Iran’s jail fireplace dying toll rises to eight -judiciary By Reuters

DUBAI (Reuters) -Eight prisoners died because of a hearth at Tehran’s Evin jail over the weekend, Iran’s judiciary stated on Monday, doubling the toll in an incident that has elevated strain on a authorities already dealing with protests over a lady’s dying in police custody.

All of the victims have been being held in a bit of the jail designated for prisoners of robbery-related crimes, the judiciary stated. Evin additionally holds many detainees dealing with safety expenses, together with Iranians with twin nationality.

Authorities stated on Saturday {that a} jail workshop had been set on fireplace “after a battle amongst numerous prisoners convicted of economic crimes and theft”. The primary 4 deaths reported by state media have been on account of smoke inhalation.

Protests sparked by 22-year-old Mahsa Amini’s dying on Sept. 16 have changed into one of many boldest challenges to Iran’s clerical rulers for the reason that 1979 revolution, with protesters calling for the downfall of the Islamic Republic, even when the unrest doesn’t appear near toppling the system.

Households of some political detainees took to social media to name on the authorities to make sure their security at Evin jail, which in 2018 was blacklisted by the U.S. authorities for “critical human rights abuses”.