Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, March 11, 2020—According to reports by Iranian human rights activists, some of the protesters arrested during the November nationwide uprisings are kept among ordinary prisoners infected with coronavirus in halls 6, 7 and 9 of Karaj Central prison.
Some prisoners in hall 6 have contracted coronavirus and one of them has even died in this hall. Nine other arrested protesters are kept in hall 7 of Karaj Prison.
Also many prisoners in Zahedan Prison have contracted coronavirus and some of them are hospitalized in a critical situation in Bu Ali Sina and Khatam hospitals.
Because of regime’s negligence to the life of prisoners and refusing to give them furlough, the number of prisoners who contract coronavirus rises every day.
According to credible reports, many prisoners in Karaj’s Ghezelhesar Prison have contracted coronavirus. These prisoners were separated from the prison ward and quarantined. The mullahs’ regime is refusing to give furloughs to other prisoners. The families and relatives of these prisoners are extremely worried about their loved ones.
In this regard a group of political prisoners who were arrested during the November nationwide uprising issued a statement on the situation:
“We are a group of prisoners in Evin Prison (Tehran) arrested during the November nationwide uprising. We express our sympathy with the Iranian people who have been hit the coronavirus disaster and are once again are victims to the inhumane policies of the regime. We remind that the reason for this situation is the virus that has ruled the country for forty years.
“At the time that because of the coronavirus people are in the worst conditions and are being deprived of minimum international standards, the regime’s suppression and secrecy has turned the virus into a national catastrophe.
“The prisoners are not spared from this disaster and are in critical condition. At the time that prisoners face lack of health masks, disinfectants and medicines in prison, in the past few days some of them have contracted coronavirus and we are witnessing prison doctors deliberately refusing to diagnose prisoners with coronavirus symptoms. Despite sending prisoners to the prison clinic and long delays, on various pretexts they are eventually returned to prison without examination and prescriptions. Prison officials are refusing even families to give medicines to prisoners.
“We ask the World Health Organization (WHO) and International human rights institutions to visit the situation in prisons and to act for saving the life of the prisoners and avoid a humanitarian disaster.”
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) said in this regard: “The true dimensions of the clerical regime’s ruthlessness and crimes can best be seen in abandoning hundreds of thousands of prisoners who are defenseless against this virus.”
Mrs. Rajavi called on the UN Security Council, the UN Secretary General, the UN Human Rights Council, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and other relevant international organizations to condemn the clerical regime for its continued criminal cover-up of the spread of coronavirus in Iran, which has endangered the lives of people in Iran and other countries.
She also urged international bodies to prevent a major humanitarian catastrophe by taking immediate action to save the lives and health of prisoners, particularly the political prisoners who are under torture and face added pressure and limitations.
