Iran: Dozens at Gohardasht prison in critical state after water contamination

NCRI – Dozens of prisoners held at Gohardasht prison in the city of Karaj, including a number of political prisoners, have been transferred to the prison clinic after contracting severe illnesses due to contamination in the prison’s drinking water. 15 political and regular prisoners from Ward 4, more than 20 from Ward 1, and a number of prisoners in wards 2, 5, 6 and the Women’s Ward are reported to be in critical condition. Political prisoners Afshin Baymani and two others, Reza Pourhassan and Akbar Shahbazi are among them.

It has been a month since Gohardasht prison’s drinking water has been contaminated after a sewage leakage, making a large number of prisoners ill. The prison water is obtained from a well, which means that the inmates do not have access to the clean city water. Many of them are facing kidney problems, digestive system, diarrhea, nausea, lethargy, and headaches.

The Iranian Resistance calls on the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, relevant UN rapporteurs, Amnesty International, and other international human rights organizations to condemn these inhumane conditions and calls for an urgent international measure to save the lives of the inmates, especially political prisoners.

Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
April 18, 2010