Iran Human Rights Monitor released its report into the situation of human rights in Iran in June 2020 this week, specifically highlighting a crackdown on political prisoners and an attempt to crush any sort of protests with force.
This included death sentences, torture, and flogging for young protesters.
Kurdish political prisoner Hedayat Abdollahpour was executed in secret, with not even his family being told until ten days later, by which time his body had been buried in a secret grave.
The regime’s Supreme Court has upheld death sentences issued for three protesters from the November 2019 uprising – Amir Hossein Moradi, Saied Tamjidi, and Mohammad Rajabi – even though they’d been subjected to unfair trials and torture. This was condemned by the US State Department.
Eight protesters in Isfahan were found guilty of the intentionally vague charge “corruption on earth”, which carries the death sentence.
Five political prisoners were flogged in June, including Mohamamd Bagher Souri, Ali Azizi, and Eliar Hosseinzadeh, who were all arrested during the November uprising. While baker Ruhollah Barzein was flogged 55 times for criticizing his Friday Prayer Leader and “refusing to apologize” and labor activist Rasoul Taleb Moghadam was lashed 74 times for taking part in a peaceful Labor Day gathering in 2019.
Additionally, 42 workers at AzarAb Industries were sentenced to lashes and prison time for protesting over unpaid wages, a student was sentenced to eight years in prison and 74 lashes for protesting Iran’s downing of a Ukrainian passenger jet, and three people were sentenced to amputation for petty crimes.
At least two prisoners being tortured to death.
Meanwhile, the Coronavirus outbreak continues to ravage Iran’s prisons because the authorities never took the basic protocols needed to stop the disease, such as creating a quarantine section for sick inmates, proving free soap and cleaning supplies, and allowing non-violent offenders temporary leave or early parole. Additionally, many prisoners were denied food, water, and medical care if they were actually quarantined.
Inmates from across the country reported several disturbing facts about being imprisoned during coronavirus.
Zahedan Prison: Authorities cut off water to inmates for a week in June, leaving the prisoners unable to clean themselves or their surroundings.
Urmia Central Prison: Many prisoners showed coronavirus symptoms, but only a few were tested after weeks of protests. Despite positive test results, prisoners are still being charged exorbitant prices for hygienic products.
Isfahan Prison: 150 inmates have disappeared after having their temperatures checked on June 13 and there is no information about what happened to them.
Source » irannewsupdate