Iran Prisons Atlas website says that following the coronavirus outbreak in Tehran's central prison, Evin, several inmates in Ward 8 of the infamous jail held a sit-in protest on Monday, August 10, in the courtyard of the guardhouse.
The website advocating prisoners’ rights also said that "27 political prisoners participated in the sit-in protest and demanded an immediate investigation into the dire conditions at Evin."
Hours earlier, Iran's Free Trade Union website reported that twelve prisoners from Ward 8 of Evin’s Public Ward had contracted the deadly virus.
The union named a renowned member of the Teachers' Union, Esmaeil Abdi and an outspoken attorney, Amirsalar Davari, among the victims.
According to Abdi's wife, Minoo the twelve were "transferred to Evin Prison Medical Center, and all are kept in the same room."
However, other reports suggest that the twelve were suspected of contracting coronavirus a week earlier while interacting with other prisoners. Therefore, all inmates are now deeply worried.
Earlier, Amnesty International published some correspondence between the Iranian Prisons Organization and officials of the Ministry of Health, revealing that since the outbreak of the pandemic the government of the Islamic Republic has failed to send medical equipment and supplies to the country's prisons to contain the coronavirus.
Furthermore, an international award-winning human rights advocate, Narges Mohammadi, disclosed that along with eleven others, she had contracted COVID-19.
Ms. Mohammadi is behind bars in the city of Zanjan's prison for "propaganda against the regime."