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Iran-HRM – Dozens of inmates have contracted Covid-19 with the spread of the fourth wave of coronavirus in Behbahan Prison.
An old prisoner died of Covid-19 in the prison. The prisoner, known as Abdullah Palang, died of shortness of breath in front of the prisoners at 5:00 AM. He was left unattended in prison and was cared for by his cellmates until his death.
More than 20 prisoners are prisoners believed to have been infected with coronavrus in Behbahan Prison.
A source from inside the prison said, “the number of infected inmates is likely much, much higher than we currently know because of the lack of testing and surveillance.”
Only prisoners with clear and acute symptoms were transferred to quarantine.
About the spread of the coronavirus in Behbahan prison, the informed source said, “One of the cause of the outbreak in the prison is a cleric who comes to the wards from outside the prison to preach. Officers who move around the wards on a daily basis are also involved in spreading the Covid-19.”
“The prison is a closed setting but the number of arrests is high and the arrival of new prisoners is contributed in spreading the disease,” the source said.
“There are not enough adequate hygiene items available to prisoners to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Behbahan Prison,” the source added.
“The prison health service does not have facilities to treat patients. The prison pharmacy is empty of medicine and has only a few painkillers. Prisoners are given only a few painkillers for their illness, including stomackaches and headaches, and for any other illness. Only in cases where a prisoner is dying, the prisoner is transferred to a hospital outside the prison,” the source continued.
Over the past year, coronary heart disease has become commonplace in this prison, and now there is a threat of the virus spreading and infecting a large number of prisoners with coronary heart disease, and in particular the lives of political prisoners.
The threat of coronavirus outbreak has endangered the lives of all prisoners, especially political prisoners.
It is worth mentioning that Iranian authorities have prevented the leak of the news on the real scope of the outbreak inside the Iranian prisons by concealing the real number of infected prisoners and deaths.
Amnesty International revealed in July 2020 that the Iranian regime has ignored repeated pleas by prison officials for resources to control the spread of COVID-19 in the country’s prison system.
“Overcrowding, poor ventilation, lack of basic sanitation and medical equipment, and deliberate neglect of prisoners’ health problems, are making Iranian prisons a perfect breeding ground for COVID-19.
“The Iranian authorities must stop denying the health crisis in Iran’s prisons and take urgent steps to protect prisoners’ health and lives, “ Amnesty International said.
