Iran: new day of anti-regime protests with Tehran prison fire

The fire broke out on Saturday night in a prison in Evin in Tehran, at the end of another day of demonstrations against the authorities, a month after the start of the protest movement sparked by the death of the young Mahsa Amini.

This prison in the north Tehran It is known for its mistreatment of political prisoners, including hundreds of those detained during these protests, and for housing foreign prisoners.

“Riots and clashes were observed on Saturday night” in the prison, a senior security official told the official Irna news agency, adding that “rioters” set the fire.

But “at the moment the situation is completely under control and calm has returned to the prison,” he said.

A firefighter who arrived at the scene told Irna that “8 people were injured,” there were no deaths.

Shortly before this, the non-governmental organization Iranian Human Rights (IHR) shared on social media photos of a large fire in the prison, in which gunshots and cries of “death to the dictator” can be heard. , Supreme Ali Khamenei.

Prison locks up foreigners like a Franco-Iranian academic Fariba Adelha and American Siamak Namaziwho, according to his family, was returned to jail after being temporarily released.

In a statement sent to AFP, Namazi’s family said they were “deeply concerned” and called for his release because “he is clearly not safe in Evin prison.”

The sister of another American detainee, businessman Emad Shargi, said her family was “limping with worry.”

– “Full responsibility” –

The State Department has made Iran responsible for the security of the Americans held in Evin.

“Iran bears full responsibility for the safety of our illegally detained citizens, who must be released immediately,” US Foreign Office spokesman Ned Price tweeted.

– “You have to go” –

A wave of protests was triggered by the September 16 death of a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini, who is in the custody of Tehran’s vice police.

It is alleged that Amini was arrested for violating the country’s strict dress code for women, which, in particular, requires the wearing of a veil.

It is the largest wave of demonstrations and violence in Iran since the 2019 protests against rising gasoline prices in the oil country.

The protests are spreading despite cutbacks on the most popular social networks and are led by young women who burn their veils and do not hesitate to stand up to the police.

The militants called for mass rallies this Saturday in an online appeal under the slogan “The beginning of the end!” mode.

“Mullahs must go!” chanted a group of vocational school students in skimpy outfits on Saturday. Shariati from TehranThis is stated in the video posted on the network.

In Hamedan, west of the capital, protesters opened fire on security forces near a major roundabout, according to footage verified by AFP.

There were also marches Ardabil (northwest) and university protests in Tehran, Isfahan (south) and Kermanshah (northwest), according to videos posted online.

Traders went on strike Sakezoriginal city Aminiin the province of KurdistanAnd in Mahabadalso in the Northwest, according to the social environment 1500tasvirwhich covers demos.

– Support for Biden –

retired members Revolutionary GuardThe ideological army of the Islamic Republic also held a rally on Saturday, according to the reformist newspaper Shargh.

At the rally, a Guardian commander stated that three members of the Basij paramilitary group had been killed and 850 have been wounded in Tehran since the “sedition” began, Irna said.

The protests, now in their fifth week, have led to demonstrations of solidarity in other countries.

USA and European Union According to Amnesty International, they have identified sanctions against Iranian officials involved in the crackdown, which has already killed at least 108 people, including 23 children aged 11 to 17.

US President Joe Biden said on Friday that his country stands with “the citizens, the brave women of Iran.”

Iranian President, Ebrahim Raisi, He repeatedly accused Washington of wanting to destabilize the situation in his country.

Before the EU imposes sanctions on Tehran on Monday, head of Iranian diplomacy Hossein Amir-Abdolakhyan, He urged the bloc to “look realistically” at the demonstrations.

“Who would have thought that the death of one girl would mean so much to Westerners? What did they do with hundreds of thousands of martyrs and deaths in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria D Lebanon?” he launched.

(AFP)