Four prisoners killed, 61 injured in clashes at Iran’s Evin prison: State media

Four prisoners were killed and 61 others were injured during the fire and clashes that erupted at Tehran’s Evin prison late on Saturday, Iran’s official IRNA news agency reported.

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The four prisoners died due to smoke inhalation, IRNA said.

All four dead prisoners were among those convicted of theft, IRNA added. Many political activists, journalists, and dual and foreign nationals are held at Evin prison.

Only 10 of the injured prisoners have been hospitalized, and of those four are reported to be in serious condition, IRNA said.

Clashes erupted late on Saturday between inmates and personnel at the notorious prison in the capital Tehran leading to a fire, IRNA previously reported, citing an unnamed security official.

The official blamed the fire seen in videos shared on social media on the prisoners, claiming they set fire to a warehouse there.

Videos shared on social media on Saturday showed smoke rising from the prison. Repeated gunfire as well as anti-government chants could also be heard in the videos.

Activists expressed concern that the lives of prisoners were in danger.

The incident at Evin prison comes amid ongoing anti-government protests that erupted across Iran since mid-September after Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman, died in police custody.

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