Reported by PMOI/MEK
Iran- Feb. 10, 2019 – Security forces of Qarchak Prison in Varamin, southeast of Tehran, cracked down on the inmates of this women’s prison on Thursday night local time, using tear gas and pepper spray. Wards 1 and 2 came under a vicious attack and reports indicate these attacks continued into Friday.
Many female prisoners have reportedly been severely beaten and are in need of medical care.
This raid began when the inmates of Ward 1 and 2 requested authorities provide medical care to one of their cellmates, protesting the prison officials’ neglect. The prison guards attacked the wards following this protest.
Prisoners set fire to their beds and bed sheets in order to neutralize the effects of the pepper spray and tear gas fired in the closed area. Prison authorities used a fire engine to extinguish the fire while women were still trapped in their ward. They subsequently cut off the electricity and gas inside the ward and let the prisoners remain in the cold weather after being drenched by the fire engine. Despite inhaling large amounts of pepper spray and tear gas, the prisoners were left unattended to until Friday morning.
According to reports by family members of the prisoners, during the attack, the prisoners were severely beaten and injured, and some were taken to the prison medical center.
Responding to reports of the attack that began on Thursday, February 7, 2019, Amnesty International’s Research and Advocacy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Philip Luther said, “The reports of the Iranian prison guards’ reckless and heavy-handed response to protests at Shahr-e-Rey prison are deeply alarming. Many prisoners were reported to have received hospital treatment for the effects of tear gas.
“Prison authorities must refrain from using unnecessary and excessive force against prisoners. Instead of carrying out violent raids against prisoners, they should be working to address the inhumane and squalid conditions at Shahr-e Rey prison.”
Further reports indicate a number of the Qarchak inmates were violently transferred to Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison.
On Saturday, 40 female prisoners, with their heads covered with sacks, were transferred to Ward 240 of Evin Prison.
