those prisoners who live there.
About the transmission of Coronavirus, Ward 8 has 22 staff who arrive on a daily basis and can easily transfer the virus to the prison, this includes the judicial authorities who take the prisoners for reconsideration or interrogation, for example. We have a clinic in Ward 7 which is known as the ward of thugs. These prisoners go to the same clinic where prisoners of Ward 8 go. Last week, one of my prison mates had gone to the clinic and told us that one of these prisoners had fallen in the hallway and had soiled himself. There is a lot of traffic between the two clinics; for this reason, the virus can easily be spread. Of course, there are other ways that the virus can be transferred; for example by kitchen and bakery staff and social workers who frequently go in and out of the prison. Anyway, none of these entries can be restricted. The reality of the fact is that if the virus arrives in prison, it can spread quickly.
In our ward, there are 80 people who live in 7 rooms, each 20 meters squared and two smaller rooms. Prisoners walk in the hallway which is one and a half metres wide and it is not possible that prisoners keep enough distance from each other; the virus can easily be transferred by breathing. In this 20 Sqm room, about 7 or 8 and sometimes 11 prisoners live where items such as shower, tea flasks, and sponge for washing utensils, sinks and samovar are shared. In short, there is no way of preventing the virus from being transferred, even if the authorities provided masks and disinfectant, which they don’t do.
Here, I would like to inform you and the public that it has been 26 days since the formal announcement of the beginning of the Coronavirus. Despite what these “gentlemen” claim to the public about protecting prisoners, there is no such protection. Throughout this time, only two masks and two pairs of cheap gloves that are made for dusting have been given to prisoners. Also, during this time, they have only disinfected the doorways and hallways twice. Many folks have complained about that to the extent that one of the folks stopped them and questioned, “what is this that you are spraying?! It’s like water!”
The other problem is that there is no medical care in the prison. For a long time, the prison has not been providing medication for cold/flu symptoms. With this in mind, how can such an organization protect the prisoners from the prevalence of Corona disease! There are no medical facilities here. There are no medical staff that are permanently located in the clinic here.
I would like to highlight that the prisoners here suffer from malnutrition. Moreover, the psychological conditions of the prison have severely brought the prisoner’s immune system down. As such, if the virus enters the prison, likely 70% or 80% of the prisoners will be affected. We will face a huge slaughter. And these “gentlemen” have not done anything in the past 25 days. Right now that I am speaking with you, the virus might have entered the prison. Unfortunately, the authorities have been silent about the possibility of entry of the virus into the prison. They even advertise that they have the facilities to cope with the virus outbreak. Here, the situation is so terrible that the prisoners must buy their own medication.
Mardani: It has been said that the political prisoners have been given a leave of absence. Even, the spokesperson of the judiciary has claimed that the political prisoners’ situation is better compared to regular prisoners. Could you please speak about this?
Azimzadeh: Listen Mr. Mardani, the truth is, what they claim about the political prisoners’ leave of absence is similar to their claims about the administration of the country in other areas. In fact, during the past 25 days, the leave of absence included prisoners who came to prison last Fall and have been convicted to 6 months to a year of jail time. A few of them, as far as our ward is concerned, have had convictions of two and a half to three and half years, and 90% of them were on the waiting list to leave the prison in two or three months. These “gentlemen” have not given any leave of absence to those prisoners who have been activists in areas such as human rights, labor activity, civil rights and political activism. The number of such activists are fewer than the number of fingers on my hand. Of course, here, I don’t want to mention their names.
My point is the prisoners who are gone on leave of absences were those supposed to be the subject of pardons anyway. Their pardon happened to coincide with the Coronavirus. The government used the virus outbreak and claimed that they were providing a leave of absence. As such, this is a big lie.
