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Leaked official letters reveal state denial of COVID-19 crisis in Iran’s prisons
July 31st, 2020
Dear friends,
Please find attached and copied below a press release about COVID-19 in Iran’s prisons. In a series of leaked letters, exclusively seen by Amnesty International, Iranian prison authorities made repeated urgent requests to the Ministry of Health for resources to tackle COVID-19. The letters have been ignored. This is especially damning given that the head of the organization which signed the letters has publicly called Iran’s measures to tackle COVID-19 in prisons “exemplary”. The press release is available at the following link: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/07/iran-leaked-letters-reveal-state-denial-of-covid19-crisis-in-prisons/
Best wishes
Iran team
Amnesty International
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PRESS RELEASE
Iran: Leaked official letters reveal state denial of COVID-19 crisis in prisons
Leaked official documents newly obtained by Amnesty International reveal that the Iranian government has ignored repeated pleas by senior officials responsible for managing Iran’s prisons for additional resources to control the spread of COVID-19 and treat infected prisoners.
The organization reviewed copies of four letters signed by officials at Iran’s Prisons Organization, which operates under the supervision of the judiciary, to the Ministry of Health, raising the alarm over serious shortages of protective equipment, disinfectant products, and essential medical devices. The Ministry of Health failed to respond, and Iran’s prisons remain catastrophically unequipped for outbreaks. The details in the letters stand in stark contrast to public statements by the former head of the Prisons Organization and current advisor to the head of the judiciary, Asghar Jahangir, who has lauded Iran’s “exemplary” initiatives to protect prisoners from the pandemic, and denied reports of increasing infection rates and COVID-19-related deaths inside prisons resulting from overcrowding, unsanitary conditions and lack of access to health care.
“These official letters provide damning evidence of the government’s appalling failure to protect prisoners. Requests for urgently needed disinfectant products, protective equipment and medical devices have been ignored for months. This is particularly alarming as the letters also note the presence of a highly vulnerable population in Iran’s prisons” said Diana Eltahawy, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa. “Overcrowding, poor ventilation, lack of basic sanitation and medical equipment, and deliberate neglect of prisoners’ health problems, are making Iranian prisons a perfect breeding ground for COVID-19. The Iranian authorities must stop denying the health crisis in Iran’s prisons and take urgent steps to protect prisoners’ health and lives.”
The head of the health care office of the Prisons Organization first submitted a letter to Iran’s Ministry of Health on 29 February 2020. Four follow-up letters were submitted on 25 March 2020, 12 May 2020, 14 June 2020, and 5 July 2020 and these have been seen by Amnesty International. The letter dated 25 March 2020 requests disinfectant products and protective equipment to last three months, including “5,400,000 masks, 10,000 N95 masks, 3,600,000 latex gloves, 10,000,000 plastic gloves, 450,000 litres of hand sanitizers and 1,000,000 litres of surface disinfectant, 5,000 face shields, 5,000 protective goggles, 5,000 protective gowns, 300 air ventilation systems and 250 de-infestation machines”.
The letter also highlights the urgent need for funding to purchase hundreds of essential medical devices including blood pressure and blood glucose monitors, thermometers, pulse oximeters, stethoscopes and defibrillators. While the letter does not clarify how many prisons these items and devices are intended for, the figures raise concerns about very serious shortages in prisons across the country. The letter warns that “security hazards” and “irreparable harm” will result from inaction, particularly considering that Iran’s prisons are “populated with individuals who have pre-existing medical problems, use drugs, and/or suffer from malnutrition, anaemia, and infectious diseases such as HIV, hepatitis and tuberculosis”.
It also notes that Iran’s prisons house “older [people], pregnant women, nursing mothers and their infants who suffer from a weak immune system due to their low socio-economic status and hygiene”. Subsequent letters repeat these requests and note the absence of any government response. In the latest letter obtained by Amnesty International, dated 5 July 2020, a senior official at the Prisons Organization states that they had received no response from the Ministry of Health and asks for an urgent meeting.
