Conditions in Qarchak Prison are 'Unhygienic, Inhumane, and Intolerable'

Elham Aminzadeh, the legal deputy, and Shahindokht Molaverdi, the deputy for women and family affairs of the Iranian presidency, have visited the women's prison in Qarchak Varamin in Shahr-e-Rey. The Iranian government website published this report. The Saham News site, close to Mehdi Karroubi, also reported that Shahindokht Molaverdi, during her visit to this prison on February 9, spoke with political prisoners Atena Farghadani and Hakimeh Shakri. According to this report, Atena Farghadani and Hakimeh Shakri described the conditions of this prison as 'very unhygienic, inhumane, and intolerable.' Previously, the Khabar Online site, close to Mir Hossein Mousavi, reported on the 'appalling' conditions of the women's prison in Qarchak Varamin. This website wrote: 'Qarchak Varamin prison... is essentially a large hall with a high ceiling that lacks cells, where two thousand women live without the slightest hygienic facilities in cold and heat.' In recent months, Atena Farghadani, Negar Haeri, Hakimeh Shakri, Roya Saberi-Najad, and Basmeh Jabouri have been transferred from the political women's section in Evin prison to Qarchak Varamin prison. Reports indicate that Atena Farghadani has gone on a hunger strike in protest of the 'process' of transferring political female prisoners from Evin prison to Qarchak Varamin prison and also the 'inhumane' conditions of all prisoners in this prison since Tuesday. According to Saham News, she told Ms. Molaverdi that if she is not returned to Evin prison, 'she will continue her hunger strike even if it leads to her death.' The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran had previously reported that Atena Farghadani was beaten and arrested by agents and transferred to Qarchak Varamin prison after presenting herself to Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran on January 10. She had previously been imprisoned for about a month and a half in Ward 2A of Evin prison and after being released on bail, she reported in an online video about the 'violation of her dignity' and that of other female prisoners in this prison, as well as the 'installation of surveillance cameras in the toilets and showers of the women's section of Evin prison.' According to Saham News, Atena Farghadani also told the Iranian vice president: 'Today, because of your visit to the prison, they have staged a facade and for the first time provided chicken for lunch to the prisoners, whereas there is no meat or chicken in the food program of Qarchak prison.' She emphasized to Ms. Molaverdi: 'Also, because of your presence, many prisoners were sent to the employment unit and there they were given appropriate clothes to wear so that during your visit, it would appear that female prisoners have suitable clothing and opportunities for activities such as sewing, knitting, and doll-making, but this is only for today and for the few hours that you are visiting here.' According to this report, Hakimeh Shakri and Atena Farghadani also stated: 'The drinking water here is so salty that most prisoners have developed skin and eye diseases, and medical and pharmaceutical facilities are very limited and in some cases non-existent.' Saham News reported that Hakimeh Shakri also stated that prison officials 'refuse' to treat and attend to her illness. Hakimeh Shakri was arrested in Azar 1389 (December 2010) along with several others who attended a memorial for Amir Arshad Tajmir, one of the victims of the post-election events of 1388 (2009) in Behesht Zahra, and was released on bail after three months. She was ultimately sentenced to three years in prison and reported to Evin prison in Aban 1391 (November 2012). According to reports, she was transferred from the women's section of Evin prison to Qarchak Varamin prison in Azar 1399 (December 2020).