Clashes, fire at Iran's notorious prison
A deadly fire has been reported at Iran's much-talked-about Evin prison. Local residents said that gunshots and sirens were heard from inside.
According to the report of the news agency Reuters, after the fire on Saturday (October 15), the surroundings were covered with black smoke. The fire brigade reached there quickly after the fire broke out. Workers put out the fire as well as evacuate the victims. Later, special forces were deployed there. However, the cause of the prison fire on the outskirts of the capital, Tehran, is still unclear. It is not known whether there were any casualties.
Families of inmates have started gathering in front of the main gate of the jail in the wake of the fire. The prison is the primary place of detention for political prisoners. It houses political prisoners, journalists and many dual and foreign nationals. Hundreds of people detained from the protests that are going on in Iran due to the death of a young woman in police custody on September 16 have been kept in that prison.
An official quoted by Iranian state media said the situation was under control.
A witness told Reuters news agency that the prisoners' families had gathered in front of the main gate. They say we see fire and smoke. There are special forces personnel and ambulances.
Meanwhile, the streets of Iran are full of protests for the fifth week after the death of a young woman in police custody. The death of young Mahsa Amini in police custody has not deterred the protestors. In the meantime, more than 200 people including children have been reported dead. Apart from this, allegations of physical abuse of protesting women have also been raised against the country's police.
The ordinary people of the country took to the streets in different cities of Iran on Saturday (October 15) to protest the police torture. Apart from this, students of various schools are also seen protesting. On this day, the country's paramilitary forces tried to force a woman into a car in the northern city of Gohardast. At that time, when the protestors stopped, the security forces opened fire. The agitators started running in panic.
Meanwhile, the US has reiterated its support for the ongoing movement. US President Joe Biden called for an end to the government's crackdown on protesters at a press conference.
Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish girl, died in police custody on September 13. Protests started against this. The country is witnessing the biggest protests in decades. Protests erupted there, mainly after the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody, and later spread across the country. Many countries of the world have expressed solidarity with this protest.
