Amnesty International: Abuse of Political Prisoners and Gonabadi Dervishes in Women's Prison in Shahr-e Rey

Amnesty International has reported that female political prisoners and Gonabadi Dervishes in Shahr-e Rey prison are subjected to mockery and verbal abuse, including sexual insults, and are denied access to adequate medical services. According to witness testimonies, this prison, which was previously an abandoned industrial chicken farm in Varamin, does not respond to complaints from female prisoners, claiming that all allegations are 'fabricated.' The witnesses also informed Amnesty International that prison guards prevent prisoners from accessing medications that must be administered regularly and at specific times. Philip Luther, director of research for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International, stated in the report: 'Deliberately preventing access to medical services for prisoners is inhumane, cruel, and shameful, and could constitute torture. These imprisoned women from the Gonabadi Dervish community should not even be in prison. It is pathetic that Iranian authorities torment and pressure them in this way.' The report mentions that at least 10 female prisoners from the Gonabadi Dervish community have been imprisoned in Shahr-e Rey since February 2018 without access to a lawyer. These women were arrested during a peaceful protest that escalated violently due to severe government crackdown. According to the report, the arrested women face injuries such as head trauma, broken arms, and uterine bleeding due to inadequate care from security personnel. Even prisoners with specific medical conditions like asthma, diabetes, and hypertension lack access to necessary medications. Reports received by Amnesty International indicate that the imprisoned women are subjected to hostile interrogation methods. The report states that doctors in this prison ask women sexually derogatory questions, such as 'who they are in relationships with, whether they have boyfriends, and if they sleep with other men.' A source told Amnesty International that during the evening and night, if prisoners request emergency medical care, doctors and nurses ignore them, telling them to wait until the next morning. They are even reprimanded for disturbing the medical staff's comfort. The report indicates that there is no assurance that medical devices in this prison function correctly. For example, some are repeatedly told that their blood pressure is normal, while they experience symptoms of high blood pressure such as severe headaches, vision problems, chest pain, breathing difficulties, and irregular heartbeats. The report states that there are not enough stretchers and wheelchairs in this prison, forcing prisoners to carry patients to the treatment section, which leads to further incidents and injuries. Philip Luther stated: 'Access to medical services is guaranteed by both Iranian law and international law. The European Union should demand that Iran allow the special human rights investigator in Iran to conduct an independent examination of Shahr-e Rey prison.' The Amnesty International report mentions that Shahr-e Rey prison, which was previously an abandoned industrial chicken farm, has been converted into a prison where prisoners convicted of violent crimes are transferred. This report states that this prison disregards even the minimum standards set by the United Nations. One of the prisoners in Shahr-e Rey prison had previously revealed the conditions of the arrest and interrogation of Gonabadi Dervishes.