Iran International reports.At least eight people were injured at Iran’s Evin prison fire on Saturday, said Iran’s state news agency IRNA, adding that no one was killed.
Iran International reports and multiple images show a large fire spreading in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison where most political prisoners and many protesters are detained.
Center for Human Rights in Iran confirmed that it has received reports that there was a “gun battle” in Evin prison Saturday night that was continuing at 22:00 local time (14:30 Washington DC time and 19:30 London time).
The human rights monitoring group said that gun shots were first heard in Ward 7 of the prison, housing inmates convicted for financial crimes, and then the confrontation spread to other parts of the prison.
Fars new agency affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard confirmed after 22:00 local time that “a riot” took place in the prison by “common criminals” who got into an skirmish with guards and set the clothing depot of the prison on fire. Fars claimed that order has been reestablished and firefighters are extinguishing the blaze. However, eyewitnesses continues to report explosions and gunfire in the compound.
An interesting observation by some Tehran residents noted that the government opened access to the Internet and a few minutes later the news about Evin prison spread.
Photos and videos showed a large blaze in the compound and some reports said that guards had fled the prison amid the spreading fire. However, some guards must still be in the prison if guns are being fired.
Some reports said ordinary people who heard about the incident have been trying to reach the prison, possibly in a bid to help the inmates.
