Narges Mohammadi says Qarchak Prison is a place of exile for the "slow death of prisoners"

Narges Mohammadi, a human rights activist and prisoner serving her sentence in Qarchak Prison in Varamin, published a letter describing the deplorable conditions of the prison, writing: "Qarchak Prison is a place of exile for the gradual death of prisoners."

In this letter, which Ms. Mohammadi's husband, Taghi Rahmani, published on her Instagram page on Monday, February 15, the imprisoned human rights activist, referring to the poor water conditions, the unpleasant smell of sewage, and the poor heating conditions of the prison, announced that she would send a letter to the Deputy Attorney General and that if the matter is not addressed, "we will protest against this gradual and continuous torture of prisoners."

Narges Mohammadi, spokesperson and vice president of the Iranian Center for Human Rights Defenders, pointed out that prison officials are aware of the "non-potable water" situation in this prison and that, according to inspectors, the prison's water system is unsanitary. She considered this behavior a form of threat to prisoners, especially political and ideological prisoners, with the aim of eliminating them.

Yesterday, Taghi Rahmani tweeted, quoting Narges Mohammadi, who had said that prisoners in Qarchak Warmin Prison were denied the "right to breathe healthily and drink ordinary water," adding: "This prison has deplorable conditions that must be addressed."

This is not the first time that a political prisoner has reported on the poor conditions of Qarchak Varamin Prison. Previously, in late August 2019, Atefeh Rangriz, a women's and labor rights activist, wrote a letter from Qarchak Varamin Prison, addressing the living conditions and conditions in the prison. In the letter, she likened the wards of Qarchak Varamin Prison to a train and the rooms in each ward to a train cabin, writing, "In a way, Qarchak is a nickname for hell."

Just two days after this letter was published on social media, about 200 female prisoners of Qarchak Prison in Varamin protested the health and living conditions in the prison. In a letter addressed to Heshmatollah Hayat-ol-Ghaib, the director general of Tehran Province Prisons, they wrote that the food situation in the prison is very inadequate, drinking water is scarce, and prisoners are forced to buy expensive and poor-quality clothing from the prison store.

Narges Mohammadi was arrested on November 15, on the second anniversary of the popular protests of November 2019, while attending the second anniversary of the commemoration of Ebrahim Kebatdar, one of the victims of these protests, in Karaj. In a brief phone call from Evin Prison, she was informed of the "30-month prison sentence" she had been sentenced to, and said that she was going to be flogged.

In early February, Taghi Rahmani announced the issuance of a new sentence of 8 years and two months in prison, 74 lashes, 2 years of exile from Tehran, a 2-year ban on activities in organizations and parties, and a two-year ban on presence and activity on social networks and interviews for Narges Mohammadi. He told VOA that Ms. Mohammadi had been sentenced again for her activities during the past year while she was free.

Source: Radio Farda