Protesting Sick Prisoner’s Fire in Urumiyeh Prison Medical Ward Ends
Davoud Ghasem Zade, a sick prisoner in Urumiyeh Prison who was beaten by prison guards on the night of Monday, October 27, 2020, has been accused of setting fire to one of the prison’s medical ward rooms in continuation of his protests. Since Tuesday, October 28, 2020, this prisoner, along with Arash Alizadeh and Bahalddin Ghasem Zade, had been on hunger strike demanding the filing of a complaint against the guilty officers and the transfer of his brother to a hospital outside the prison for a coronavirus test and medical examination.
According to Hrana news agency, the news organ of human rights activists in Iran, Davoud Ghasem Zade, a sick prisoner in Urumiyeh Prison, has been accused of setting fire to one of the prison’s medical ward rooms on the night of Wednesday, October 29, 2020.
An informed source regarding this prisoner’s situation told Hrana: “Bahalddin Ghasem Zade, Arash Alizadeh, and Davoud Ghasem Zade were severely beaten by prison guards with batons and tasers a few days ago. Bahalddin Ghasem Zade and Mr. Alizadeh were transferred to solitary cells in handcuffs and shackles after the beating. In this altercation, even Davoud Ghasem Zade, who is paralyzed from the waist down, was severely beaten, his legs were completely bruised, and he was transferred to the medical ward. Subsequently, Davoud Ghasem Zade filed a complaint against those who beat him, but prison authorities ignored his complaint, and on the other hand, he had no news of his brother Bahalddin during these days. It is now said that last night, in protest of the prison authorities’ failure to address his complaint and lack of news about his brother, he set fire to the room in the medical ward where he was hospitalized, and part of his foot was also burned.”
This informed source continued to tell Hrana: “Davoud Ghasem Zade, who is paralyzed from the waist down and is always lying in bed, was transferred last night to a guard officer and finally this afternoon to solitary confinement and was left in the cell in handcuffs and shackles. Bahalddin Ghasem Zade, his brother, was transferred at 11 pm last night from solitary confinement to an unknown location, and prison officials said he had been transferred to the Information Ministry’s detention center.”
Arash Alizadeh, Davoud Ghasem Zade, a sick prisoner, and Bahalddin Ghasem Zade, a juvenile offender sentenced to death in Urumiyeh Prison, were beaten by prison guards on the night of Monday, October 27, 2020. This altercation occurred following these prisoners’ protest against the failure to conduct a coronavirus test despite signs of infection appearing in Bahalddin Ghasem Zade. These individuals ultimately began a hunger strike from Tuesday, October 28, 2020, demanding the filing of a complaint against the guilty officers and the transfer of Bahalddin Ghasem Zade to a hospital outside the prison for coronavirus treatment.
The Ghasem Zade brothers were also beaten in the last month of the previous year following Bahalddin Ghasem Zade’s protest over his brother’s condition and the lack of medical attention to his situation.
Hrana also reported in June 2018 on the deterioration of the physical condition of these two imprisoned brothers. Davoud Ghasem Zade previously suffered from spinal cord injury and poor prison conditions, which led to an infection in his leg area, and following prison officials’ prevention of his transfer to medical centers and due to prolonged uncertainty, along with his brother, in a letter to the prison director, he demanded the execution of his death sentence or his case to be resolved.
Arash Alizadeh is serving the fifth year of his seven-year sentence for drug-related charges.
Davoud and Bahalddin Ghasem Zade are from Salmas city. These citizens were arrested in 2009 on charges of killing two people in a tribal conflict. Bahalddin was 17 years old at the time of arrest and in 2010 took responsibility for both murders in court. On the same day after leaving court, he escaped from officers and went to Iraqi Kurdistan. After his escape, security officers arrested his sister, mother, and another brother and transferred them to Urumiyeh Prison, demanding Bahalddin’s return in exchange for his family’s release. Bahalddin also returned to the country after one month. During this period, due to severe beating, Davoud Ghasem Zade suffered spinal cord injury.
