Hengaw: At Least 32 Prisoners Have Died in Iranian Prisons in 2023

The human rights organization Hengaw reported that at least 32 prisoners have died in Iranian prisons in 2023, with 11 of them having died under torture. Hengaw also stated that two prisoners died suspiciously shortly after their release, and one suspect was shot dead while attempting to escape by the intelligence forces. According to the report, 9 prisoners died due to lack of medical care and delays in transfer to medical facilities, and 3 prisoners died from suspected poisoning. Additionally, 4 prisoners were killed in altercations with other inmates. Three cases of suicide and one case of heart attack before the execution of a death sentence were also reported in Iranian prisons in 2023. Hengaw noted that the security detention centers of the Revolutionary Guards and the intelligence agency across Iran and many public prisons have not been visited by international human rights organizations and there is no judicial oversight of these detention centers. Javide Rahman, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, criticized the Iranian government in an exclusive interview with VOA for not granting permission for travel to Iran, stating that if such permission were granted, he should be able to visit prisons without restrictions and meet with human rights activists, but the Iranian government has not allowed this to him and his colleagues. A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department emphasized the U.S. commitment to supporting the human rights of the Iranian people and holding the Iranian government accountable for the killing of protesters, referencing the death of Nika Shakerami at the hands of Iranian security forces. In response to a question from Gita Arian, a VOA reporter, about documents suggesting that Nika Shakerami was sexually assaulted before her death, the spokesperson said, 'We cannot confirm the authenticity of the leaked documents, but we have previously condemned the brutal killing of Nika Shakerami and the horrific treatment of other young girls and the killing of protesters, regardless of their age, who participated in peaceful demonstrations and were subjected to beatings, torture, and sexual violence.' He also referred to human rights violations during the suppression of protests in recent years, stating, 'During and after those protests, we committed to supporting the human rights of the Iranian people and holding the Iranian regime accountable. This commitment remains strong and plays a fundamental role in our approach to Iran.'