The death toll from the fire and confrontations that took place in Evin Prison in Iran over the weekend has risen to eight, according to the Iranian authorities, at a time when popular protests continue in the country since the death of the young woman, Mahsa Amini, a month ago.
In Brussels, European Union foreign ministers approved sanctions once morest Iranian officials, including members of the morality police, involved in the crackdown on protests that, within a month, killed 122 people, according to a non-governmental organization.
The Judicial Authority’s “Mizan Online” website said that four prisoners died in the hospital “due to the deterioration of their health condition, which brings the total number of victims of the fire and confrontations between prisoners to eight.”
On Sunday, the authorities said that the death of four prisoners was caused by smoke inhalation.
The website confirmed that the eight dead were “convicted of theft crimes.”
A security source said on Sunday that “turmoil and confrontations took place on Saturday night in the criminals’ detention department in Ewen prison,” speaking of “a problem between them and the prison staff,” adding that “the thugs set fire to a clothing store in the prison, which caused a fire.”
The Iranian authorities confirmed that the situation was back “under control” in the prison, where political prisoners, activists and foreigners are also detained.
Mizan Online quoted the head of the judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, as saying: “What happened in Evin prison was a crime committed by some elements (linked to the enemy).”
Iranian leaders accuse Western countries, particularly the United States, of planning what they describe as “riots”.
The morality police arrested 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on September 16 for violating Iran’s strict dress code. She fell into a coma a short time later, and died three days later.
European Union foreign ministers adopted sanctions once morest Iranian officials on Monday. The list of sanctions, published in the Official Journal of the European Union, includes 11 officials, including the Minister of Technology, Informatics and Communications Issa Zareepour, and four bodies. They will be denied visas to enter the European Union and an asset freeze will be applied.
The United States and Canada have also imposed sanctions on Iran over the suppression of protests.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Barbock warned that “this is only a first set of sanctions. Others will follow if the regime continues to practice repression.”
Iran preempted the issuance of the sanctions, as a spokesman for its Foreign Ministry warned on Monday that Tehran would respond “immediately” to the sanctions, which he described as an “unconstructive and irrational step.”
Nasser Kanaani added in a press conference, “If Europe is ready to deal from a position of mutual respect, then Iran is also ready to cooperate. If dual policies are adopted, Iran will inevitably show a proportionate and reciprocal reaction. This applies to various European countries.”
On Monday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi reiterated the accusation of the United States of resorting to “stirring up sedition” in his country, stressing that Iran will not bow in the face of sanctions, according to the official news agency IRNA.
Lawyers and intellectuals arrested
The official Iranian news agency, IRNA, said the events in Evin prison had “nothing to do” with the protests following Amini’s killing, which have entered their fifth week despite a crackdown that has left at least 122 people dead, according to the Iran Human Rights Organization (IHR). headquartered in Oslo.
At least 20 members of the security forces were killed in the confrontations that took place during the protests, according to the authorities.
Hundreds of people arrested during recent weeks’ protests have been sent to Ewen Prison, sometimes described as “Ewen University” because of the large number of intellectuals held there.
After the fire, NGOs and the US expressed concern for the prisoners, but many foreign detainees were able to contact their families.
Among those imprisoned in Evin are French-Iranian academic Fariba Adelkhah and US citizen Siamak Namazi, whose family said he was returned to Evin this week following a provisional release. Also, the two Austrians, Massoud Mosaheb and Qumran Qadri, were placed in this prison.
Iranian freedom of expression activist Hossein Ronaghi called his mother from Evin, where he has been held since September, and “might hardly speak,” his brother Hassan said on Twitter. His family says he has been mistreated and his legs are broken.
Meanwhile, the Freedom of Expression Article 19 group said: “We are afraid of the conditions that the activist Hussein Ronaghi is facing, and he must be released. He was tortured and went on hunger strike.”
Well-known Iranian lawyer Saeed Daqan said on his Twitter account that 19 lawyers who were defending detainees in the recent protests were also arrested.
This protest wave is the largest in Iran since the 2019 protests once morest high fuel prices.
On Monday, more than 40 non-governmental organizations expressed their “grave concern” regarding the “repression machine used by the Iranian authorities”, calling on the United Nations to open an urgent investigation.
TRT Arabic – Agencies
