- Alex Benley
- BBC News
Pictures posted online appear to show a fire in Evin Prison
A massive fire broke out in Iran’s Evin prison for political prisoners, with shots fired and sirens sounded.
Footage spread on the Internet showed flames and smoke said to be rising from Evin Prison in the Iranian capital, Tehran, while the sounds of gunshots and alarms were reported from the prison.
State media quoted an official as saying that “unrest” had taken place, and that “criminal elements” were responsible for the fire.
This fire comes at a time when protests are still continuing in the country.
Protests erupted in several Iranian cities for the first time last month following the death of 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish Mahsa Amini, while she was in police custody for allegedly violating the rules of the headscarf.
Officials say she died of a medical condition she was suffering from, but her family says she died following being beaten by the morality police.
But police said there was no evidence of any mistreatment and that she had suffered from “sudden heart failure”.
A video clip showed Amini lying on the ground in the police station, without anyone being exposed to her.
Iranian leaders believe that the demonstrations are backed by European countries and the United States, which are hostile to the Islamic Republic’s regime.
US President Joe Biden had called on Iran’s leaders to stop what he called violence once morest the Iranian people, and said, “Iran must stop the violence once morest its citizens, who are exercising their basic rights.”
On Wednesday, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman held an online meeting with representatives of major technology companies, to discuss support for the free flow of information to the Iranian people.
Hundreds of those arrested during the protests have reportedly been sent to Evin Prison.
The BBC’s Rana Rahimpour says we don’t yet know if the situation in the prison is linked to the recent demonstrations, but it might easily be that hundreds of protesters were sent to Evin.
Iranian media reported that the riots were started by financial and criminal prisoners, and no political prisoners were involved. She added that the fire broke out in a prison workshop, and that it is being extinguished and the rioters are separated from the other prisoners. She added that there were no reports of deaths, while eight were injured.
The anti-government group Film 1500 has posted videos of the fire online, chants of “Death to the Dictator” can be heard in the background.
The BBC added that another video posted on social media showed objects being fired at the prison from outside its surroundings, and then an explosion was heard, according to the BBC.
The state news agency IRNA said inmates in one of the wards had set fire to one of the prison’s storage rooms.
The news agency also reported that the disturbances that led to the fire had ended, and quoted an unnamed official as saying that disturbances broke out between inmates and guards in the prison section where “thugs” are being held.
photo released, Shutterstock
A person puts a candle during a demonstration in solidarity with the protesters
“The situation is under full control at the moment,” IRNA quoted the source as saying.
Riot police were seen entering the prison, and state media reported the presence of firefighters at the site.
The security forces were also reported to have closed the roads leading to the prison.
“The families of the prisoners gathered in front of the main door,” an eyewitness told Archyde.com news agency.
“I can see fire and smoke. Lots of special forces. Ambulances are here too,” he added.
In addition to political prisoners in Evin prison, journalists and many dual nationals and foreigners are being held.
The prison has long been criticized by Western rights groups. Human Rights Watch accused the prison authorities of using threats of torture and indefinite imprisonment, as well as lengthy interrogations and denial of medical care for detainees.
A group of hackers calling themselves “Adala Ali” released videos in August of last year, including leaked surveillance footage from Evin Prison showing guards beating or mistreating inmates.
The Iranian Human Rights Activists News Agency estimates that at least 222 people have been killed during the large-scale demonstrations that have erupted since the death.