Ali Asghar Jahangir, the head of the Prisons Organization, stated in an interview with Nasim Online regarding the treatment of political prisoners: "There are no prisoners in Iran that can be classified as political prisoners; those referred to as such are security prisoners. Those who, according to Mr. Jahangir, have committed crimes under security laws are considered security prisoners, and there is no difference in their treatment compared to ordinary prisoners." According to the head of the Prisons Organization, these prisoners "enjoy all human and Islamic rights." This is not the first time an official in the Islamic Republic has denied the existence of political prisoners in Iran. Not long ago, Mohammad Javad Zarif, in an interview with American journalist Charlie Rose, denied the existence of political prisoners, stating, "No one is imprisoned in Iran for their beliefs." Gholamhossein Esmaili, the former head of the Prisons Organization, who was dismissed for beating prisoners in Ward 305 of Evin Prison, also stated in July 2012 that there are no political prisoners in Iran. Hassan Nayeb Hashem, a human rights activist in Austria, commented on the denial of political prisoners by Iranian officials to Radio Farda, saying, "One cannot expect anything other than denial of the existence of political prisoners in Iran from Mr. Jahangir, who is a security official." According to the head of the Prisons Organization, who is also the head of the Special Inspection Office of the Judiciary, the number of prisoners in Iran currently exceeds the prison capacity by three times. Nasser Zarafshan, a lawyer in Tehran, commented on the high number of prisoners in Iran to Radio Farda, stating, "Despite the construction of new prisons in recent years, the rapid increase in the number of prisoners makes the existing capacities insufficient." The head of the Prisons Organization stated that nearly seventy percent of prisoners are related to drug offenses, with about one hundred thousand individuals directly imprisoned for drug-related crimes.
Head of Prisons Organization: There Are No Political Prisoners in Iran
Ali Asghar Jahangir, head of Iran's Prisons Organization, claims there are no political prisoners, asserting that those labeled as such are security prisoners. This denial reflects a broader pattern among Iranian officials and highlights the ongoing issues of prison overcrowding and human rights in the country.
👥 Key Players
⚡ Actions
📰 What Happened
Ali Asghar Jahangir denies existence of political prisoners in Iran, claiming they are security prisoners.
- Ali Asghar Jahangir announce political prisoners in Iran
- Mohammad Javad Zarif deny political prisoners in Iran
- Hassan Nayeb Hashem comment Ali Asghar Jahangir
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The Iranian government continues to deny the existence of political prisoners.
📝 Key Evidence
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%