State denial
On 6 April 2020, Asghar Jahangir said in a media interview that Iran must be recognized internationally for its efforts to protect prisoners during the COVID-19 outbreak, and claimed that prisoners enjoy “better standards of health care and sanitation than they would in society”. He also claimed that medical teams had been stationed in prisons across the country to monitor the health of prisoners daily, and that prisoners who show symptoms are immediately tested and transferred to hospitals outside the prison if the results are positive. As a result, he claimed that there has not even been a single case of COVID-19 related death in prisons. However, the documents obtained by Amnesty International, together with the information received from prisoners and their families and independent human rights defenders, paint a far grimmer picture. Amnesty International has received distressing reports of prisoners displaying COVID-19 symptoms being neglected for days, even when they have pre-existing heart and lung problems, diabetes or asthma. When their conditions worsen, many are merely quarantined in a separate section in the prison or placed in solitary confinement, without access to adequate health care.
At least one prisoner who tested positive, Zeynab Jalalian, has been forcibly disappeared since 25 June 2020; she had been on hunger strike from six days earlier over the authorities’ refusal to transfer her to a medical centre outside Shahr-e Rey prison (also known as Gharchak prison) in Tehran province for COVID-19 related treatment. Sometimes, as seen most recently in the case of ailing human rights defender and prisoner of conscience Narges Mohammadi, authorities have refused to inform prisoners of the results of their COVID-19 tests. Independent human rights groups with contacts inside prisons have reported more than 20 cases of suspected COVID-19 related deaths in prisons including from Ghezel Hesar prison (2) in Alborz province; Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary (6) and Shahr-e Rey prison (2) in Tehran Province; Urumieh prison (8) in West Azerbaijan province; Kamyaran (1) and Saqez (1) prisons in Kurdistan province; and Sepidar prison (1) in Khuzestan province. A request by WHO officials to visit Evin prison in Tehran was rejected in March 2020, according to media reports.
Cruel and inhumane conditions
The Iranian authorities announced that between late February and late May 2020, they had temporarily released around 128,000 prisoners on furlough and pardoned another 10,000 in response to the outbreak. On 15 July 2020, as COVID-19 cases spiked again, the spokesperson of the judiciary announced that the head of the judiciary had issued new guidelines to facilitate a second round of leaves. However, hundreds of prisoners of conscience have been excluded from these welcome measures, including human rights defenders, foreign and dual nationals, environmentalists, individuals detained due to their religious beliefs and people arbitrarily detained in connection with the November 2019 protests. The authorities have also continued to detain unjustly convicted protesters, dissidents, minority rights activists and human rights defenders to begin serving prison sentences. Some prisoners of conscience who had been granted leave in March 2020 have also been called back to prison. According to recent official statements, as of 13 June 2020, Iran’s prison population was around 211,000, two and half times more than the officially declared capacity of 85,000. In July of last year, Iran’s prison population was 240,000, according to officials. Other widely documented concerns in Iran’s prisons include lack of proper ventilation and air conditioning facilities, filthy and insufficient bathroom facilities, lack of adequate facilities and products for prisoners to wash their dishes and clothes and maintain personal hygiene, low water pressure in the showers, widespread insect infestations, insufficient potable water and low quality food, and a severe shortage of beds, meaning many prisoners have to sleep on the floor. Since the outbreak of the virus, in some prisons, prisoners have also complained about the authorities’ improper use of bleach to disinfect surfaces, exacerbating poor air quality and leading to severe coughs, chest tightness and asthma attacks. Amnesty International has previously documented the Iranian authorities’ deliberate denial of health care to prisoners of conscience and others held in relation to politically-motivated cases, putting their lives and health at grave risk. In some cases, the denial of health care was intended to punish, intimidate or humiliate prisoners or obtain forced “confessions”. “We once again call on Iranian authorities to urgently address overcrowding in prisons, including by immediately and unconditionally releasing all those detained for the peaceful exercise of their rights,” said Diana Eltahawy. “They must also consider releasing others, especially children, pre-trial detainees, and those who may be more at risk from the virus. Prisoners must have equal access to COVID-19 prevention, testing and treatment.” Amnesty International also calls on the Iranian authorities to ensure access to adequate food, water, health care, hygiene and bedding for all prisoners. They should end the use of torture and other ill-treatment, treat detainees with dignity and humanity, and allow international monitors, including the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, to conduct independent, unannounced inspections of prisons in line with international standards.
