The 'Severe' Condition of 75 Political and Security Prisoners in Ward 7 of Evin Prison

The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran reported on Wednesday, December 19, citing an informed source, that the condition of about 75 political-security prisoners in Ward 7 of Evin Prison is becoming 'severer' day by day. According to this informed source, these prisoners were transferred about four months ago from Ward 350 of Evin Prison to the basement of Ward 7, which has 'four windowless rooms.' The source added, 'The small windows of the rooms, which are level with the ground, have been blocked. Since the sewage drainage from the medical facility on the upper floor of the prison occurs behind these windows, and trucks carrying food and supplies park in front of these windows for unloading and loading, they are constantly filled with smoke and noise, leaving no possibility for the windows to be opened.' This source stated that these conditions, along with the presence of 'humidity' in this ward, have 'caused and exacerbated' heart, respiratory, and skin diseases among the prisoners. Reports indicate that following widespread reactions to the 'beating' of prisoners in Ward 350 by prison guards and security agents on Thursday, April 28, several prisoners from this ward were transferred in late August to a building that had previously been the quarantine section of Ward 7 of Evin Prison. The quarantine section is designed for the initial accommodation of newly arrived prisoners, and those who report to Evin Prison to serve their sentences usually spend their first one or two days in this ward. The informed source further stated that the place where these prisoners are held is 'lacking' a yard, and prisoners in this section are not allowed to move around in the yards of other wards of the prison. They added, 'The quarantined prisoners of Ward 7 are also deprived of outdoor exercise and the use of the prison's football and volleyball halls, while other prisoners in the wards of Evin Prison have full access to these facilities on a daily basis.' They also mentioned that fruits and vegetables are 'rarely' available in the store of this ward, and as a result, prisoners sometimes go 'three weeks' without being able to buy fruits and vegetables. International human rights organizations have repeatedly expressed concern about the conditions of political prisoners in Iran and the violation of their rights. Meanwhile, the Human Rights Defenders Center, while commemorating December 10, International Human Rights Day, named Zahra Rahnavard, Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi, and other political and ideological prisoners in Iran as 'victims of human rights violations.' This center, led by Shirin Ebadi, called on the Iranian government to respond 'satisfactorily' to the 'demands of the people,' part of which includes lifting house arrest and freeing political and ideological prisoners. In a statement published on their website on Thursday, December 20, this human rights organization also called for the expansion of opportunities for free expression, ensuring security for dissenters and critics, and the safety of citizens in carrying out civil activities. According to the Human Rights Defenders Center, Iran has had a 'high rate' of victims of human rights violations in the areas of freedom of expression and belief and activity in civil society in recent years, with political and ideological prisoners and those under house arrest being 'the most prominent' among them. Shirin Ebadi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and head of the Human Rights Defenders Center, stated in an interview with the Associated Press on November 20 that the human rights situation in Iran during Hassan Rouhani's presidency is 'as bad' as during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency and in some cases 'even worse.'