Contradictory Statements About Coronavirus Control in Iranian Prisons

In recent weeks, there have been constant warnings about the danger of coronavirus spreading in prisons, while the judiciary assures that there is no problem in this regard. An Iranian news agency has published testimonies from witnesses that contradict the statements of officials.

The news agency “Khabar Online” has published a report about the spread of coronavirus in Qarchak Prison in Shahr-e Rey, which questions the statements of judicial officials on this matter.

The reporter has spoken with a female inmate who was released two weeks ago and also with lawyers representing several inmates in this prison.

The female inmate, introduced by the abbreviated name “M”, said that during her time in prison, no “screening” was conducted to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), and now her former cellmates have said that sanitary facilities “remain poor”, little attention is paid to people who approach staff with fever, and since her release, several cases of coronavirus have been found in Qarchak.

“M” stated clearly: “We were 186 people in one ward, separated by bunk beds. We were not even given gloves and masks, even soldiers did not have masks and gloves.”

Continuing and referring to the fact that prison store services are limited given the number of inmates, she says that 300-gram hand sanitizer is sold to inmates for 70,000 tomans, while its price outside prison is 15,000 tomans.

In continuation of the “Khabar Online” report, citing M’s former cellmates, it is stated that currently to combat the spread of coronavirus, corridor doors have been closed to inmates and they have been told, “Go to your beds and use your headscarves as masks.”

Shortage of Sanitary and Disinfectant Materials

Omid Moradi, a first-class lawyer at the court system who represents several women in Qarchak Prison, confirmed M’s statements and said that inmates complain most of all about the shortage of sanitary and disinfectant materials.

Moreadi also referred to the ban on visits and said that an inmate without visits does not have enough money to meet their needs, and this reduces the level of hygiene in prisons.

According to this lawyer, several cases of coronavirus have been reported in Qarchak and Fashafuyeh prisons.

“Sanitary Materials Are Free”

Mehrzad Taskarian, the director general of health and treatment at the Prison Organization, however, has a different account of caring for inmates. “Khabar Online” quoted him as saying that disinfectant materials in prisons are free, inmates are regularly screened for fever, “legal visit” rooms have been converted to quarantine rooms, and those infected with coronavirus in prison are sent to teaching hospitals.

A few days ago, Asgar Jahangir, the head of the Prison Organization, also presented a similar positive picture in an interview with “Tasnim News Agency” of judicial officials’ measures and said that medical and health teams have been stationed in various prisons to control and examine inmates, screening and disease detection have been prioritized, and if anyone is suspected of being ill, in addition to isolation and quarantine, a coronavirus test is taken from them and “if their test results are positive, they are sent to a hospital, and this process continues for everyone and accurate controls are being performed.”

“We Are Unparalleled in the World”

Gholamhossein Ismaili, spokesman for the judiciary, on the 26th of Farvardin (April 14) in a radio interview stated that the government’s measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus, “both in the field of health and in granting furloughs” at the global level “has no parallel or similarity whatsoever”.

Ismaili continued: “Today we have the spread of COVID-19 disease in various countries and the rate of virus contamination and the number of infected persons and deaths in many countries claiming to be human rights advocates is far higher than in our country. The number of their inmates is also higher, but their attention to prisoner health is not equal to ours.”

Following the appeal of the United Nations and Pope Francis for the release of inmates at risk of contracting coronavirus, many countries, including Germany, Afghanistan, Turkey, and Greece, took steps to release a number of inmates.

It appears that in countries with higher prisoner populations, larger numbers have been released. For example, in Iran more than 100,000 inmates have been released, while in Germany (with a population roughly equal to Iran) the total number of convicted prisoners and individuals in temporary detention is approximately 65,000.

Situation of Ideological and Political Prisoners

Following the order of the head of the judiciary of the Islamic Republic to release some inmates, several political and ideological prisoners were released, but some of them remain imprisoned. In recent weeks, human rights defenders and families of these inmates have constantly called for their release.

In the latest move, Ezzat Bahregan, mother of Nasrin Sotoudeh, protested the situation of prisoners in an open letter to Ebrahim Raisi, and eight prominent Iranian filmmakers called for the release of political prisoners.

Mohammadi, vice president of the Human Rights Activists Center who was sentenced to 16 years in prison and is imprisoned in Zanjan Prison, suffers from various illnesses including muscular dystrophy and pulmonary embolism.

Ms. Bahregan wrote in her letter, quoting her daughter: “Nasrin says that in regular prisons, due to lack of sufficient budget, the food situation is very poor and there is not enough food, especially fruits and vegetables, and the inmate’s physical health is at risk. On the other hand, due to the conditions resulting from the spread of coronavirus and the complete suspension of visits for a long period and complete quarantine of prisons, inmates are in very poor psychological conditions.”

Mohsen Amirioosoffi, Jafar Panahi, Kioumars Pourahmad, Alireza Davoudnejad, Reza Dormishan, Mohammad Rasulaf, Dariush Mehrjui, and Mojtaba Mir-Tahmasebi also warned in a joint statement about ensuring the health and well-being of ideological, political prisoners and environmental activists.

In their view, their remaining in prison could have irreversible consequences.

Peyam Darfshan, the lawyer defending Fateme Khoyshvand, known as “Sahar Tabar”, also reported that his client’s coronavirus test was positive. According to him, Khoyshvand on the 26th of Farvardin was transferred from the quarantine section of Shahr-e Rey women’s prison to a hospital outside the prison along with several other inmates who had similar conditions due to the severity of her physical condition.

Previously, Mehdi Mohammadi, the head of Shahr-e Rey women’s prison, denied the news related to Sahar Tabar’s infection with coronavirus, but according to her lawyer’s account, the denial by the prison head was unfounded.

Also, on Thursday, the 28th of Farvardin, some news sources reported that Armin Yazdpanah, who is said to be a human rights activist and was in Evin Prison, died as a result of contracting COVID-19 disease caused by coronavirus. This news has not yet been confirmed by official or reliable sources.

Source: DW