Murder of a defenseless prisoner in Zahedan central prison

Artwork by Reza Olia, Iranian painter 

According to the reports received by the “Human Rights Activists for Democracy in Iran” (HRDAI), a defenseless prisoner was murdered several hours after being moved into the solitary confinements of quarantine ward of Zahedan central prison.  

Prisoner Mohsen Ismailzehi, 33 years old, on the evening of Wednesday 2^nd of January, 2013, referred to the Infirmary of the Zahedan central prison told to one of the medical staff that he felt severe pain, but he refused to visit and curing him.    

While the prisoner was insisting on his examination and treatment, the infirmary chief called Yousefi entered into contention with the prisoners and accused him of lying and malingering. While the pain put extra pressure on him, the defenseless prisoner insisted on his treatment.

The infirmary chief ‘Yousefi’ instead of treatment, ordered transferring the prisoner into solitary confinements of the quarantine ward for malingering reason. The prisoner Mohsen Ismailzehi after being moved into the solitary cell was beaten to death by the intelligence officials of the prison and finally murdered at dawn of Thursday 3rd of January, 2013.   

But the prison officials falsely attribute the cause of death due an overdose taking of pills by the prisoner in order to commit suicide. This is while no drug or pills can be found in solitary confinements.

‘Yousefi’, the head of infirmary who is an ordinary nurse, was appointed to this position just for the sake of being a member of the prison intelligence office. He enjoys especial authorities. According to the Iranian State Prisons’ Organizations’ laws, moving the prisoners into solitary confinements is not among his qualifications and this should be decided for by the prisons council. He behaves with inhuman brutal treatment towards the patients and refrains from treatment of the political and ordinary prisoners.            

 “Human Rights Activists for Democracy in Iran" condemns the systematic method of preventing from treatment of defenseless patient prisoners and moving them into solitary confinements and killing them under torture as an against humanity crime, and urges the High Commissioner for Human Rights and other international bodies to refer the Mullahs' regime and Mullah Ali Khamenei’s dossier of crimes against humanity to the international judiciary authorities for trial.

Human Rights Activists for Democracy in Iran

January 04, 2013

The above report was sent to the following organizations:

-UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

-UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights

-Amnesty International