Increase in suicide at Gohardasht Prison

According to reports on “Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran.” the inhumane and unbearable condition existing in Gohardasht prison has led to the suicide of at least 3 people.

During recent days, some of the defenseless prisoners who were affected by the overwhelming pressures and medieval circumstances committed suicide which is increasing to an unprecedented manner by every day.

At least three people have during these recent days committed suicide in the solitary confinement at section 1 in Gohardasht prison.

The last being Javad Lotfi (22 years old) who took his life for the purpose of being freed from torture and the inhumane behavior by the guards.

On Wednesday the 26th of January; in the solitary cell section 1, shout and scream were heard by other cell mates were one of the prisoner were transferred to another section.

Still, there is no information of what happened to this prisoner.

Similar cases have been informed from other sources claiming that this act is systematically increasing by every day.

The prisoners’ situation at the solitary section in Gohardasht is harsh and inhumane.

With no contact with the outside world, these prisoners are kept isolated by the guards. During the maintance period in solitary confinement, physical torture occurs where several suffer organ failure.

Rape occurs by the guards as an oppressive method.

The prisoners have insufficient amount of food where they are forced to go hungry for a long period of time. The rejection of using the shower and in some cases limiting their use of different health services for several months. In other cases there are no glasses in the cells and temperature below zero makes the prisoners situation unbearable.

In fear of seeing protests by the prisoners against these medieval conditions, electric doors have been installed in corridors and halls of the prison where the revolutionary guards of the prison use fingerprints to open and close these doors which lead to a more oppressive and limited condition for the prisoners.

These restrictions and repressive measures have been taken into action since Mohammad Mordani (chairmen of the prison) approved it. Mr. Mordani is one of the revolutionary guards who during previous years were responsible for the oppression and torture of our fellow Kurdish countrymen.

These crimes against humanity against the Kurdish political prisoners took place and today he is brutally acting with the same measures against the Gohardasht prisoners.

Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran condemns this increasing intensification of repressive measures against the defensless prisoners who commited suicide and ongoing condition for all the other prisoners at Gohardasht prison and turns to the High commissioner for Human rights to condemn this as well.

Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran also condemns other international crimes against humanity and demands that supreme leader Ali Khamenei and his regime’s case is implemented by the UN Secuirty Council to take the necessary decision for the future.

Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran

11th February 2012

The above report was sent to the following organizations:

High Commissioner for Human Rights UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Europe Union Commission on Human Rights

UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights
Amnesty International
Translation by Freedom Messenger