Political Prisoners of Rajai Shahr Prison Transferred to a New Hall

HRANA News Agency – An estimated number of 50 Political prisoners in Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj have been transferred to a new security ward. In this ward, where even bathrooms are equipped with CCTV cameras, there are more limits for prisoners. This new situation has prompted political prisoners to protest. 12 prisoners have gone on hunger strike and 6 inmates are in solitary confinement. Tensions in this ward continue.
According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran (HRANA), with the presence of a large number of prison guards, and without prior notice, about 50 political prisoners in Hall 12 of Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj were transferred to a place which has been built from a long time ago by the security forces. This site is equipped with a large number of surveillance cameras and surveillance devices, as well as shields that separate it from the rest of the prison. Political prisoners have been protesting at this place since their transfer, on July 30.
An informed source regarding the situation of these prisoners explained to HRANA’s reporter: “On Monday, the prisoners were sent to the ward’s yard and after a search with beating them, and without allowing them to take their belongings, including medicines, they were taken to Hall 10 which had been already under construction under supervision of the security forces.”
This informed source continued: “10 protesters were taken to solitary confinements, but 4 of them returned to Hall 10after several hours and there are still six political prisoners in solitary confinement.”
“Hassan Sadeghi, Saeed Masoori, Reza Akbari Monfared, Amir Ghaziani, Abolghasem Fouladvand, and Jafar Aghdami are the six prisoners who are still on hunger strike in solitary confinement.”
Another source who asked for anonymity, while confirming this report, explained to HRANA’s reporter: “There are currently 12 political prisoners on hunger strike in addition to those in solitary confinement. After a few days that the prisoners were hurt their medications were eventually delivered to them, although they were not given some of their belongings such as clothing.”
This reliable source confirmed that the prisoners have been deprived of going to the yard and having telephone calls. They were not allowed to have visitors during the first week but a few were allowed to have prison visit one week later.
A number of families of these prisoners who were particularly concerned about the recent events in the prison went to prison to get information, in their weekly visit, however, none of these families was allowed to meet them and they were informed that the detainees had been banned from visits on instructions from the authorities until further notice.
It should be noted that on the morning of July 30, all political prisoners in Hall 12 of Rajai Shahr prison, in Karaj were transferred to Hall 10 by force, without permission to take personal belongings or prior notice in the presence of Guard forces of prison and some of the prison’s security officials.
The prisoners also were banned from transferring the equipment that they had purchased with their own funds, such as two water purifiers, a number of refrigerators and televisions, aerials and dining utensils, along with their most personal belongings. The unnecessary security rigors were so high that it even prevented them from taking their prescribed medications.
Hall number 12 was used as a new venue for holding political prisoners in Rajai Shahr prison, in Karaj. Hall 10 was previously the whereabouts of Sunni prisoners, who were executed last year in mass executions.
After the executions of these prisoners this place was restored and developed from the security perspective by the security forces and under their supervision.
Changing the structure of this hall, by welding doors, adding CCTV cameras to all rooms, and even bathrooms and sanitary facilities, and possibly, taking other things to restrain and monitor, had taken time until the last month.
It is said that about 40 CCTV cameras are likely to be installed in this place. Also, all the pores of this ward are welded and covered, like windows.
The aforementioned ward does not have air conditioning, and prisoners have been deprived of having access to safe drinking water because of the lack of permission for transferring the water purification devices that prisoners had provided at their own expense.
In the wake of tensions, stressful conditions that were doubled in the cases of beatings the protesters, lack of air conditioning in the new place and lack of access to medicines, a number of political prisoners’ physical condition have deteriorated, and some of them were taken to infirmary for couple of hours on July 31, including Hamid Babaei, Peyman Kooshkbaghi, Adel Naeimi, Farhad Fahandejh and Saeed Pourheidar.
The prisoners have been told that this rare transfer has taken place at the behest of the presidential organization of the country’s prisons, with the aim of preventing the publication of news and reports from this place.
It should be noted that the transferred prisoners, who are estimated to be 53 men, are mostly from prisoners in other cities of the country, who have been exiled to Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj.

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