One prisoner has been killed and over 50 others have been injured after prison guards attacked protesting prisoners at the Karaj Central Prison on 17 December.
The protest began at 14:30 local time after prison officers tried to transfer death row prisoners from solitary confinement cells at the fourth wing of the prison, which usually signals imminent execution for death row prisoners.
The protest began when prisoners chanted anti-government slogans in the yard, which quickly spread to other prison wards and turned violent as the guards attacked the protesting prisoners by throwing tear gas at them.
Some of the special prison guards shot at the protesting prisoners and killed at least one prisoner and injured over 50 others. Several prisoners sustained serious injuries in the shooting. One was shot in the eye.
Special Security Guard forces are still stationed at the jail which is still in a state of emergency.
Some prisoners have also been moved from their wards to solitary cells.
The semi-official ISNA news agency quoted the head of the judicial authority in Alborz province as saying: “This afternoon [17 December] a disturbance [later] contained occurred between the prisoners in the drug ward where some prisoners set fire to the ventilation system.”
The official added: “One prisoner died as a result of prisoners throwing stones and several others were injured. Due to the low severity of injuries, the prison health department took necessary medical measures.”
