Increasing Pressure on Sunni Prisoners in Rajai Shahr Prison

HRANA News Agency – A large group of Sunni prisoners who have been arrested and sentenced to imprisonment for religious beliefs and activities, are held at Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj. Recently, some of non-Iranian prisoners who have been accused of joining the ISIL were transferred to this prison and were added to the Sunni prisoners. The tension between these prisoners has led to increased pressure on both groups due to fundamental differences in their belief. It is speculated that prison authorities use the opposition of two groups to increase pressures on both of them.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran (HRANA), approximately 50 Sunni prisoners who had been convicted for non-violent activities, are being held at hall 21 in Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj.

Recently, four non-Iranian prisoners, including three Iraqi and an Azerbaijani citizen who have been accused of membership in ISIL, have been transferred to Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj and a larger group of them is likely to be transferred to the prison soon.

In the previous months, the former head of the Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj tried to add these prisoners to the Sunni prisoners, but the fundamental differences between these prisoners caused tension, conflict and unrest.

The intensity of the tensions was so high that led to a bloody conflict in prison.

Contrary to what the security and propaganda agencies sometimes promote, Sunni prisoners do not necessarily believe in the violence or extremism, so their difference with the official members of the ISIL group quickly emerge in the closed environment of prison.

The four detainees were transferred to another ward of the prison after the unsuccessful attempt by the former head of prison for keeping ISIL members and Iranian Sunni prisoners based on the principle of separation of prisoner.

This situation is expected to continue in light of this transfer and the restoration of place of imprisonment of both groups, and in particular the 50 Sunni prisoners.

However, by the recent change in prison management and new temporary administrator of prison named “Ziaee”, he decided to repeat the unsuccessful experience of the former head of prison by using force and threat.

Accordingly, he ordered the return of ISIL prisoners to the Sunni prisoners’ ward and emphasized that the order would be enforced against the prisoners’ objection.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *