Judicial officials admit to killing 5 prisoners during April protests at Ahvaz Central Prison

More than four months after widespread protests by prisoners following the outbreak and spread of the coronavirus in Iranian prisons in mid-April, the Islamic Republic's judicial authorities have admitted that five prisoners were killed in protests at Ahvaz Central Prison.

Human rights activist Karim Daheimi told VOA that at least 70 prisoners held in Ahvaz Central Prison (known as Sheiban Prison) were charged on July 1 by Branch 101 of the Criminal Court of the Two Cities of Bavi, headed by Judge Mansour Motamedzadeh, with serious charges, including “disturbing public order and peace through commotion and commotion - inciting the murder of 4 Muslim men” and “participation in crimes: intentional destruction and arson of public property, disturbing public order and inciting the murder of 5 prisoners.” These prisoners had protested and been arrested on April 1 in protest of the lack of medical care and concerns about the widespread spread of the coronavirus.

According to Mr. Daheimi, these prisoners are facing charges of murdering five other prisoners, while previously, only 15 deaths were reported in Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz, and no statistics were available on the deaths of prisoners in Ahvaz Central Prison. This is the first time that judicial authorities have admitted that a number of prisoners have been killed in this prison, but so far none of the authorities have been held accountable for these killings in these two Ahvaz prisons.

Mr. Daheimi told VOA: "Some of these prisoners have objected to the charges that were previously explained to them by the First Branch of the Bawi Revolutionary Investigation Department, but these charges were confirmed by the Bawi Two County Criminal Court, and currently the lives of some of these prisoners, who are generally serving their sentences with death sentences, life imprisonment, and long-term prison terms, are in danger."

Following unrest in Iranian prisons following the spread of the coronavirus, official reports and news published on social media indicate unrest in some Iranian prisons, including Mahabad, Adelabad in Shiraz, Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz, Aligudarz, Tabriz, Saqqez, and Hamedan prisons; protests that have taken place due to concerns about the sanitary conditions of these prisons' wards.

The human rights activist told VOA: "Among these prisoners, who were arrested only due to the lack of medical facilities in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, there are also political prisoners, security cases, and Sunni prisoners. After their arrest, they were initially transferred to an unknown location for a few days and then to solitary confinement in Sheiban Prison, where they were punished for a few days. It is currently unclear what sentence will be issued against them based on this case-building."

It was after these protests that Amnesty International responded to the protests by prisoners in Sheiban Prison following the outbreak of the coronavirus and the inaction of the authorities, which ended with the violent intervention of security forces and the firing of shotgun pellets at the prisoners, and called for the release of all prisoners of conscience.