Arrested Individuals Under 18 During Protests in ‘Poor Condition’

Two weeks after November protests and while Islamic Republic officials have yet to announce the number of detainees, reports have been published about the “poor condition” of prisoners, particularly detained children.

The Kurdistan Human Rights Network, citing “informed sources” in Sanandaj, reported that more than 100 detainees from recent protests “are being held in harsh conditions in the Bayt al-Maqdis Revolutionary Guards compound” and “students and children have been observed among them”.

Human rights organization “Hengaw” also reported that three brothers under 18 years old have been detained in Kermanshah and their family has no information about their condition.

According to this report, three brothers named Sejad Naderi, 14 years old, Parham Naderi, 16 years old, and Puria Naderi, 18 years old, sons of Mohammad, were arrested on November 26.

Meanwhile, Ali Akbar Javidan, the police chief of Kermanshah Province, reported the arrest of three people in the city of Javanroud, stating they are between 17 and 27 years old.

In Khuzestan Province as well, some of the detainees are under 18 years old.

Human rights activist Karim Dahimi told Radio Farda that among the detainees there are individuals aged 14, 15, and 17.

According to Mr. Dahimi, some detainees have also been transferred to Yazd, which could be due to lack of space.

He also stated that detainees have been transferred to Ahvaz Central Prison and detention centers of the Revolutionary Guards and law enforcement, but there is no information available about their condition.

Previously, reports were published about the poor conditions at Fashafuyeh Prison or Greater Tehran Prison, where November protest detainees are being held.

Including Hasan Khalil Abadi, head of Rey City Islamic Council, who on December 4 reported the very harsh conditions of imprisoned protesters and stated that “Fashafuyeh Prison lacks the necessary facilities”.

However, Hashmatolah Hayat al-Ghayb, director general of Tehran Province prisons, called these statements “completely false and lies”.

Several prisoners who have been detained at Fashafuyeh Prison have also described the condition of this detention center as “catastrophic”.

For instance, Ghasem Shaaleh Sadeh, a lawyer and former parliament representative, in an interview with Radio Farda said that the prison’s water was cut off for half of the day and in large, dirty garbage buckets, water was stored for prisoner consumption.

This former parliament representative also stated that the walls in this prison are infested with lice.

According to Mr. Shaaleh Sadeh, in this prison even under normal circumstances there was insufficient space for prisoners and some of them slept in hallways.

In images released from the prosecutor general’s visit to this prison, individuals with broken arms and legs were also visible, and it is unclear whether these physical injuries occurred during clashes or during arrest or subsequent interrogations.

In recent days, several former political prisoners have warned about the repetition of incidents such as Kahrizak detention center and the death of prisoners from November protests in prisons.

Source: Radio Farda