- Executions
After the prison riots in various prisons, the clerical regime used the death penalty in April 2020 to suppress prisoners and prevent further riots. This month, which coincided with the month of Ramadan, the regime executed the prisoners on the first day of Ramadan, unlike in previous years, when it did not publicly announce the execution of prisoners. The regime executed several prisoners who had escaped during the prison riots and were re-arrested or wounded. Several prisoners were also killed in the clashes.
On this month two political prisoner was executed. Mustafa Salimi, who fled the riots in Saqez Central Prison and fled to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. There he was arrested and handed over to the regime, and two days later he was executed.
Another political prisoner was Abdul Basit Dahani, who was executed in Zahedan Central Prison on charges of moharebeh (waging war against God). He was tortured and forced to confess.
Two child offenders were also sentenced to death this month.
Shayan Saeedpour escaped from the Saqez Central Prison after the riots but was arrested and executed the next day. He had an acute mental illness.
Majid Ismailzadeh was tortured in the Intelligence Office while protested his charge which was murder without committing murder. He came from a poor family and his family could not hire a lawyer for him. He was executed in Ardabil Central Prison.
During the Tabriz Central Prison riots, a prisoner named Shahram Baygan was severely beaten by security forces and his leg was broken. He was taken to hospital with serious injuries. After a few days, he was taken back to prison and executed before the start of office hours.
Seven prisoners were executed in Gohardasht prison in one day. One of the executed had lost an arm and a leg. One of the prisoners has been in prison for 28 years.
In April, a total of 34 prisoners, all men, were executed in prison on charges of moharebeh, hijacking, murder, drugs, corruption on earth, and rape.
These executions took place in the central prisons of Saqqez, Markazi Hamedan, Markazi Ardabil, Markazi Mashhad, Markazi Isfahan, Markazi Kermanshah, Markazi Sanandaj, Markazi Tabriz, Markazi Zahedan, Markazi Shiraz, Markazi Boroujerd, Markazi Urmia, Markazi Hamedan, Evin, Khalkhal, Gohardasht.
- Arrests
Despite the peak of Corona’s spread in Iran in April, the regime only granted leave to some prisoners. He also released a number who were about to complete their sentence. However, it prevented the release of political prisoners, especially pro-Mojahedin (MEK/PMOI) political prisoners. The regime also summoned several political, civil, and other activists to serve their prison sentences. The status of the arrests this month is as follows:
Arbitrary arrest:
In this month, 413 people were arrested under the headings of “illegal hunting, cutting down trees, holding various parties by environmental patrols and law enforcement.”
Political arrest:
68 because of the supporting the MEK, collaborating with Kurdish parties, sheltering prisoners who escaped from prison riots, publishing news about the coronavirus situation in Iran, publishing critical content on the Internet and conducting and collaborating at protest rallies were arrested by security officials, intelligence agents, intelligence agents of the IRGC, the FATA police and the state police.
Social arrest:
6105 people were arrested by the police for destroying national lands, administrative and financial corruption, and theft.
- Torture
During this month, many prisoners who took part in the prison riots were subjected to physical, mental, and psychological torture, the statistics, and names of which are unknown.
Other information which was collected and recorded are as follow:
There have been 22 cases of physical torture in Sheiban Prison, the Zahedan IRGC’s Intelligence Office, and Aminabad Hospital.
There have been 11 cases of psychological torture in Gohardasht Prison, Zahedan Central Prison, Sanandaj Central Prison, and Aminabad Hospital.
One case of deportation from Khorramabad Parsion Prison to Saravan city has been done.
- Arbitrary murder
Two citizens of different cities and two Colbars (Porters) were killed in the border areas by direct fire from the police and the Border Regiment.
One prisoner who participated in the prison riot was tortured to death.
Two prisoners committed suicide in different prisons and were rescued by their fellow prisoners.
Read More:
Iran Prisons See Executions as a Way to Distract From Coronavirus
