Recently, the so-called “amnesty” of thousands of inmates, including political prisoners by the Iranian regime’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, made headlines. While authorities and Tehran’s pundits celebrate this decision as a “humanitarian action” and a “sign of strength,” facts on the ground reveal the opposite: Khamenei’s desperation.
The People’s Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK) was the first to announce that at least 30,000 protesters have been detained. This has not been the first time that the MEK’s account for the regime’s crimes. The MEK was the first to announce that authorities killed 1500 protesters during the November 2019 uprising. This number was later confirmed by Reuters and referenced by many international organizations.
Besides, videos from Iran showed the security forces viciously cracking down on protests, killing and imprisoning unarmed protesters. Even though Tehran denied it completely, now the state media acknowledge this fact.
On February 8, while claiming that Khamenei offers clemency to “between 30 to 40 thousand prisoners,” the state-run Royedad 24 wrote: “This year, around 100,000 prisoners were pardoned, which is much more than the last year.” The state-affiliated outlet then reminds the claims of Hassan Nowrozi, the vice-chairman of the judicial and legal commission of the parliament, who underlined in 2021 that there are near “240,000 prisoners, and this number should be 20,000. Prisons are over-capacitated.”
“Therefore, at least 200,000 prisoners were in Iran’s prisons until last year. Thirty thousand prisoners and detainees of the recent protests make up 15% of the total prison population of the country, which is a significant figure,” Roydad 24 added.
Despite the regime’s heavy quash, the nationwide uprising has persisted for the past five months. Besides brutalizing protesters, Khamenei has been nurturing his paranoia of downfall through propaganda and censorship.
“In September, Mehdi Hajian, the spokesman of FARAJA, a.k.a state law enforcement forces, announced that each inmate’s keeping costs around 100 million rials. Suppose the figure of 30,000 detainees during the recent protests is correct. In that case, more than 3 trillion rials per month and 3,6 quadrillion rials per year will be added to the expenses of the prison organization,” Roydad 24 adds.
In other words, keeping detained protesters costs around $79 million a year per the current dollar exchange rate.
While releasing some prisoners clearly put on display the regime’s weakness, it does not mean Tehran has reduced its human rights violation. The world community should maintain and increase pressure on the clerical regime and use this momentum to send a fact-finding mission to investigate the regime’s ongoing human rights violations.
MEK sources inside Iran report that a coronavirus outbreak in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison has caused at least seven inmate deaths from COVID-19 since November 21.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) released a statement on November 25 calling on the United Nations to take urgent action to secure the release of Iranian prisoners, particularly those held as political prisoners, until the COVID-19 pandemic has ended.
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The Greater Tehran Penitentiary is known for its poor sanitation and there are huge numbers of prisoners crammed into very small spaces. The prisoners face many health-related risks on a normal basis, but with the spread of Coronavirus, the risk has become significantly higher.
Soheil Arabi, a political prisoner in the Greater Tehran Penitentiary, has been denied medical treatment and his health is deteriorating. He is in severe pain and he has been asking for medication – to no avail. He also requires surgery because of a physical injury and has an infection that is spreading.
Soheil Arabi, a political prisoner in the Greater Tehran Penitentiary, has been denied medical treatment and his health is deteriorating. He is in severe pain and he has been asking for medication – to no avail. He also requires surgery because of a physical injury and has an infection that is spreading.
The Greater Tehran Penitentiary is known for its poor sanitation and there are huge numbers of prisoners crammed into very small spaces. The prisoners face many health-related risks on a normal basis, but with the spread of Coronavirus, the risk has become significantly higher.
— MEK Iran (Mujahedin-e Khalq) (@MEK_Iran) March 4, 2020
Last year, it was reported that Soheil Arabi had been in serious danger after suffering massive blood loss after having a broken nose. His nose was broken by prison authorities during an interrogation at the IRGC-controlled ward 2A and he was severely beaten.
Soheil Arabi was sentenced to death in 2013, but a few years later it was reduced to several years imprisonment and two years of mandatory study on the topic of Islamic theology. He was charged with insulting religious leaders in postings on social media.
Human rights organizations have called on the Iranian government to vacate the prisoner’s sentence, with many expressing their shock and disgust that the people of Iran risk imprisonment and the death penalty for issues related to the freedom of speech. Arabi is not the first prisoner in Iran that has been handed a death sentence for peacefully exercising his rights with regard to the freedom of expression.
the political prisoners in Iran
Arabi has said that he was punished after “writing and publishing an article about the conditions of prisoners detained in ward 1 of the Greater Tehran Penitentiary”.
He explained that during an interrogation, a prison official kicked him violently in the testicles and when he regained consciousness he was in the hospital. A doctor explained to him that he had blunt force trauma and that he requires immediate surgery to remove one of his testicles. However, months passed and he was not granted the surgery he needed, meaning that infection took hold and has spread across his body, especially these legs.
