Iran protests proceed after lethal hearth in infamous Tehran jail
State media reported {that a} hearth broke out in Iran’s Evin jail late on Saturday, killing 4 detainees and injuring 61 others, whereas anti-government protests sparked by the demise of a lady in police custody continued on Sunday, together with in a number of universities.
On Saturday, Iranian authorities mentioned {that a} jail workshop was set on hearth “after a quarrel between numerous prisoners convicted of economic and theft crimes.” Evin additionally holds a number of detainees going through safety fees, together with Iranian twin nationals.
Iranian state media reported that the Iranian judiciary mentioned that 4 of the injured in Saturday’s hearth have been in crucial situation, and that the useless died from smoke inhalation.
The protests sparked by the demise of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on September 16 have changed into one of many boldest challenges Iran’s clerical rulers have confronted because the 1979 revolution, with demonstrators calling for the overthrow of the Islamic Republic, even when the turmoil didn’t look like the case. On the verge of overthrowing the regime.
Demonstrations continued in a number of universities, Sunday, together with within the cities of Tabriz and Rasht, to a heavy deployment of riot police. Movies posted on social media confirmed college students at a Tehran college chanting: “Iran has changed into a giant jail. Evin jail has changed into a slaughterhouse.”
Reuters couldn’t independently confirm the footage.
Households of some political detainees have taken to social media to demand that the authorities assure their security in Evin Jail, which the US authorities blacklisted in 2018 for “gross violations of human rights.”
Video footage of the jail aired on state tv hours after the hearth appeared to point out calm returning to the power as inmates slept of their wards. It additionally confirmed firefighters inspecting a workshop with hearth harm to the roof.
Atena Daemi, a human rights activist, mentioned that family of prisoners within the girls’s part went to Evin to go to her for hours, however that authorities denied them entry, which led to a confrontation. In accordance with Al-Daimi, they have been advised that the prisoners have been “positive, however the telephones are damaged.” She later tweeted that a number of the inmates had known as their households.
The husband of Iranian journalist Nilofar Hamidi, who broke the information of Amini’s hospitalization and arrest final month, additionally wrote on Twitter that she had known as him on Sunday.
A lawyer representing an Iranian-American held in Evin jail, Siamak Namazi, who has been imprisoned for practically seven years on espionage fees dismissed by Washington as baseless, mentioned on Sunday that Namazi had contacted his family.
“Siamak Namazi has now spoken to his household. He’s secure and has been moved to a safe space in Evin Jail. We have now no additional particulars,” lawyer Jared Jensser mentioned in a tweet.
A number of Iranian residents and international nationals with twin nationals are being held in Evin Jail totally on security-related fees. A few of their buddies and family’ Twitter posts mentioned they known as their households on Sunday.
When requested in regards to the jail hearth, US President Joe Biden mentioned on Saturday that he was stunned by the bravery of Iranian protesters. He earlier known as on Iran to “finish violence in opposition to its residents who’re merely exercising their fundamental rights.”
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi mentioned Biden was inciting “chaos, terror, and destruction…(and) he ought to be reminded of the everlasting phrases of the founding father of the Islamic Republic who known as America the Nice Devil,” referring to the late Iranian revolutionary chief, Ayatollah. Ruhollah Khomeini.
On Sunday, France mentioned it was following with nice curiosity the scenario in Evin jail, “the place a number of French nationals are being held arbitrarily”.
A spokesman for the French International Ministry mentioned in a press release that “France reminds the Iranian authorities as soon as once more that it’s accountable for the protection and well being of its residents detained in Iran,” reiterating a name for his or her instant launch.
The protests have been met with brutal repression by the state. Rights teams mentioned a minimum of 240 protesters have been killed, together with 32 minors. At the moment, Saturday, an activist Iranian information company mentioned that greater than 8,000 individuals have been arrested in 111 cities and cities. The authorities haven’t launched the demise toll.
Among the many victims have been teenage women whose deaths grew to become a rallying cry for additional demonstrations throughout the nation.
Iran, which has blamed the violence on enemies at dwelling and overseas, denies that safety forces have killed protesters. On Saturday, state media mentioned a minimum of 26 members of the safety forces had been killed by “rioters”.
The crackdown on the protests drew worldwide condemnation, with america, Canada and a few European nations imposing sanctions on Iranian officers and organizations they accuse of being concerned in.
(Reuters)
