Political prisoner Zahra Safaei brutalized by dangerous inmates in Qarchak Prison
Political prisoner Zahra Safaei was brutalized Thursday morning, August 27, 2020, in the notorious Qarchak Prison by dangerous criminals hired and incited by the Ministry of Intelligence.
Two dangerous criminals convicted on theft and drug-related charges attacked Zahra Safaei, striking on her head and face trying to injure her only a day after they entered her ward. Other inmates intervened to stop the assailants.
The NCRI Women’s Committee had already warned about the lives of women political prisoners being in danger in Qarchak Prison. The Warden of Qarchak has sent dangerous criminals to wards where political prisoners are detained, to incite fights where they could beat and kill political prisoners.
Like many other prisons in Iran, the principle of separation of categories of prisoners is not observed in Qarchak Prison for women. Prison conditions are abysmal. The clerical regime uses this prison to increase pressure on women political prisoners and sends them to exile in Qarchak Prison.
On June 3, 2020, political prisoner Zahra Safaei was threatened by several inmates hired by the Ministry of Intelligence. They threatened to attack and kill Ms. Safaei.
Security forces arrested Zahra Safaei in Tehran on February 24, 2020. They also arrested Parastoo Mo’ini, her daughter, as well as Forough Taghipour and her mother, Nasim Jabbari. They were subsequently transferred to the Intelligence Ministry’s detention center (Ward 209 of Evin Prison). Parastoo Mo’ini and Forough Taghipour were transferred to Qarchak Prison in early March 2020.
On June 28, 2020, Zahra Safaei had been temporarily released from Qarchak Prison, until the end of her trial, on bail of 300 million Toman. But she was rearrested on July 26, 2020, when she referred to the Prosecutor’s Office of Evin Prison to review her case and that of her daughter. On July 27, 2020, she was transferred to Qarchak Prison.
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, has repeatedly called on the UN Secretary General, High Commissioner for Human Rights, Human Rights Council, relevant special rapporteurs, and the international organizations defending women’s and human rights to take urgent action to save the lives of political prisoners. Once against on August 24, 2020, she reiterated the need to launch an international fact-finding mission to visit Iran prisons and prisoners, particularly the political prisoners and imprisoned women.