Background
Since March 2020, the appalling conditions in Iran’s prisons and concerns over the spread of the coronavirus have led to hunger strikes, protests, rioting and escape attempts in prisons across the country. The authorities have generally responded to the protests in prisons violently, using excessive or unnecessary force, and in some casesfiring tear gas, metal pellets and live ammunition, resulting in deaths and injuries.
For more information please contact press@amnesty.org
بهرهو پێشوازی سی ویهك ساڵهی تێرۆری ناجوامێرانهی دۆكتۆر قاسملووی ڕێبهر و هاوڕێیانی له ڤییهن
بهرهو پێشوازی سی ویهك ساڵهی تێرۆری ناجوامێرانهی دۆكتۆر قاسملووی ڕێبهر و هاوڕێیانی له ڤییهن
ئاماده كردن و لێكۆڵینهوه : ئهمین خهواله
ڕۆژنامهنووس و ههواڵنێر
١١ی مانگى ٧ ی ٢٠٢٠
له كاتێكدا ۳۱ ساڵ به سهر تێرۆری ڕیبهری نهتهوهیی گهلی كورد له ڕۆژههڵاتی كوردستان و سكرتێری پێشووی حیزبی دیموكراتی كوردستانی ئێران و هاوڕێیانی له ڤییهن پێتهختی وڵاتی ئۆتریش تێپهڕدهبێت، كۆمهڵگای جیهانی و ڕێكخراوه مافی مرۆڤییهكان و دهزگا دادپهروهرییه نێودهوڵهتییهكانی جیهانی چاوی خۆیان له ئاست دهرئهنجامی دۆسیهی تێرۆری دۆكتۆرر قاسملوو و هاوڕێیانی داخستووه و بێدهنگی باڵی به سهر ئاكامی تێرۆریستاندا كیشاوه و سهرپۆشی له سهر دانراوه.
دوابهدوای فهرمانی جیهادی خۆمهینی دژی گهلی كورد و دهربازبوونی ۱۰ ساڵ شهڕی دهستهویهخه له ناوچه كوردنشینهكانی ڕۆژههڵاتی كوردستان له نێوان پیشمهرگهكانی حیزبی دێمۆكراتی كوردستانی ئێران به ڕێبهرایهتیی شههید دوكتۆر عهبدولڕهحمان قاسملوو سكرتێری گشتی ئهو كاتی حیزب له لایهكهوه و پاسدار و چهكدارهكانی ڕژیمی كۆماری ئیسلامی ئێران له لایهكی دیكهوه، بڕیاری وتووێژ و دانووستان له نێوان بهرپرسانی ڕژیمی كۆماری ئیسلامی و هێزهكانی ح
یزبی دێمۆكرات به ڕێبهرایهتیی دوكتۆر قاسملوو به نێوانجییگهری ڕێزدار جهلال تاڵهبانی سكرتێری گشتیی یهكیهتی نیشتمانی كوردستانی باشوور له وڵاتێكی بێ لایهنی ئهوروپایی هاته ئاراوه و لایهنهكان دوای چهندین جار دانیشتن و كۆبوونهوه به دهرئهنجامێكی ئهوتۆ نهگهیشتن و له دوایین كۆبۆنهوهی هاوبهشییان له شاری ڤییهن پێتهختی وڵاتی ئۆتریش له ڕێكهوتی ۲۲ی پووشپهڕی ساڵی ۱۳۶۸ی ههتاوی بهرانبهر به ۱۳ی جوولای ساڵی ۱۹۶۹ی زایینی دۆكتۆر قاسملووی ڕێبهر هاوڕێ له گهڵ هاوڕێی بهڕێز كاك عهبدوڵا قادری ئازهر و دۆكتۆر فازیل ڕهسووڵ له سهر مێزی وتووێژ له لایهن دیپلۆماته تێرۆریست پهروهرهكانی ڕژیمی كۆماری ئیسلامی هاتنه تێرۆر كردن و به داخهوه دۆكتۆر قاسملوو و هاوڕێیانی شههید كران و لهوپهڕی چاوهڕوانیی نهكراوی دا بكوژانی دۆكتۆر قاسملوو و هاوڕێیانی دوای چهن ڕۆژ ڕادهستی كۆماری ئیسلامی كرانهوه.