Prison authorities in Iran take no responsibility for the health of the prisoners under their care and there are widespread reports that this is happening in prisons across the country, and political prisoners, in particular, are neglected and denied the most basic of health care.
There are major concerns in the country with regard to the spread of the Coronavirus. The prisoners of Iran are at particular risk because of the close confinement that they are subject to, as well as the poor sanitary conditions. The regime’s cover-up of the health crisis is despicable and it is becoming clearer and clearer why the people want regime change.
— MEK Iran (Mujahedin-e Khalq) (@MEK_Iran) March 3, 2020
Compared to the response by governments across the world, the Iranian regime has let down the people in one of the most serious ways possible. The already vulnerable people have been once again disappointment by the regime’s reaction.
Conditions in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison worsen by the day.
Iran’s Evin Prison is notorious across the world for its squalid conditions and the brutal treatment of the inmates incarcerated there. The prison has been described as a “dungeon” and a “hellhole” that fails to meet even the low standards expected of Iranian prisons by the regime itself. MEK members and other political dissidents are held in Evin Prison along with regular criminals and have described shocking instances of torture and neglect while incarcerated in the infamous prison.
Recently an inmate at Evin Prison wrote about conditions at the prison, providing new details about daily life at the overcrowded and inhumane institution.
#Iran: Prisoner Describes Hellhole Conditions Iran’s Evin Prison has been described as a “dungeon” and a “hellhole” that fails to meet basic standards for prisoner health and safety, even by the Regime’s standards…https://t.co/fKKItHb6acpic.twitter.com/x9t0hWAd4n
The prisoner described basic eating and sleeping arrangements in terms that would be cruel if they were applied to animals: “The wards of Evin Prison are packed with inmates, far higher than the capacity,” he wrote. “Twenty to twenty-five inmates are held in one room, most of whom sleep on the floor. The food is very poor in quality. They use soya in the food that is specially made for livestock. The food literally cannot be eaten. There is no sign of vegetables or any protein-rich foods. The inmates are served half-cooked rice and soya on a daily basis.”
According to prison rules, inmates are entitled to a loaf of bread with each meal, but rations have been cut across the prison, and currently, prisoners only receive approximately half of that.
Inmates who can afford to do so can buy additional food through the prison store, but the quality is poor, fresh fruit only arrives every three weeks, and the prison marks up prices by at least 20% over retail, forcing many inmates to do without because of the high cost.
Lack of Basic Necessities
Inmates are also not provided with basic hygiene items and necessities that are required for daily living. The prisoner reported that inmates are required to purchase trash bags to clean their cells. Those who cannot afford to do so must instead perform chores, such as cleaning or picking up garbage.
Other items that used to be provided are no longer given to inmates. The prisoner wrote: “Each inmate must receive one razor, some tide, shampoo and a small towel, toothpaste, and a toothbrush. In the past four months, they have no longer provided toothpaste, toothbrushes or towels. Other hygiene necessities have been cut in half and shampoo is only provided once every two months.”
Lack of Access to Medical Care
Close quarters, lack of basic hygiene items, and scarcity of nutritious food lead to frequent illness among the prison population. Inmates who do get sick are rarely treated though. The prison’s medical clinic is understaffed, and the prison has no medicine.
“In regards to those who become ill, there is literally no medical care,” the prisoner wrote. “There is not even any medicine or medical care for simple cases of colds. Doctors only visit a very limited number of inmates each day. Each section with 200 inmates is only allowed to send five people for such visits. Even if you are able to be visited there is literally no medicine. Prison authorities say, ‘A noble individual must be found to purchase medicine because the prison has no responsibility in this regard.’”
The Iranian regime has been condemned 65 times by the U.N. for its human rights abuses. Evin Prison is the rule in Iran, not the exception. The MEK has repeatedly condemned the regime for its widespread human rights abuses and brutality.
Evin prison, one of the most notorious prisons, where thousands of MEK supporters had been held, tortured and executed for standing firm in their struggle for freedom.
Conditions in Iran’s infamous Evin Prison are deteriorating rapidly, according to reports from MEK sources. Poor food quality, lack of basic hygiene supplies, and unavailability of medicine are all among the issues affecting the inmates at Evin Prison.
The prison, located in Tehran, has long been known for its brutal practices and inhumane conditions. Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have repeatedly condemned the appalling conditions at Iranian prisons, specifically Evin Prison. This makes the current decline in conditions particularly disturbing.
Reports indicate that the quality of food at Evin Prison has declined markedly over the past few months and is getting worse every day. The prison does not serve meat and only provides soy as a protein source. Inmates have described the food as inedible. Some sources have described the provision of substandard food as a deliberate act by authorities to harass the inmates.
