Testimonies of Qazalhasar Prisoners on Increased Executions and Violence; Prison Organization Claims: 'They Have Welfare Standards'

A number of prisoners convicted of 'public crimes' held in Qazalhasar prison protested against the implementation of death sentences in this prison and the violent and insulting behavior of prison officials towards them. The Prison Organization claims that they have 'necessary standards and welfare' like all prisons. These protesting prisoners, who recorded their collective testimony in a video sent from inside Qazalhasar prison in Alborz province and published by human rights sources on Wednesday, June 9, described some of what happens to prisoners in this facility and requested help. The protesting prisoners, gathered in Unit One of Hall Seven of Qazalhasar prison, indicated an increase in the number of executions, stating that 'between 10 to 20' prisoners are taken 'from here to be killed' every week, and that they are subjected to 'obscene insults' and 'not allowed to live.' In response to the publication of this collective testimony, the public relations office of the Tehran Province Prisons Organization referred to them as 'a group of convicts related to drug offenses.' According to the Mizan news agency affiliated with the judiciary, the public relations office of the Prison Organization claimed that these prisoners 'like all prisons, have the necessary conditions and welfare standards.' This organization, a subsidiary of the judiciary, also claimed that 'prisons are managed according to the type of crimes of the offenders, considering the principle of classification, respecting human dignity, and under necessary control so that prisoners can spend their imprisonment under the corrective and educational measures of the prisons.' This claim comes despite numerous reports of the unsanitary and substandard conditions of the Islamic Republic's prisons in Iran, repeatedly published by human rights organizations and media, with many prisoners testifying that the 'principle of classification' of prisoners is not adhered to in Iranian prisons. For instance, political prisoner Zartosht Ahmadi Ragheb, on September 6 last year, after being transferred along with several other political prisoners to Qazalhasar, described the situation in this prison as 'extremely inhuman and unsanitary' in a message whose audio file reached VOA, stating that they were forced to enter their cells with 'very harsh, ugly, and insulting treatment.' In recent days, political prisoner Zia Nabavi, held in Evin, in a letter stated that the 'infestation of bedbugs' in the eighth ward of this prison has caused 'mental and physical distress' to the prisoners, testifying that 'the basic and health rights of prisoners' are being ignored. Additionally, Mahbubeh Rezaei, a political prisoner from Borazjan currently in Evin prison, had previously exposed her past detention experience from Bushehr prison regarding 'intimidation, torture, threats, assault, and rape.' Previously, an informed source described the situation in Behbahan prison as 'hell,' stating that this prison lacks sufficient sanitary, medical, and welfare facilities for prisoners. Despite restrictions on the presence of free media and international human rights organizations in Iran, numerous reports of unsanitary and substandard conditions in the Islamic Republic's prisons have been reported by political and civil prisoners. For instance, Reporters Without Borders, based on letters from Narges Mohammadi and Aliyeh Matlabi regarding the situation in the city of Rey (Qarchak) prison, which is designated for women, described the conditions of holding prisoners there as 'inhuman and distressing' and requested the United Nations to take 'serious action' to investigate the disastrous health and hygiene situation of this prison. Reports indicate that every six hours, a prisoner is executed in Iran.