Two protesters detained during November 2019 protests were severely beaten by two non-political inmates who have the support of authorities in the Great Tehran Penitentiary. One of them was stabbed in the side and another in the back.
The non-political inmates attacked Ali Ghahremani and Reza Bayat after they objected to the sale of drugs in ward 5 of the Great Tehran Penitentiary. The inmates in charge of ward 5, identified as H.R. and N.A. viciously beat and stabbed them amidst the fight.
Instead of punishing the assailants, prison authorities transferred Ali Ghahremani and Reza Bayat to another ward after a brief treatment in the dispensary, a source close to the detained protesters said, adding that “what had made them protest were attempts to make the protesters arrested during the November uprising dependent on narcotic drugs.”
Ali Ghahremani was arrested and detained during the nationwide Iran protests in mid-November 2019. The Revolutionary Court sentenced him to 3 years and three months in prison which he is presently serving.
Reza Bayat was also arrested and detained during Iran protests last November. He was sentenced to 4 years in prison.
Failure to separate prisoners based on category of their crimes is one of the most serious problems in the Great Tehran Penitentiary. The confinement of political prisoners together with violent criminals endangers their lives.
Last year in June, political prisoner Alireza Shirmohammadali was stabbed to death in the Great Tehran Central Penitentiary after he was unlawfully kept in a ward that holds inmates convicted of dangerous crimes.
Majid Gharebaghi and Iman Daraii were also beaten and wounded some time ago and had to be treated in the dispensary.
The young protesters apprehended during Iran protests are brought to the Great Tehran Penitentiary where they are confined in ward 5 along with non-political prisoners and dangerous criminals. Addiction and murder are two main threats posed to the political prisoners and protesters detained in ward 5.
Hamidreza Ramoud and Hossein Lamar who are in charge of ward 5 are jailed on embezzlement and financial fraud charges. Presently, they are working under the supervision of the GTP warden, smuggling in drugs and offering it to the inmates. While books and newspapers are among banned and forbidden items in this prison, inmates have easy access to knives and sharp objects as well as drugs.
Ward 5 inmates use the bathroom and lavatories to use drugs. The smoke of cigarettes, marijuana and crack makes it difficult for other prisoners to use the bathroom. The problem aggravates after the office hours and outdoor time is over.