It is worth mentioning that the authorities have provided all embezzlers, marauders and thieves a leave of absence. Of course, we support this as it is the duty of the authorities and judiciary to protect prisoners’ lives regardless of their convictions
However, the reality is that the government has discriminated against political prisoners here. I would like to know where and what prison Mr. Hossein Freidoon, the President’s brother, has spent his jail sentence. Mr. Freidoon is a person who has plundered tens of billions of Tooman from civilians, and the media announced that he was brought to justice. Of course, Mr. Freidoon is not an exception. I can mention several similar cases that I am familiar with.
Regarding Mr. Ismaili’s claim, the judiciary spokesperson, I would say that there is no validity in his claim. I am a worker and I am a labor activist. My interrogation and trials are documented and the authorities can publicise them anywhere they want. However, I along with civil rights activists, human rights activists, and political activists have been convicted for security reasons. And this is the reason for discrimination and the double cruelty of the government toward political, labor, civil rights and human rights activists. In this situation, how can the judiciary spokesperson claim that our situation is better than other prisoners!? Mr Mardani, they didn’t let you go for a leave to attend your mother’s funeral when your mother passed away. In addition, conditional freedom is never given to a political prisoner. Besides, the political prisoner would be subjected to torture. In this very year, they told Mr. Abdi and other political prisoners, whom I don’t want to disclose, to request for conditional freedom. They pretended that they wanted to free the prisoner but they never did. However, when the other prisoners are eligible for conditional freedom, the authorities will give it to them. Besides, if I, as a political prisoner, request to be transferred to another prison, for example to another room where my friend is, I will never be given the permission easily but this opportunity exists for regular prisoners.
[Segment 19] In short, I would say that it is a lie and a nonsense claim of the judiciary that the political prisoners’ situation is better than other prisoners. In this regard, I am ready to attend a public court where I will respond while submitting all my evidence.
Mardani: Considering your age as well as your heart and digestive diseases, please tell me what their response was to you. Also, what are your suggestions in dealing with this horrifying virus as far as the prisoners’ lives are concerned?
Azimzadeh: As far as I am concerned, I have heart disease and in 1395 on the Iranian calendar, the legal practitioner has verified it. About five months ago, I was recommended to attend treatment; however as you are aware, I refused for a simple reason. Here, the prisoner is taken for treatment while handcuffed and leg shackled; they are humiliating conditions. In addition, the prisoner must pay for his/her treatment which is contrary to the prison health insurance regulations. I have been in prison for 14 months. As such, I don’t know my physical conditions. Due to the humiliating conditions in prison, I have not taken my pills, nor have I been tested nor have I continued my treatment.
In spite of all these issues, the prosecutor’s office has opposed my leave like the rest of the political prisoners. A few days ago, I submitted a letter to the manager of our ward. In this letter, I have announced that due to my health conditions, the inevitable arrival of the Coronavirus and the refusal of my request for a leave, their actions intentionally or unintentionally put my life and the lives of others in danger. He has not responded to me yet.
Mardani: In your opinion, what is the solution?
Azimzadeh : In my opinion, to overcome the danger of Coronavirus, prison must be shut down. Prisons are not a manufacturing company, nor an enterprise, nor a medical organization; nor a service organization. In this sense and despite the resistance of these gentlemen in not closing prisons, we believe that prisons must be closed.
In my opinion, only 10% of prisoners should remain in prison; those who have committed murder or other criminal activities such as armed robbery; those whose presence might be dangerous for the society. Of course, experts must be consulted in this regard.
I am warning that upon the arrival of Coronavirus in the prison system, the human casualties will be ten times more than outside of prisons. Not only will the prisoners but all staff who work at the prison be exposed to serious danger. It is the government’s duty to protect all people’s lives who live in or work at the prison regardless of their crimes or their status. In addition, the public should support prison closure. This closure will help to better manage the prison. It will also create a better situation for those limited staff, to take care of the remaining 10% of prisoners.
Mardani Thank you very much Mr. Azimzadeh for your explanation and I wish you the best.
Azimzadeh Thank you and I wish you well.
**This interview is translated By: Free Them Now by Mohammad Kazemi. The interview is taken in mid-March 2020