Warning Letter by Ahmad Shirani, prisoner, Regarding Corona crisis
Published by Ali on April 1, 2020
International Liberty Association: An exiled political prisoner in Ardebil prison, Shirahmad Shirani, has written an open letter warning that political prisoners are not being granted leave and that they are at risk of death due to the spread of the Coronaviru in the country. The political prisoner has described the rejection of the release of political prisoners as an extrajudicial decision that would endanger the lives of prisoners and society.
Following the widespread outbreak of the Coronavirus and rising concerns over the fate of hundreds of thousands of prisoners, the head of the judiciary issued two Circular in March aimed at controlling the health status of prisons, announced conditions for sending prisoners on leave, mainly involving financial prisoners as well as inmates with less than 5 years sentence.
These conditions are more restricted for prisoners of conscience, civil activists, and political prisoners, in addition to the fact that judicial authorities or the organization of prisons prevent the leave of some prisoners of conscience unlawfully.
Mr Shirani wrote in part of the letter: “I would emphasize that if the supreme judicial and security authorities of the country do not take immediate and urgent action to safeguard the health and lives of political prisoners and facilitate the release of prisoners, especially prisoners with heavy sentences who have never been on leave before, undoubtedly many of these prisoners will fall victim before the eyes of the world, and then history will judge the deliberate nature of this tragedy.”
ILA will release the full letter in a couple of days.