له گهڵ ئهوهی له ماوهی چهند ساڵی ڕابردوودا دۆسیهی تێرۆری ڕێبهری نیشتمانی ڕۆژههڵاتی كوردستان و هاوڕێیانی دانهخراوه و هێشتا ههر وا كراوهیه بهڵام تا ئێستاش هیچ دهرئهنجامێكی ئهوتۆی نهبووه و تێرۆریستان ههر وا به ئازادی هاتووچۆ ئهكهن و دهزگای دادپهروهری ولاتی ئۆتریش تا ئێستاش هیچ بڕیارێكی گرینگی سهبارهت به دهسبهسهر كران و گهمارۆ له سهر بكوژان دهرنهكردووه و به ئاشكرا چاوی خۆی له ئاستی ئهو دۆسیه داخستووه و له ئاستی ئهو جینایهته دژی مرۆڤایهتییهی كۆماری ئیسلامی بێدهنگی ههڵبژاردووه.
گهلۆ بێدهنگی و چاو داخستنی بهرپرسانی وڵاته ئهوروپییهكان و رێكخراوه نێودهوڵهتییهكان بۆ چی دهگهڕێتهوه؟ بۆ پارچه پارچه بوونی كوردستانی نیشتمان! یان فره حیزبی و لهت لهت بوونی حیزب و ڕێكخراوهكانمان؟ له ڕاستییدا كورد له ساڵانی ڕابردوو دا نهیتوانیوه ببێته خاوهنی بهرهیهكی یهكگرتوو و هاوبهش له یهكیهتی ئهوروپا و شهڕی كورسی و دهسهڵات حیزبهكانی كوردستانی له ههموو پارچهكان لهت و پهت كردووه و ههر پارچهیهك و ههر حیزبێك بۆ خۆی ڕێبهرێك و پێشهوایهكی دیاریكردووه و چاویان له ئاستی یهكدی ههڵنایهت و هیچ كام له پارچهكان یان حیزبهكان ڕێبهری لایهنی بهرانبهریان وهكوو ڕێبهر و پێشهوای خۆیان یان لانیكهم وهكوو بهرپرسێك و شۆڕشگێڕێك قهبووڵ نییه و ههر بۆیهش وڵاتانی ڕۆژئاوایی تا ئێستاش یهكدهنگی و هاوپشتی گهلی كوردییان نهدیووه و بۆیه له بهرانبهر ساتووسهوداكانی كۆماری ئیسلامیی و وهرگرتنی چهند بهرمیل نهوت و ههڕهشهكانی ڕژیمی كۆماری ئیسلامیی بێدهنگییان له ههمبهر دۆسیهی تێرۆری ڕێبهری نهتهوهیی گهلی كورد ههڵبژاردووه و حیزبی دێموكرات و بهرپرسانی به تهنیایی تا ئێستا نهیانتوانیوه دهرئهنجامی دهزگا دادپهروهرییهكانی ئۆتریش و یهكیهتی ئهوروپا به لای خۆیاندا ههڵبهگهڕێننهوه و توانای بهڕێوهبردنی ئهو ئهركهیان نهبووه.
