An informed source from Qazalhessar prison reported to Voice of America about the unprovoked violence of prison officials against ordinary prisoners in this prison. In an eyewitness account, it was stated that Afghan prisoners held in Hall 19 of Unit 4 are being assaulted by the head of the prison guard. The informed source told the Persian section of Voice of America on Tuesday, December 10, that a prison official named Sajjad Lorvand, who is the head of the guard, attacked a prisoner named Ali Hosseini 'without any reason and solely out of personal anger' while he was visiting the ward chief's office to obtain a power of attorney, 'hitting him in such a way that his ribs were injured and he was transferred to the infirmary.' According to the eyewitness, Ali Hosseini, who is imprisoned on charges related to an 'accidental murder' and is described as 'a quiet and calm young man,' was beaten by Sajjad Lorvand, which even caused the ward chief to protest and become so angry that his blood sugar rose above 400, leading medical staff to administer tranquilizers and insulin to him. The report indicates that Sajjad Lorvand, who has previously been a prison official in Rajai Shahr before Qazalhessar, along with several officers, went to Hall 19 where Afghan prisoners with various crimes are held, 'destroying prisoners' belongings and behaving violently towards them.' According to the informed source, this pattern is also prevalent in other halls, as 'Hosseini Tabar, the ward chief, has said that Sajjad Lorvand is mentally unstable!' Unit 4 of Qazalhessar prison is located in the eastern part of this prison in Alborz province and, according to available information, consists of four large halls and four small halls. The large halls contain 20-bed rooms, and opposite each of these halls is a small hall with half the capacity of the large halls. Voice of America is currently unable to independently verify these accounts due to severe restrictions on the flow of information and the closed information environment in Iran under the Islamic Republic's rule. However, reports of violence by Qazalhessar prison officials against prisoners have a history. Voice of America sources had previously reported that at the behest of prison protection officials, a special guard had created a 'psychological and threatening atmosphere' in the prison and was harassing political prisoners; an action that led several political prisoners to protest with 'anti-government slogans.'
Exclusive; Eyewitness Account of Violence by Qazalhessar Officials Against Prisoners
An eyewitness reported unprovoked violence by prison guards at Qazalhessar prison against Afghan prisoners, particularly highlighting an incident involving prisoner Ali Hosseini. This violence is part of a broader pattern of abuse in Iranian prisons, raising concerns about human rights violations.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
An eyewitness reported that Sajjad Lorvand, head of the prison guard at Qazalhessar, violently assaulted prisoner Ali Hosseini without provocation. This incident is part of a broader pattern of abuse against prisoners, particularly Afghans, in Iranian prisons.
- Ali Hosseini was injured and required medical attention after the assault.
- There is a history of reported violence and psychological abuse in Qazalhessar prison.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran's prison system has long been criticized for human rights abuses, with reports of violence and poor conditions frequently emerging.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%