AI and News on hundreds killed and wounded in Qezelhesar Prison protests

HRA

Thousands of prisoners in Qezelhesar Prison in Karaj protested the planned execution of ten prisoners in this prison which led to bloody clashes with prison guards. At least 150 prisoners were killed or wounded.
According to reports, on March 15, prisoners in some of the cellblocks in this prison such as cellblock 2 and 3 protested the planned execution of 10 of their cellmates.
About 3,000 prisoners participated in this protest and broke their cell doors chanting, ‘executions must be stopped’.
After these protests, security forces attacked the prisoners at 9 pm which led to bloody clashes.
The prison guards used live bullets to control the protests and killed 80 prisoners. Other prisoners were severely wounded or were transferred to another location outside of the cellblock. More than 150 prisoners were shot and according to reports, many of them are in critical condition.
Most of these prisoners were on death row. \



AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

DEATHS IN IRANIAN PRISON MUST BE INVESTIGATED
17 March 2011
Amnesty International has called for an investigation into reports that up to 14 people were killed in a disturbance in a jail near Tehran this week.

The incident at the overcrowded Qezel Hesar prison in Karaj occurred on Tuesday night when clashes broke out involving prisoners and prison guards. The Prisons Chief said that a judicial investigation has been launched.

"Such a high death toll is extremely worrying. Prison officials have a responsibility to maintain order and to protect the lives of prisoners, but must exercise restraint," said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme.

"A prompt inquiry into these deaths is essential but it must be independent and transparent, as international human rights standards require, such as those set out in the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and the Body of Principles for the protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment.

"Unfortunately the Iranian Judiciary has routinely failed to carry out such investigations, so we are once again calling on the international community to use the current session of the UN Human Rights Council to create a Special Rapporteur to monitor and report on human rights in the Iran.”

Prison authorities said the riot was sparked by death row prisoners and drug-trafficking and possession offenders committing arson and other destructive acts in an attempt to escape, as well as attacking prison guards.

However, human rights activist groups told Amnesty International the prisoners were protesting at poor conditions and attempts to transfer some of the inmates for execution.

One activist based abroad said he had been in contact with a prisoner from inside Section 2 of prison until the early hours of Wednesday, when the phone lines were cut.

“The prisoners took over Sections 2 and 3 of the prison,” the activist told Amnesty International.

"I was told that armed guards had stationed themselves on the roof of the prison and outside the doors to the section and the prisoners set fire to bedding to try to stop the guards from entering. The prisoner told me that the guards were shooting at everyone.”

There are reports that at least six people died from gunshot wounds and over 100 may have been injured, with some dying in - or on the way to - medical centres.

Iranian State Television reportedly said on Wednesday that 14 people had died, including at least nine prisoners, and 33 had been injured. Prison guards may have also been among the fatalities.

"We know that the Iranian authorities are on a killing spree at the moment, having executed well over 100 people – mainly alleged drugs offenders - since the start of the year. This is yet one more reason why they should immediately order a moratorium on all executions," added Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui.

صدها کشته و زخمي در زندان قزلحصار در پي اعتراض به اجراي احکام اعدام
در پي قرار اجراي حکم اعدام ۱۰ تن از زندانيان در زندان قزل حصار و اعتراض هزاران تن از زندانيان به اين موضوع، درگيري‌هاي خونين در اين زندان به وقوع پيوست که منجر به کشته و زخمي شدن دست کم ۱۵۰ تن گرديد.
بنا به اطلاع گزارشگران هرانا، ارگان خبري مجموعه فعالان حقوق بشر در ايران، شب گذشته، مورخ بيست و چهارم اسفندماه، زندانيان برخي بندهاي زندان قزلحصار کرج، نظير واحد ۲ و ۳ در راستاي توقف اجراي حکم اعدام ۱۰ تن از هم بنديان خود، دست به اعتراض و اعتصابي گسترده زدند.
تاجايي که حدود سه هزار تن از زندانيان در راستاي اين خواسته و در اقدامي اعتراضي اقدام به شکستن درب بند‌ها نموده و به سر دادن شعار "اعدام بايد متوقف شود"، پرداختند.
در پي اين اعتراض، نيروهاي امنيتي در ساعت ۹ شب، به بند زندانيان هجوم آورده و موجب درگيري‌هاي خونين شدند.