فرۆشتنی چهك و تهقهمهنی به لایهنهكانی شهڕی ۸ ساڵهی نێوان ڕژیمی كۆماری ئیسلامی ئیران و ڕژیمی بهعسی عێراق له لایهن وڵاته ڕۆژئاواییهكان و له سهرووی ههموویانهوه وڵاتی ئۆتریش، وهكوو ئامرازێك بۆ كارتی گوشار به كار هێنرا بۆ وهرگرتنهوهی دیپلۆمات تێرۆریستهكانی ئێران له ژێر دهستی دهزگا دادپهروهرییهكانی وڵاتی نهمسا و دادگای مافی مرۆڤی یهكیهتی ئهوروپا و له ڕاستییدا بكوژانی ڕێبهری كورد و هاوڕێیانی به ئێسكۆرتهوه بهرهو تاران ڕهوانه كرانهوه و سهرپۆش له سهر دوسیهی تێرۆری دوكتۆر قاسملوو و هاوڕێیانی دانرا و له لایهكی دیكهش وهكوو باس كرا نهبوونی لۆبییهكی یهكگرتووی كورد ڕهوتی بهرهو پێش چوونی دوسیهكه به ئاقارێكی دوابهدوا دا كێشا و ڕێكخراوه مافی مرۆڤییهكان و ناوهنده لێكۆڵینهوه نێودهوڵهتییهكانیش گوێی خۆیان لی خهواند و دوای تێپهڕبوونی ۳۱ ساڵ به سهر ئهو جینایهته دژی مرۆڤایهتییهدا بكوژان و تێرۆریستانی كۆماری ئیسلامی و بهرپرسانی ئهو ڕژیمه دیكتاتۆره هیشتا بهردهوامن له درێژه پێدان به تێرۆری نێودهوڵهتیی و ههنارده كردنی تێرۆر بۆ ههموو جیهان به گشتی و ڕۆژههڵاتی ناوین به تایبهتی.
دوای كهمتر له ساڵێك دهزگای تیرۆری ڕژیمی كۆنهپهرهستی ئێران جارێكی دیكه دهستی به خوێنی ڕێبهرێكی دیكهی گهلی كورد، دوكتۆر سادق شهرهفكهندی و هاوڕێیانی سوور كرد و ئهمجاره له شوێنی نانخواردن و له رێستوورانتێك به ناوی میكۆنۆس له وڵاتی ئاڵمان دوكتۆر شهرهفكهندی و هاوڕێیانی كرانه ئامانج و زۆر بێڕهحمانه شههید كران و كۆماری ئیسلامی پهڕهیهكی ڕهشی دیكهی بۆ خۆی و ڕژیمهكهی تۆمار كرد و جارێكی دیكه بۆ ههموو جیهانی ئاشكرا كرد كه دژی دێمۆكراسی و ئازادی و مافی چارهنووسی گهلان و نهتهوهكانهی وڵاتهكهیهتی وڵاتێك كه به ناحهق خۆی به سهر نهتهوهكانی دانیشتووی ههموو ناوچهكانی دا زاڵ كردووه و بووه به خاوهنی ژێرخانی ئابووری و مافی چارهنووسی ئهو نهتهوانه و بهردهوامه له چهوساندنهوهیان ولێك بهردان و درووست كردنی شهڕ و ئاڵۆزی له نێوانیان دا به بیانووی جیاخوازی و پارچهپارچهكردن و دابهش كردنی خاكی وڵاتێكی وههمی به ناوی ئێران.
له ئێستادا پێكهێنانی بهرهیهكی ڕاستهقینه بۆ وهدیهینانی مافه ڕهواكانی نهتهوهكهمان و دهربازبوون له سنوورهكانی چهوساندنهوه زیاتر له پێشوو ههستی پێ دهكرێت و پێویسته بهڵام مخابن فره حیزبی و شهڕی ئاڵا و شهڕی ئایدیۆلۆژیا یاڵی به سهر ههموو پارچهكانی نیشتمانهكهماندا كێشاوه و دهربازبوون له قهیرانی كورسی و دهسهڵات پهرهستی و ههنگاو ههڵهێنان بهرهو پێكھینانی ئامانجێكی هاوبهش و یهكگرتوو زۆری ماوه و زهحمهته.
با له بیر نهكرێت داواكاری دوكتۆر قاسملوو له بهرپرسانی ڕژیمی تیرۆریستی كۆماری ئیسلامی تهنیا به فهرمیی ناسینی سنوورهكانی كوردستان و مافی دابین كردنی چارهنووسی نهتهوهی كورد و خوێندن به زمانی دایكی له سنوورهكانی كوردستان بوو كه به داخهوه شهمشه كوێرهكانی ڕژیمی و دوژمنانی ئازادی چاویان له ئاست بهختهوهری نهتهوهی كورد و ئاوابوونی خاكی كوردستان ههڵنههات و له كاتی وتووێژ و دانووستان و به پێی بهرنامهیهكی له پێشدا داڕێژراو ڕیبهری نهتهوهیی گهلی كورد و سكرتێری گشتیی حیزبی دێموكرات و هاوڕێیانی زۆر بێ بهزهییانه كهوتنه بهر ئاگری غهزهبیان و به گوللهی ڕق و كینهی ڕژیم تێرۆر و شههید كران. بهڵام ناوی دوكتۆر قاسملوو وهكوو ناوی پێشهوا قازی مۆحهممهد و وهكوو ناوی سمكۆی نهمر به نهمری مایهوه و تهنیا ڕووڕهشی و پهڵهیهكی رهشی دیكه خرایه سهر كارنامهی چهپهڵی كاربهدهستانی كۆماری پهت و سێداره و تا ئێستاش ترس له ئهویندارانی قاسملوو و هاوڕێیانی خهونی له چاویان حهرام كردووه و تا ئێستاش شۆڕشگێڕان و تێكۆشهرانی حیزبی دێموكرات ئێعدام و تیرۆر دهكرێن. ئهمه له كاتیكدایه نهمامی ئازادی كه له لایهن دوكتۆر قاسملوو و ڕێبهرانی نهتهوهیی دیكهوه چیندرا ساڵ له گهڵ ساڵ باڵا دهكات و گهورهتر و ئهسنوورتر دهبێت و ههستی نهتهوهیی لاوان و تیكۆشهرانی وڵاتهكهمان نهوه له دوای نهوه زیاتر باڵا دهكات و به هێزتر دهبێت.
ههموو ساڵێك وهكوو نهریتێك له لایهن كوردستانیانی دانیشتووی ناوخۆ و دهرهوهی وڵات یادی شههیدان كرانی دوكتۆر قاسملوو بهرز و بهڕێز ڕادهگیرێت و بكوژان و ڕژیمی تێرۆریست پهروهری كۆماری ئیسلامی ئێران له ئاستی نێودهوڵهتیی و ههموو جیهاندا شهرمهزار دهكرێت و له لایهن كوردستانیانهوه له گهڵ ڕیبهرانی نهتهوهیی گهلی كورد و له سهرووی ههموویانهوه شههید قاسملووی نهمر پهیمان نوێدهكرێتهوه و وهفاداری به بهڵێنهكان دووپات دهكرێنهوه. ڕێبهرێك كه دوای تێپهڕبوونی ۳۱ ساڵ له شههید كرانی و ڕژانی به ناحهقی خوێنی هیشتا ناوی و رێبازی زیندووه و ڕێنمایی و وته و نووسراوه و لێكۆڵینهوهكانی ئیستاش له زۆربهی زانكۆ ڕۆژئاواییهكان وهكوو وانهیهك له زانكۆكان دهوترێنهوه و دووپات دهكرێنهوه و هێشتا كۆن نهبوون و نوێیه و بگره رۆژ له دوای ڕۆژ زیاتر له گهل بارودۆخهكهدا گونجاو دهبن و دهگونجێن.
