Sick prisoner's protest leads to fire in Urmia Prison's infirmary
Davoud Ghasemzadeh, a sick prisoner in Urmia Prison who was beaten by prison guards on Monday night, November 25, has been accused of setting fire to one of the prison's medical rooms the previous night, in continuation of his protests. The prisoner, along with Arash Alizadeh and Bahaeddin Ghasemzadeh, had been on a hunger strike since Tuesday, November 25, demanding that a complaint be filed against the wrongdoing officers and that his brother be sent to a hospital outside the prison for a coronavirus test and medical attention.
According to HRANA News Agency, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, Davoud Ghasemzadeh, a sick prisoner in Urmia Prison, is accused of setting fire to one of the prison's health rooms on Wednesday night, November 28, 2020.
A source familiar with the prisoner’s situation told HRANA: “A few days ago, Bahaaldin Ghasemzadeh, Arash Alizadeh, and Davud Ghasemzadeh were severely beaten by prison guards with batons and tasers. After being beaten, Bahaaldin Ghasemzadeh and Mr. Alizadeh were transferred to solitary confinement with handcuffs and shackles. In this fight, even Davud Ghasemzadeh, who is paralyzed in the legs, was severely beaten and his legs were completely bruised and he was transferred to the infirmary. Davud Ghasemzadeh subsequently complained in a letter about the beating officers, but the prison authorities did not pay attention to his complaint, and on the other hand, he had not heard from his brother Bahaaldin in the past few days. Now, it has been said that last night, in protest of the prison authorities’ failure to register his complaint and their lack of information about his brother, he set fire to the room where he was hospitalized in the infirmary, and part of his leg was also burned.”
This informed source further told HRANA: “Davood Qasemzadeh, who is paralyzed from the waist down and always lying on a bed, was transferred to the guard officer last night and finally to solitary confinement this evening and was released in handcuffs and shackles. His brother, Bahauddin Qasemzadeh, was also transferred from solitary confinement to an unknown location at 11 p.m. last night, and prison officials said he was transferred to the Intelligence Bureau detention center.”
Arash Alizadeh, Davood Ghasemzadeh, a sick prisoner, and Bahaedin Ghasemzadeh, a child criminal sentenced to death, were beaten by prison guards in Urmia Prison on Monday night, November 25. The clash occurred after the prisoners protested against the lack of testing for the coronavirus despite Bahaedin Ghasemzadeh showing symptoms of infection. The prisoners eventually went on a hunger strike on Tuesday, November 26, demanding that a complaint be filed against the guilty officers and that Bahaedin Ghasemzadeh be sent to a hospital outside the prison for treatment for coronavirus.
Ghasemzadeh's brothers were beaten in March of last year after Bahauddin Ghasemzadeh protested about his brother's condition and the lack of medical attention.
HRANA also reported in June 2018 on the deteriorating physical condition of the two imprisoned brothers. Davoud Ghasemzadeh had previously suffered an infection in his leg due to a spinal cord injury and poor prison conditions. After prison officials prevented him from being sent to medical centers and due to prolonged uncertainty, he and his brother wrote a letter to the prison director demanding that the death sentence be carried out or that they be assigned a new assignment.
Arash Alizadeh is serving the fifth year of his seven-year sentence on drug-related charges.
Davud and Bahaeddin Qasemzadeh are from Salmas County. These citizens were arrested in 2009 on charges of killing two people in a tribal conflict. Bahaeddin was 17 years old at the time of his arrest and in 2009 he pleaded guilty to both murders in court. On the same day after leaving the court, he escaped from the authorities and went to Iraqi Kurdistan. After his escape, security agents arrested his sister, mother, and other brother and transferred them to Urmia Prison, demanding Bahaeddin's return in exchange for the release of his family. Bahaeddin returned to the country after a month. During this time, Davud Qasemzadeh suffered injuries to his spine and spinal cord due to severe beatings.
