Judiciary Denies Death of Woman in Detention Center in Khuzestan; Mir Mousavi's Case 'Under Investigation'

The Judiciary of the Islamic Republic issued a statement denying the death of a woman in a detention center in Khuzestan, claiming that the case of another suspect's death in Gilan province is 'seriously under investigation.' The statement, released in response to reports of the death of a woman named Masoumeh Hovizat in Sepidar prison in Khuzestan, described the claim of her death as 'false and baseless.' The Judiciary confirmed that a woman with the same details was 'arrested a while ago on charges of armed robbery and had been in Sepidar prison for a week,' but claimed that this person 'is currently in custody for investigation by the police.' Yesterday, some media outlets reported, citing the 'Iran Human Rights Association,' that a 24-year-old woman named Masoumeh Hovizat, a resident of Mahshahr, was arrested about a week ago on 'the charge of theft' and transferred to Sepidar prison in Ahvaz, where she was moved to 'the police' after two days and died there due to beatings by officers. According to these reports, this woman was married and had two children. The security and judicial agencies of the Islamic Republic, which have a long history of concealing and covering up such cases, asked the public in their statement to 'follow news from credible sources.' The Judiciary also announced that the 'death case' of Mohammad Mir Mousavi has recently provoked numerous reactions and is being 'seriously pursued' by the relevant authorities, especially the judiciary. Mohammad Mir Mousavi, from Lahijan County in Gilan province, was killed under torture in one of the police stations in Langeroud after being arrested by the special forces of the Islamic Republic's police. Initially, the police referred to Mir Mousavi's death as an 'accidental death' and later stated that, by the order of Radwan, the commander of this force, 'the commander of the police station and other involved personnel were suspended from duty and placed at the disposal of the judiciary, and if negligence and lack of attention from other police managers are confirmed, appropriate disciplinary actions will be implemented.' However, this force claimed on Friday, September 9, that the torture and death of Mohammad Mir Mousavi resulted from the 'excitement' and 'anger' of the officers. Widespread criticism from social media users regarding the police's actions in recent days prompted Masoud Pezeshkian, the head of the fourteenth government, to react, calling for an investigation by the Minister of Interior regarding what Elias Hazrati, the head of the government's information council, referred to as 'the accidental death of a suspect in Lahijan.' Numerous reports have been published regarding the mistreatment and torture of detainees in the Islamic Republic's detention centers, but the authorities deny the torture of detainees. Activists and human rights organizations have repeatedly criticized the mistreatment and torture of detainees, and international organizations have called for an end to these practices. Increased violence by government officials against detainees; reports of a woman's death in a detention center in Khuzestan; exclusive details of the crackdown on imprisoned women protesters in Vakilabad; informed sources: protesters were 'tied to the bed like crusaders'; increase in cases of 'illness-inducing' political prisoners; Bahar Khaniabpour: I have also contracted an autoimmune disease; officials at Sepidar prison in Ahvaz oppose the treatment of 'Najaat Anvarhamidi'; human rights violations in Iran; plaintiffs with the hashtag 'Hear Our Voices' demand public attention.