Iran says 4 prisoners killed and 61 injured in Evin jail fireplace

Iran mentioned on Sunday that 4 prisoners had been killed and 61 injured in a hearth at Tehran’s Evin jail a day earlier, with state tv airing video apparently displaying that calm had returned to the ability.

The judiciary mentioned 4 of these injured in Saturday’s fireplace have been in vital situation and people killed had died of smoke inhalation, Iranian state media reported.

The fireplace at Tehran’s infamous Evin jail got here amid ongoing unrest sparked by the loss of life of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini whereas within the custody of Iran’s morality police a month in the past.

The protests have was one of many boldest challenges to the clerical management for the reason that 1979 revolution, and have been met with a brutal crackdown.

Before the authorities revealed the loss of life toll from the fireplace, households of some political detainees took to social media to name on the authorities to make sure the security of prisoners at Evin, which in 2018 was blacklisted by the U.S. authorities for “serious human rights abuses”.

This photograph supplied by Islamic Republic News Agency, IRNA, on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022, exhibits a constructing following a hearth on the property of Evin jail in Tehran, Iran. (AP)

Iranian authorities mentioned on Saturday {that a} jail workshop had been set on fireplace “after a fight among a number of prisoners convicted of financial crimes and theft”. Evin holds many detainees going through safety expenses, together with Iranians with twin nationality.

The footage of Evin aired on state tv hours later confirmed firefighters inspecting a workshop with fireplace harm to the roof. It additionally confirmed inmates of their wards apparently “sleeping as calm has been restored”.

FILE PHOTO: A newspaper with a canopy image of Mahsa Amini, a lady who died after being arrested by Iranian morality police is seen in Tehran, Iran, September 18, 2022. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) through REUTERS//File Photo

Atena Daemi, a human rights activist, mentioned that kinfolk of prisoners held within the ladies’s part had gathered on the jail for routine visiting hours, however that the authorities had denied them entry, leading to a standoff.

The kinfolk have been instructed that the prisoners have been “fine, but the phones are broken”, based on Daemi.

“When the families said they would not leave until they (prisoners) call, give them mobile phones to call, security guards confronted the families,” she tweeted.

In the footage broadcast on state tv, a jail official mentioned inmates had been allowed to contact their households.

A lawyer representing an American Iranian held at Evin, Siamak Namazi, imprisoned for practically seven years on espionage-related expenses rejected by Washington as baseless, mentioned on Sunday that Namazi had certainly contacted his kinfolk.

Several different twin nationwide Iranians and international residents are held in Evin jail principally for security-related expenses.

“I am pleased to report that #SiamakNamazi has now spoken to his family. He is safe and has been moved to a secure area of Evin Prison. We have no further details at this time,” Jared Genser mentioned in a tweet.

Namazi had returned to Evin on Wednesday after being granted a short furlough, Genser mentioned.

VIOLANT CRACKDOWN

Asked in regards to the jail fireplace, U.S. President Joe Biden instructed reporters throughout a marketing campaign journey on Saturday to Portland, Oregon that the Iranian authorities was “so oppressive” and that he was shocked by the braveness of the Iranian protesters.

Iran’s international ministry mentioned Biden had interfered in state issues by displaying assist for the anti-government protests. The authorities have responded with a brutal crackdown.

Rights teams mentioned at the very least 240 protesters had been killed within the anti-government protests, together with 32 minors. Over 8,000 individuals had been arrested in 111 cities and cities, Iranian activist information company HRANA mentioned on Saturday.

Among the casualties have been teenage ladies whose deaths have develop into a rallying cry for extra demonstrations throughout the nation.

Iran, which has blamed the violence on enemies at dwelling and overseas, deny safety forces have killed protesters. State media mentioned on Saturday at the very least 26 members of the safety forces had been killed by “rioters”.

The protests have attracted worldwide condemnation, with the United States, Canada and a few European international locations imposing sanctions on Iranian officers and organisations “involved in the clampdown on protesters”.

“On Saturday … Biden interfered in Iran’s state matters by supporting the riots … In recent days, the U.S. administration has tried desperately to inflame unrest in Iran under various excuses,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani mentioned, ISNA reported.

The protests mark one of many boldest challenges to clerical rule for the reason that 1979 revolution, with demonstrations spreading throughout the nation and widespread requires the downfall the Islamic Republic, even when the unrest doesn’t appear near toppling the system.