19/10/2022
To: UN Human Rights Council
European External Action Service
European Governments
IRAN:
The UN Human Rights Council, EU, and governments across the world must hold the Islamic regime accountable for the killing of prisoners in the notorious Evin Prison in Iran!
On 15 October 2022, the prisoners in the notorious Evinprison witnessed one of the most horrifying nights. A major fire broke out in the prison. Explosions and gunshots were heard for a few hours. Guards used teargas, beating and shooting directly at the prisoners to stop the prisoners from coming out of their wards to save themselves from smoke inhalation. Soon after the fire broke out and the prisoners started protesting, instead of rescuing the injured prisoners from fire, explosion, and heavy smoke, the guards shot the prisoners, forced them to stay in their wards, and brought more security forces to the prison. Prisoners started chanting “down with the dictator” and tried to help other prisoners in ward 7 where the fire started, but prison guards attacked them. CFPPI received reports about the attack on the prisoners including beating them with the baton, and shooting and throwing teargas at them. Political prisoners are mainly held in Evin prison. Hundreds of detainees of recent protests in Iran are also held in Evin prison.
CFPPI has received reports that the families of political prisoners had no way of contacting their loved ones in prison as the phones were disconnected and the roads around Evinprison were blocked by the security forces. Following the devastating news of the fire in the Evin prison and hearing gunshots and explosions, families started walking toward Evinwhere they faced attacks by the security forces. On 17 October, some of the political prisoners were allowed to make a few seconds only of a phone call to let their families know they are alive. But this didn’t last long and the guards disconnected the phone lines again. This is when they banned families from visiting their loved ones. Many families are still unaware of the whereabouts, situation, and health of their loved ones in prison. Under the pressure from people in Iran and on social media, the regime’s media finally announced that 8 prisoners died and 60 were injured. However, due to the continuous fabrication of the truth and the track record of the regime for officially lying, and also from the reports we have received from some of the prisoners, CFPPI estimates that the causality is much higher than 8 people. Some of the political prisoners have been transferred to other prisons to be punished for their protest on the night of the fire.
The violence against prisoners plotted by the regime did not end with the fire in Evin prison. On 17 October 2022, the videos on social media showed the images that in Ghezelhesarprison in the city of Karaj, a fire broke out, and the sounds of gunshots, explosions, and sirens were heard by the locals. Eyewitnesses in the area reported that 50 special guards went to the prison and started shooting at prisoners. According to various reports on social media, the prisoners started chanting “down with Khamenei”. Before this, on 09/10/2022 there was another crackdown on Lakan prison in the city of Rasht in which several prisoners were killed on that Sunday when prison guards clashed with the prisoners.
CFPPI has repeatedly warned the international community that the lives of political prisoners are in grave danger. The Islamic regime attacks, shoots and kills protesters on the street, and also uses fire to create tension in prisons, and kill prisoners to silence other political prisoners.
CFPPI estimated that since the beginning of the protests in Iran on 16 September 2022, over 7000 people have been arrested and CFPPI has documented the names of more than 1000 of them. Many families are not aware of the whereabouts of their loved ones. Injured detainees are left untreated and some of the prisoners are forced into a false confession. Moreover, the regime in Iran has been threatening families that they should not speak out about their detainees or publicise the names of the detainees. Thousands of detainees are in the hands of the most notorious and violent regime and are in a most dangerous situation and they could lose their life any minute.
• CFPPI calls for a special session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and urges the UNHRC to investigate the attack on prisoners, hold the regime accountable for the safety and lives of prisoners and demand the release of all political prisoners.
• CFPPI urges the government and the European Union to use their power to hold the regime accountable and demand the release of all political prisoners including the recent detainees.
Shiva Mahbobi, Spokeswoman
Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI)
www.cfppi.org
shiva.mahbobi@gmail.com Tel: +447572356661
