Prison Guards Storm Prisoners in Urmia Prison
Published by Ali on December 1, 2020International Liberty Association: Urmia prison guards storm inmates in this prison on Wednesday over fears of contamination amid a Covid-19 outbreak. Inmates in wards 1, 2,3 and 4 of Urmia Prison started to protest when a prisoner, named Hojjat Kazemzadeh, set himself on fire, protesting the authorities’ prevention of his release despite his one-year sentence.
Prison guards beat and brutalized the 30-year-old protesting prisoner who sustained burns injuries.
It should be mentioned that, Hojjat Kazemzadeh had previously sewed his lips and went on hunger strike 18 days after completing his one-year sentence on 17 November this year. He ended his hunger strike a few days later after the authorities agreed to release him.
Angry prisoners broke all the windows and set fire to their blankets inside the hall in front of the guard officer’s room.
The prison guards went to the prison’s ward and beat protesting prisoners. Keramat, Heydari and Babaei were among those who beat the prisoners.
However, at least 15 prisoners have been taken to hospital so far, due to the beatings and their deteriorating condition. Prison guards cut off all telephones so that news of the riot could not be leaked outside the prison.
ILA: The authorities and prison guards recently raided the ward where political prisoners are detained in the Central Prison of Urmia. They inspected the inmates, brutalized them, destroyed their belongings &relocated them to a high security ward called, “dormitory 10”.