Riots broke in Iran’s prisons amid COVID-19 outbreak, several prisoners escaped

ZAHEDAN: Riots continue in Iran’s prisons as inmates protest against lack of proper medication and care by Iranian security forces.

On Monday 30th of March 2020 inmates in Sheyban prison, in AlAhwaz started protests within the prison and accused the Iranian state failing to provide any medical support or to implement any social distancing policies.

In an attempt to escape the extremely unsafe situation in Sheyban prison in the occupied Ahwaz, prisoners started revolting and many of the prisoners have broken free from the prison while many are still trapped inside fighting armed guards, lethal weapons and fires.

According to the Ahwazi Centre for Human Rights (ACHR), “the prisoners are mostly educated people ranging from engineers to scholars, writers and poets. They are well aware of their rights and how wrongfully they are held captive for sounding their voices.

“In order to rid themselves of the physical and psychological torturous and unhealthy conditions, they united to force-open a door to a guards room and equipped themselves with weapons and led their way out of the prison.”

The ACHR further reported that many of the prisoners have succeeded in escaping but many more are still trapped or too ill to fight or escape. The prison was still burning in flames and live gunshots are heard from far away.

“The situation went under control after several hours of clashes led to the death of a number of prisoners. Families of deceased prisoners have been gathered opposite to the Sheyban prison demanding the fate of their beloved ones on Tuesday the 31st of March 2020,” The ACHR reported.

On Friday, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported that 70 inmates escaped from Saqqez Prison but independent sources say that at least 80 inmates have escaped Saqqez city in Kurdistan.