Other reports say that the regime has decreased food rations by half over the past months. Those who do not have money to supplement their diets at the prison commissary are left to go hungry. Political prisoners are disproportionately affected by these practices.
Unavailability of Basic Items
Basic items which are not provided to inmates must be purchased at the prison commissary. Prison officials drastically mark up the prices on goods sold to inmates, leaving many prisoners without essential items. The commissary lacks hygiene supplies and basic medicine. There is a shortage of food in the prison commissary as well, meaning that even those who can afford the commissary prices must do without.
Prison authorities are also reportedly stealing money from inmates’ commissary accounts and forging receipts to cover their crimes.
Lack of Medical Care
Medical patients in the prison’s clinic are kept in unbearable conditions. The clinic does not have a functional heating system, and there is not sufficient medicine for the patients. Medical staff act in an unprofessional manner toward their patients, which furthers their suffering.
Rouhollah Mardani, held in Evin Prison has been on hunger strike since Dec. 7, to protest being denied medical treatment & inhumane prison conditions. Mardani was sentenced by a preliminary court to 6 years in prison for taking part in peaceful #Iranprotestspic.twitter.com/yO8mrz9ups
Medical care is severely lacking in Evin Prison, and inmates who become severely ill are not transferred to hospitals for treatment. Anyone who becomes very sick at the prison may face death due to the neglect of medical staff.
Inmates at Evin Prison suffer greatly in winter. Prisoners are not given hot water for showers, and heating appliances are turned off. The resulting cold causes a number of illnesses among the prison population.
Overcrowding in many of Iran’s prisons have led to appalling hygiene conditions. Disease is rampant. Inmates in some prisons are left without beds and must sleep on the floor in hallways.
Political prisoners are often placed alongside violent criminals in Evin Prison in order to intimidate and harass them. The Iranian regime has stepped up its crackdown on political protesters in the wake of the widespread protests that have taken place over the past year. The regime hopes that it can suppress the protests with brutal acts of intimidation. The people will not be silenced though. The MEK and the Iranian Opposition will continue to protest with the Iranian people until the regime is toppled and the mullahs’ reign of terror is over.
Evin prison, where thousands of MEK supporters were executed during the 80s for standing up to the religious extremism ruling Iran.
On Wednesday, May 30th, the United States Treasury responded to human rights violations against Iranian protesters by the ruling regime by imposing new sanctions on Evin Prison in Iran and the terrorist group Ansar-e Hezbollah. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin confirmed that the new sanctions, which were also imposed on six individuals and a communications technology agency, were a response to “serious human rights abuses” against political dissidents during the “brutal crackdown” of protesters in the uprising in Iran that began last December.
The US Treasury has hit Iran’s infamous Evin prison and the terrorist group Ansar-e Hezbollah with new sanctions for “serious human rights abuses” against political dissidents.
On Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Steven T Mnuchin said that these sanctions, which have also been applied to six individuals and a communications technology agency, relate specifically to the roles these people/entities played in the “brutal crackdown” of protesters during the ongoing anti-regime uprising in Iran.
Targets of the Sanctions
Evin Prison in North Iran was sanctioned by the U.S. because of its brutal treatment of political prisoners. Inmates are regularly tortured or even killed by guards in the prison, which is controlled by the Revolutionary Guards and the Ministry of Intelligence Service (MOIS), according to the U.S.
Evin Prison is notorious for its housing of political dissidents, prisoners of conscience, and dual Iranian citizens who have been accused by the regime of plotting against the government. Prisoners are often held without charges or trials for long periods of time for the crime of speaking against the regime. In February, environmentalist Seyed Emami died suspiciously at Evin Prison. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British charity worker, has been held in Evin Prison for over two years.
According to Mnuchin: “Those who speak out against the regime’s mismanagement and corruption are subject to abuse and mistreatment in Iran’s prisons.”
Ansar-e Hezbollah was another subject of the U.S. sanctions. The terrorist group has worked with the regime in its “violent suppression of Iranian citizens.” Working alongside the Basij unit of the Revolutionary Guard, Ansar-e Hezbollah brutalized young protests with “knives, tear gas and electric batons.”
Individuals sanctioned included Iranian state broadcasting agency president Abdol-ali Ali-Asgari. Asgari was sanctioned for supporting regime censorship. The agency he heads, IRIB, was first sanctioned in 2013 and continues to operate under U.S. sanction. In his announcement of the new sanctions, Mnuchin said: “The Iranian regime diverts national resources that should belong to the people to fund a massive and expensive censorship apparatus and suppress free speech.”
Two people associated with the communications technology group Hanista were also sanctioned for their role in the launch of messaging apps that are likely to be used by the regime to spy on its people. The regime recently banned the popular Telegram app, which protesters used to share information about protests and spread the word about human rights abuses.
Those who have been targeted by the new sanctions will no longer have access to U.S. financial institutions, and assets currently held in U.S. institutions will be frozen.
