Mahmoud Sadqi: Instead of Threats, Allow Representatives to Visit Prisons

Mahmoud Sadqi, a representative from Tehran in the Parliament, reacted to the threat from the Prisons Organization to sue him by asking the organization to allow parliament members to visit prisons instead of resorting to 'threats of punishment.' In a Twitter message responding to the Prisons Organization's threat regarding those who raised the issue of 'forced medication' of detainees, he urged the organization to 'allow visits to prisons in response to repeated requests from representatives of the people instead of threats of punishment.' In another tweet, he wrote: 'It would be good for the Prisons Organization to explain what responsibility it has regarding a person who was delivered healthy and later handed over as a corpse to his family.' On Tuesday, January 16, he tweeted: 'One of the prisoners who recently died in prison told his family that prisoners have been forced to take pills that made them feel unwell.' However, the public relations department of the Prisons Organization described this claim as 'baseless' and an example of 'spreading lies and disturbing public opinion,' promising that those who raised it would be 'legally pursued in the public and revolutionary court of Tehran as soon as possible.' Previously, Mohammad Jafar Montazeri, the Attorney General of the country, announced that Sina Ghanbari, who died in Evin prison, was 'addicted' and had committed suicide. Officials from the Central Province police made similar claims regarding Vahid Jafari, who died in Arak prison. However, lawyer Mohammad Najafi denied the claims made by the Central Province police. A few days after these statements, Najafi was arrested in front of his home on January 25. Recently, news about the 'arrest of Shahaab Abtahi-Zadeh, a 20-year-old from Arak, and then the discovery of his body in front of his father's house' circulated on social media. However, Ghasem Abdollahi, the head of the Central Province judiciary, stated that the death of this individual 'has no connection to the recent unrest and that he died due to drug injection.' Nasrin Sotoudeh, a lawyer, has called for an independent committee to investigate these claims. According to Ms. Sotoudeh, 'Several detained protesters have told her via phone calls from Evin prison that security officials advised them before meeting with a judicial official in prison to request methadone during the meeting to expedite their release.' Besides Vahid Heydari and Sina Ghanbari, whose deaths the Islamic Republic officials deny are connected to recent protests, according to statistics announced by Iranian television and statements from parliament members, 25 people have been killed in protest gatherings. Meanwhile, reports have also emerged about the deaths of other individuals, including Saro Ghahramani in Sanandaj and Mohsen Adeli in Dezful, but Islamic Republic officials have denied these reports. The governor of Sanandaj claimed that Saro Ghahramani was 'affiliated with terrorist groups,' but Mr. Ghahramani's relatives have rejected this claim. Islamic Republic officials use the term 'terrorist groups' to refer to their armed opposition. Regarding the police shooting at people in Minab, a video has recently circulated on social media showing police shooting at people in Minab, Hormozgan Province. However, according to ILNA news agency, Mostafa Zolghadr, the representative of this district in Parliament, stated on Friday that this video 'has no connection to recent protests' and pertains to the pursuit of a vehicle carrying 'alcohol.' According to Mr. Zolghadr, this vehicle entered a village, and 'some residents of the area, unaware of the original story, attempted to support this vehicle, and as a result, police officers had to shoot and disperse the crowd using plastic bullets.' Reports indicate that over 40 parliament members sent a letter to Ali Larijani, the Speaker of Parliament, requesting the formation of an independent group to investigate the causes of death of several detainees from recent protests in prisons. Hossein Ali Amiri, the parliamentary deputy of the President, also stated in an interview with ILNA that 43 parliament members have requested the release of detainees from recent protests, especially female students, in a letter to Hassan Rouhani. He announced that the government would pursue issues related to detainees to the extent of its authority. Mr. Amiri also expressed ignorance of reports regarding 'mistreatment' of detainees, saying, 'Ask the Minister of Justice; he will respond to you.' The parliamentary deputy of the President also mentioned that the Minister of Justice is following up on parliament members' requests to visit Evin prison. After the death of Sina Ghanbari, several parliament members have requested to visit Evin prison, but the judiciary has not yet approved their request. In this context, the Prisons Organization denied the 'coercion' of prisoners to 'consume any medication.' The Ministry of Science stated: 'We do not have accurate statistics on the number of detained students.' Sadqi mentioned: 'One of those who died in prison reported forced medication of prisoners.' Families of imprisoned students continue to express their concerns and lack of information.