Reporters Without Borders Expresses Concern Over Life-Threatening Risks for Imprisoned Journalists Amid Coronavirus Outbreak in Iran
Reporters Without Borders, following the outbreak of coronavirus in Iran, issued a statement expressing concern about the safety of imprisoned journalists and declared that these prisoners face the risk of death.
Reporters Without Borders announced on Thursday, March 5, through this statement that although official statistics on coronavirus cases in Iranian prisons have not been released, according to the families of prisoners, a number of them have been infected with this virus.
Reza Moini, head of the Iran and Afghanistan section of Reporters Without Borders, referring to Iran’s status as a signatory to the “International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” reminded once again that “endangering the lives of prisoners and depriving [them] of the right to treatment can be considered a violation of the prohibition against torture and cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment.”
In this statement, with reference to the latest statistics released by Islamic Republic authorities regarding infected individuals and the deaths of 107 Iranians from this virus, it stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran not only followed China in concealing the coronavirus pandemic and in its statistics, but also “follows it in mistreating political prisoners.”
Reza Moini also added, referring to this organization’s severe concerns about prisoners’ health, that prisoners should be released or at least be granted furlough until the end of the coronavirus epidemic crisis.
Reporters Without Borders had previously expressed concern in another statement on Wednesday, February 26, about Iranian authorities’ cover-up of the reality of disease expansion and coronavirus outbreak in Iran and condemned the suppression of media and journalists by the Islamic Republic who are independently attempting to publish news and information about the coronavirus outbreak and the reality of disease expansion in Iran.
On Wednesday, February 26, Ebrahim Raisi, head of the judiciary, issued a new circular ordering limited furlough for a group of prisoners sentenced to imprisonment under certain conditions; a circular that states in one of its provisions that political prisoners convicted on charges of “action against national security” with sentences exceeding 5 years are exempt from furlough; this is while most political prisoners with the aforementioned charge have sentences exceeding 5 years.
The U.S. State Department has repeatedly condemned in various instances violent confrontations and widespread suppression of protesters, continuous violations of Iranian citizens’ rights, and ongoing cover-ups by the ruling regime in that country.
Mike Pompeo on Friday, March 8, in a meeting of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, given the history of cover-ups by Islamic Republic officials, stated that the Iranian regime is unwilling to provide information about the coronavirus outbreak and I am concerned they may have concealed important information.
This is the second time the U.S. Secretary of State has expressed concern about possible cover-up by Iranian authorities. Mike Pompeo had warned on Tuesday that America is concerned about the cover-up by Islamic Republic officials regarding the coronavirus outbreak.
The United States announced on Thursday that it has issued exemptions from Iran sanctions and allows the Central Bank of Iran to conduct financial transfers for sending some humanitarian services.
Source: Voice of America
