CNN
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At least 4 prisoners have been killed and 61 injured after a fire at Evin prison in northern Tehran, Iranian state media IRNA reported, attributing Iranian authorities.
The prisoners died of smoke inhalation, IRNA added. The fire occurred Saturday evening and an Iranian safety official mentioned “thugs” set fire to the warehouse of prison clothes, IRNA reported earlier.
A giant, darkish plume of smoke was seen billowing close to the prison in a number of movies on social media Saturday evening.
The fire has been contained, and “peace is maintained,” the governor of Tehran, Mohsen Mansouri, instructed IRNA, including that the fire was began by prisoners. Tehran’s Evin Prison is a notoriously brutal facility the place the regime incarcerates political dissidents.
“Now the situation of the prison is completely under control and peace is maintained in the prison complex and the streets around the prison are being monitored and under control,” Mansouri mentioned.
Activist group 1500tasvir reported that in movies posted on social media, gunshots have been heard and Iranian particular forces have been seen heading to the realm the place the prison is believed to be situated.
The Iranian official mentioned that the “rioters” have been separated from different prisoners and the opposite detainees have returned to their cells, IRNA reported. CNN can not independently confirm the state of affairs.
Amnesty International Secretary General Agnes Callamard responded on Twitter to the social media movies with a reminder to Iranian authorities of their “legal obligation to respect and protect” the lives of prisoners following the fire.
Callamard famous the prison is “notorious” and retweeted a put up from journalist Jason Rezaian whose “544 Days” podcast recounts the time he spent incarcerated in the prison.
“Evin is no ordinary prison. Many of Iran’s best and brightest have spent long stretches confined there, where brave women and men are denied their basic rights for speaking truth to power,” Rezaian wrote. “The regime is responsible for what happens to those inside right now.”
Speaking to state broadcaster IRIB, Tehran’s prosecutor Ali Salehi mentioned the “conflict” at the prison was not linked to the protests which have swept the nation following the dying of a younger lady in police custody.
In September, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died after she was detained by the nation’s morality police for allegedly not sporting her hijab correctly. Iranian authorities have since unleashed a brutal crackdown on demonstrators, who’ve united round a variety of grievances with the nation’s authoritarian regime.
“Today’s conflict of prisoners has nothing to do with the recent riots, and basically, the ward related to security prisoners is separate and distant from the prisons of thieves and financial convicts where the fire and conflict took place,” Salehi mentioned.
According to Tehran’s prosecutor, Wards 7 and eight have been overcrowded, and the primary concern was the fire – which he mentioned had been began by some prisoners. Both the prison and the encompassing streets are below management now, he mentioned.
Witnesses beforehand mentioned that Iranian safety forces beat, shot and detained college students at Tehran’s Sharif University. Last month, almost two dozen youngsters have been killed in the course of the protests, in response to a report by Amnesty International.
At least 23 youngsters – some as younger as 11 – have been killed by safety forces in the final 10 days of September alone, the report said.
Earlier this week, an Iranian official also admitted that college college students collaborating in road protests are being detained and brought to psychiatric establishments.