Letter from the Human Rights Defenders Association to Javid Rahman; Lives of Prisoners at Risk

The Human Rights Defenders Association has expressed concern in a letter addressed to Javid Rahman, the Special Rapporteur on the "Human Rights Situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran," regarding the health and safety of thirteen prisoners transferred to Qazalhasar Prison. The association stated in the letter that 13 political prisoners from Evin Prison were transferred to Qazalhasar "without prior warning and contrary to the laws governing the execution of criminal judgments" and are being held in "complete insecurity" in the section for "dangerous prisoners" without the slightest access to hygiene, nutrition, or proper exercise facilities. The letter emphasized that these individuals began a hunger strike on September 3 in protest of this "illegal" action, and their "health is at risk." The Human Rights Defenders Association of Iran, while expressing concern for the health of these individuals, has urged Javid Rahman to pressure the Islamic Republic to adhere to prison laws and ensure the safety of prisoners, facilitating the return of the hunger-striking prisoners to Evin Prison. The prisoners transferred to Qazalhasar include Jafar Ebrahimi, Kamyar Fakour, Loqman Aminpour, Saeed Masouri, Afshin Baymani, Sepehr Imam Jom'e, Zartosht Ahmadi Raghb, Mohammad Shafaei, Saman Saidi (Yasin), Hamzeh Savari, Ahmadreza Haeri, Reza Salmanzadeh, and Masoudreza Ebrahimi Nejad. Also yesterday, Narges Mohammadi, the imprisoned vice president of the Human Rights Defenders Association, who is held in Evin Prison, emphasized in a phone call from inside the prison regarding the incidents that occurred to her in Evin's medical facility: "Any incident that happens to me is the responsibility of the Islamic Republic." This call followed the publication of news indicating that this political prisoner had been "beaten" due to her refusal to accept mandatory hijab hours earlier. The details of the incident were reflected in her Instagram post. Narges Mohammadi, a 51-year-old human rights activist in Iran, has been imprisoned multiple times. She was released in October 2020 after serving five years in prison but was sentenced again in June 2021 to 80 lashes and 30 months in prison on charges of "propaganda against the regime," "sit-in at the prison office," "disobedience to prison authorities," and "defamation." This human rights activist was imprisoned again in November 2021. Over the past year, she has repeatedly protested various issues from prison and has been sentenced for her stances to "propaganda activities" against the Islamic Republic. A few days ago, Hamzeh Savari, a political prisoner, described in a letter published on September 10 the details of the transfer of several political prisoners from Evin to Qazalhasar, calling the prison a "terrifying slaughterhouse" and warned that "we should expect a humanitarian disaster." On Thursday, September 7, Zartosht Ahmadi Raghb also stated in an audio message, a copy of which reached Voice of America, that 16 political prisoners were "abducted under extremely inhumane conditions" from sections four, six, and eight of Evin Prison and brought to Qazalhasar without prior notice. According to reports, these prisoners have been on hunger strike since their arrival at Qazalhasar in protest of their transfer and the poor conditions of the prison environment.