دوكتۆر قاسملوو له كتێب و نووسراوهكانی وهكوو كوردستان و كورد به وردی ئابووری كوردستان و ناوچه كوردنشینهكانی ههموو كوردستان ئهخاته ژێر لێكۆڵینهوهی ورد و له كورتهباس دا به پێشكهش كردنی سیستهمی سۆسیالیزمی دێمۆكراتیك بۆ كۆمهڵگای داهاتووی كوردستان و ههڵسهنگاندنی سۆسیالیزمی بهردهست و چاكه و خراپهكانی ناوی خۆی بۆ ههتا ههتایه له مێژووی كورد تۆمار كردووه و خزمهتێكی بهرچاوی به بزاڤی نهتهوهیی و ڕزگاریخوازانهی گهلی كورد پێشكهش كردووه و تا ئێستاش ڕێگای بهردهوامه و ڕێبوارانی ههر چهن بهر بڵاو و پارچه پارچهكراو بهڵام هێشتا درێژهدهری ڕیگا و بیر و بڕواكانی و ههوڵ ئهدهن بۆ زیندوو ڕاگرتنی یاد و بیرۆكه و ئهندیشهكانی بۆ نهوهكانی داهاتووی نهتهوهكهمان.
ده قى نوستراوه که به فۆرمه تى پى دی اف دابه زینه:
Amnesty International – Iran – PRISONERS AT RISK OF COVID-19 INFECTION
Amnesty International – Iran – PRISONERS AT RISK OF COVID-19 INFECTION
Dear friends,
Please find attached and copied below an Urgent Action that Amnesty International issued today calling on the Iranian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release hundreds of prisoners of conscience amid grave 
fears over the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Iran’s prisons. The authorities should take measures to protect the health of all prisoners and urgently consider releasing other prisoners – especially pre-trial detainees and those who may be at more risk from the virus – and take necessary measures to protect the health of all prisoners, including providing equal access to testing.
The Urgent Action is available on the Amnesty International website at the following link:https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde13/2038/2020/en/
Many thanks and best wishes,
Iran team
URGENT ACTION
The Iranian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release hundreds of prisoners of conscience amid grave fears over the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Iran’s prisons. The authorities should take measures to protect the health of all prisoners and urgently consider releasing pre-trial detainees and those who may be at particular risk of severe illness or death.TAKE ACTION: WRITE AN APPEAL IN YOUR OWN WORDS OR USE THIS MODEL LETTERHead of Judiciary Ebrahim RaisiC/o Permanent Mission of Iran to the UN622 Third Ave., 34th floorNew York, NY 10017, USADear Mr Ebrahim Raisi,I am writing about the distressing spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Iran’s prisons. While I am aware of measures announced by the Iranian authorities to release some prisoners in response to the outbreak, I am concerned that hundreds of prisoners of conscience remain jailed, including human rights defenders, peaceful protesters and others detained solely for peacefully expressing their rights to freedom of expression, association and/or assembly. They should not be in detention in the first place.More generally, I am also concerned about the health of all prisoners in Iran. In several prisons across the country, prisoners have tested positive for COVID-19, raising grave concerns for other prisoners held in the same wards. According to the World Health Organization, some groups of people appear to be at particular risk of severe illness or death, including older individuals and people with pre-existing medical conditions. Iran’s prison population includes such groups. Additionally, some prisoners have been systematically denied adequate medical care, which could leave them more vulnerable to the effects of the virus if they contracted it. Amnesty International has documented the denial of adequate medical care as a punitive measure against prisoners of conscience.Many prisoners across the country have pleaded with officials to address overcrowded, unhygienic and unsanitary conditions in prisons that put them at greater risk of COVID-19 infections. There are also reports that some prisoners have not been provided with sufficient soap or other sanitary products. Many families have also raised concerns for the wellbeing of jailed relatives and believe that the Iranian authorities should be systematically testing prisoners who may be showing symptoms of COVID-19.I urge you to immediately and unconditionally release all prisoners of conscience, including human rights defenders and those detained for peacefully taking part in the November 2019 and January 2020 protests. I also urge you to urgently consider releasing other prisoners – especially pre-trial detainees and those who may be more at risk from the virus – and take necessary measures to protect the health of all prisoners, including equal access to testing.Yours sincerely,
ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONThere are concerns about the spread of coronavirus inside Iran’s prisons and that the Iranian authorities have failed to sufficiently protect prison populations. The Human Rights Activists News Agency, based outside Iran, has reported that: in Shahr-e Rey prison (also known as Gharchak), in the city of Varamin, two prisoners have died from COVID-19 in solitary confinement in recent days after being denied medical care and admittance to hospital; in the same prison prior to this, despite some prisoners testing positive for coronavirus, prisoners were only checked for fevers and provided with a bleach-water solution to disinfect surfaces themselves, which, they say, emitted fumes that irritated their lungs; in Central Karaj prison, there have been new cases of coronavirus reported on a daily basis and other prisoners have gone on hunger strike in protest at the shortage of sanitary products and the lack of measures taken to prevent the spread of the virus inside the prison; in Urumieh prison, in early March 2020 over a hundred prisoners in one section of the prison went on hunger strike at the shortage of sanitary products inside the prison despite suspected cases of coronavirus among prisoners; and, in Tehran’s Evin prison, prisoners raised concerns that the women’s ward was disinfected after a guard tested positive for coronavirus, and that, prior to that, the ward had to share use of one disinfectant product between them. The Ahwaz Human Rights Organization also reported that two prisoners in Central Ahvaz prison had contracted coronavirus and that other prisoners in the same ward had not been tested. Several prisoners of conscience also went on hunger strike in Evin prison in protest at the authorities continued refusal to grant them prison leave.
Many of Iran’s prisons have detention conditions that fall far short of international standards, including with respect to overcrowding, poor ventilation, limited hot water during the winter season, inadequate food, insufficient beds and insect infestations. Seehttps://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/03/iran-new-evidence-of-appalling-treatment-of-women-human-rights-defenders-held-in-shahre-rey-prison/; and https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde13/5515/2017/en/ for more information. Such prison conditions are highly susceptible to the spread of infectious disease.
Since the outbreak of coronavirus in Iran became publicly known in February 2020, many prisoners’ families have been raising concerns for the wellbeing of those jailed and calling for the release of prisoners of conscience and those held on politically motivated charges. They have repeatedly voiced their fears that the lack of sanitary products and poor prison conditions put prisoners at greater risk. They have also called on Iran’s State Prison Organization, which is under the authority of the judiciary, to regularly disinfect prisons, provide masks and hand sanitizers to prisoners, quarantine those suspected of having the virus and grant prison leave to as many prisoners as possible. While Iran’s judiciary has made a number of announcements about how it intends to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in prisons, including plans to release thousands of prisoners temporarily and upon payment of bail and to grant pardons to certain types of prisoners, hundreds of prisoners of conscience remain jailed (for more information).
According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, prison populations are particularly exposed to infectious diseases like COVID-19 and conditions of detention can exacerbate the risks. These include the risk of higher transmission rates, especially in overcrowded prisons and when health systems are of poorer quality than in the community. Under international law, as reflected in the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules), prison authorities must ensure that all prisoners have prompt access to medical attention and health care. The provision of health care for prisoners is a state responsibility. Prisoners should enjoy the same standards of health care that are available in the community, including when it comes to testing, prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Where a prison service has its own hospital facilities, they must be adequately staffed and equipped to provide prisoners referred to them with appropriate treatment and care. Prisoners who require specialized treatment or surgery should be transferred to specialized institutions or to civilian hospitals.
PREFERRED LANGUAGE TO ADDRESS TARGET: Persian, EnglishYou can also write in your own language.PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: 7 May 2020Please check with the Amnesty office in your country if you wish to send appeals after the deadline.NAME AND PREFERRED PRONOUN: Group (them/they)
