9 Political Prisoners Held in Worrying Conditions in Evin Prison

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, nine political prisoners who were transferred from Rajai Shahr Prison to Evin Prison on 5 August, are held in worrying conditions in Hall 9 and 10 of Ward 8.

The nine political prisoners are: Saeed Masouri, Afshin Baimani, Motaleb Ahmadian, Hamzeh Savari, Loghman Aminpour, Mohammad Shafei, Saman Yassin, Hossein Ghachlu and Massoud Kazeminejad.  

An informed source told Iran Human Rights: “Five political prisoners have been taken to Hall 10 which only has five triple bunkbeds. All five have to share three middle beds which you can’t even sit up on.”

“Ward 8 is for financial crimes but other crimes are also housed there, including drugs, theft and murder. The ward is a disaster hygiene-wise. Lice and bedbugs are rampant in this ward. The political prisoners’ belongings haven’t been handed to them yet, but they were told that they had been transferred to Evin Prison. However, Farzadi, the prison warden has prevented them from receiving their belongings and told them that a blanket, plate and cup are enough for you.”

At the height of the “Woman, Life, Freedom” nationwide protests, on 15 October 2023, four prisoners were killed and 61 injured according to state reports when Ward 8 was engulfed in fire. At the time, Hamid Mahmoudi was the head of Ward 8 and later became the head of Ward 4.

Another informed source said: “Hamid Mahmoudi is denying political prisoners access to the library and prison classes, as well as restricting their phone access. He’s threatened some of the political prisoners who were transferred from Ward 8 to 4 with physical violence. He took the position as a way of exerting extra pressure on political prisoners in May or June this year.”