Political Prisoner 'Commits Suicide' In Iranian Prison

Political prisoner Shahin Galledari allegedly committed suicide on Sunday evening in Urmia Prison, the latest in a series of suspicious deaths in Iranian prisons.

According to Hengaw Human Rights Organization, a Kurdish rights group, at least 35 prisoners lost their lives in Iranian prisons in 2023 alone.

Galledari, 46, had been sentenced to two years in prison by the Urmia Revolutionary Court in 2020 on charges of "acting against national security." He was detained in March 2023 and subsequently transferred to Urmia Prison to serve his sentence. In 2015, he was also detained by security forces and later released on bail.

Recent days have seen numerous reports highlighting the inadequate health conditions in Iranian prisons, including the notorious Evin jail in Tehran. Overcrowding and the presence of harmful infestations like lice have been cited as factors endangering the physical and mental well-being of prisoners, with protests on the issues ignored by prison authorities.

In recent years, many political prisoners have lost their lives in detention centers and prisons across Iran. However, Iran has consistently refused to accept responsibility for the deaths, which have been attributed to pressure, torture, and inadequate medical services.

Between 2010 and 2022, Amnesty International documented at least 72 deaths in Iranian prisons, 46 of which were due to ill treatment or torture.