Evin Prison: Difference between revisions
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Evin was designed and built in 1971 during the reign of [[Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi]] at the foot of the [[Alborz]] mountains on what had been the home of [[Seyyed Zia'eddin Tabatabaee]]. It was run by [[SAVAK]] and originally designed to house 320 inmates - 20 in solitary cells, and 300 in two large communal blocks. By 1977, it housed more than 1500, with 100 solitary cells. <ref>Abrahamian, ''Tortured Confessions'' (1999), p.105</ref> |
Evin was designed and built in 1971 during the reign of [[Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi]] at the foot of the [[Alborz]] mountains on what had been the home of [[Seyyed Zia'eddin Tabatabaee]]. It was run by [[SAVAK]] and originally designed to house 320 inmates - 20 in solitary cells, and 300 in two large communal blocks. By 1977, it housed more than 1500, with 100 solitary cells. <ref>Abrahamian, ''Tortured Confessions'' (1999), p.105</ref> |
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Under the Islamic Republic, the prison population was again expanded significantly, holding 15,000 inmates according to scholar Ervand Abrahamian.<ref>Abrahamian, ''Tortured Confessions'' (1999), p.135-6</ref> "In theory, Evin was a detention center for those awaiting trial," after which the prisoners would be transferred to another prison, |
Under the Islamic Republic, the prison population was again expanded significantly, holding 15,000 inmates according to scholar Ervand Abrahamian.<ref>Abrahamian, ''Tortured Confessions'' (1999), p.135-6</ref> "In theory, Evin was a detention center for those awaiting trial," after which the prisoners would be transferred to another prison, Qezel Hesar or Gohardast. "In reality, Evin served as a regular prison as many waited years before being brought to trial," and prominent prisoners often served their entire sentences in Evin." Execution also took place at Evin.<ref>Abrahamian, ''Tortured Confessions'' (1999), p.135</ref> Following the Islamic Revolution [[Mohammad Kachouyi]] was made warden of Evin. After his assassination in June 1981, [[Asadollah Lajevardi]], the chief prosecutor of Tehran, was warden <ref>Abrahamian, ''Tortured Confessions'' (1999), p.136</ref> until 1985. (Lajevardi also died of assassination.) |
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The prison is located in a residential and commercial area known as ''[[Evin]]'', next to the [[Saadat Abad]] district. There is a large park area with a popular upscale teahouse and restaurant located immediately next to it. Photography in front of and around the prison is illegal. |
The prison is located in a residential and commercial area known as ''[[Evin]]'', next to the [[Saadat Abad]] district. There is a large park area with a popular upscale teahouse and restaurant located immediately next to it. Photography in front of and around the prison is illegal. |
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Revision as of 08:47, 5 May 2009
Evin Prison (Template:PerB) is a prison in Iran, located in northwestern Tehran. [1] It is noted for its political prisoners' wing, where prisoners have been held both before and after the 1979 Iranian Revolution.
Background
Evin was designed and built in 1971 during the reign of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi at the foot of the Alborz mountains on what had been the home of Seyyed Zia'eddin Tabatabaee. It was run by SAVAK and originally designed to house 320 inmates - 20 in solitary cells, and 300 in two large communal blocks. By 1977, it housed more than 1500, with 100 solitary cells. [2]
Under the Islamic Republic, the prison population was again expanded significantly, holding 15,000 inmates according to scholar Ervand Abrahamian.[3] "In theory, Evin was a detention center for those awaiting trial," after which the prisoners would be transferred to another prison, Qezel Hesar or Gohardast. "In reality, Evin served as a regular prison as many waited years before being brought to trial," and prominent prisoners often served their entire sentences in Evin." Execution also took place at Evin.[4] Following the Islamic Revolution Mohammad Kachouyi was made warden of Evin. After his assassination in June 1981, Asadollah Lajevardi, the chief prosecutor of Tehran, was warden [5] until 1985. (Lajevardi also died of assassination.)
The prison is located in a residential and commercial area known as Evin, next to the Saadat Abad district. There is a large park area with a popular upscale teahouse and restaurant located immediately next to it. Photography in front of and around the prison is illegal.
Prisoners
Notable prisoners at Evin before the 1979 revolution include Ayatollah Mahmoud Taleghani and Grand Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri.
On 23 June 2003, Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi was arrested for taking photographs in front of the prison, and died while in prison. The Iranian government claimed that she died from a stroke while being interrogated, but doctors examining Kazemi's body found evidence of rape, torture and a skull fracture. [6]
Prisoners held after the Islamic revolution include Marina Nemat, who spent two years in Evin from 1982, having participated in anti regime protests at her school. She has written about her torture and the death of her fellow students at the prison.[7]
Recent political prisoners of note held at Evin have included Akbar Ganji (held there from 2000 to 2006), Mohsen Sazegara (in 2003), Nasser Zarafshan, as well as Hamid Pourmand (2005-6), Dariush Zahedi, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, on charges of espionage (2003), subsequently acquitted in 2004, and Ramin Jahanbegloo (2006).
At dawn on 27 July 2008, the Iranian Government executed a total of 29 people at Evin Prison by hanging.[8]
Ron Arad, an Israeli pilot who was captured by Hezbollah Militants in Lebanon while escaping from His F-4 in 1986 and allegedly passed on to Iranian authorities, is claimed to be imprisoned here.
Esha Momeni, a student at the California State University, Northridge, was held at Evin after her arrest on October 15, 2008 for crimes against national security.[9] She was in Iran to visit family and research women's rights in the country.[10][11] Momeni was released November 11 of that same year.[12]
Roxana Saberi, an Iranian-American journalist, was arrested in January 2009 for reporting without press credentials with a charge of espionage added in April. She is being held in the Evin Prison as well.[13]
See also
- Human rights in Islamic Republic of Iran
- 1988 executions of Iranian political prisoners
- Towhid Prison
- Prison 59
- Gohardasht Prison
- Prison 209
References and notes
- ^ http://www.prisons.ir/en/
- ^ Abrahamian, Tortured Confessions (1999), p.105
- ^ Abrahamian, Tortured Confessions (1999), p.135-6
- ^ Abrahamian, Tortured Confessions (1999), p.135
- ^ Abrahamian, Tortured Confessions (1999), p.136
- ^ INDEPTH: ZAHRA KAZEMI CBC News Online | Updated November 16, 2005 Retrieved 25/09/07
- ^ http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1066903&site_id=1#import
- ^ Iran executes 29 in jail hangings. BBC
- ^ http://www.iranfocus.com/en/women/iran-holds-student-living-in-u.s.-on-security-charges-16619.html
- ^ Iran: Arbitrary detention/ fear of torture or other ill-treatment: Esha Momeni (f). 21 October 2008, amnesty.org
- ^ IRAN Esha Momeni (f), student. 21 October 2008
- ^ http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/11/11/iran.student.released/index.html
- ^ Nazila Fathi, "American Journalist Stands Trial in Iran," The New York Times, Tuesday, April 14, 2009, available online at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/15/world/middleeast/15iran.html?hpw
External links
- Iran Human rights, a site with the latest updates on some violations of the human rights situation in Iran
- Inside Iran's most notorious jail, BBC News report on a visit to the prison given by a group of domestic and foreign journalists.
- Abrahamian, Ervand, Tortured Confessions, University of California Press, 1999
- Evin Prison on Google Maps