Continued detention of six Kurdish political prisoners in solitary confinement in Orumieh central prison in Iran
(20 December 2011) – The families of six Kurdish political prisoners held in solitary confinement at Orumieh central prison still have no information about the condition of these prisoners more than two weeks after the transfer.
As reported by the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center (IHRDC) last week, six Kurdish political prisoners including Habibollah Golparipour – a Kurdish activist on death row – and Jahangir Baduzadeh, Ahmad Tamou’i, Yousef Kakehmami, Ali Ahmad Soleiman, and Mostafa Ali Ahmad were transferred by prison guards from Ward 12 of Orumieh central prison to solitary confinement.
A credible source told IHRDC that after two weeks in solitary confinement these prisoners were informed that their detention would continue for another five days. They continue to be prohibited from visiting with or contacting their families.
The reason these prisoners were transferred to solitary confinement is not yet clear. However a family member of one of the six prisoners has reliably informed IHRDC that he received reports that an informant in Ward 12 falsely warned prison authorities that the six prisoners planned to start a prison riot, and this led to the transfer.
Prolonged solitary confinement potentially violates Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) – which Iran is a signatory to. Article 7 prescribes that “[n]o one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” The Human Rights Committee – the body of independent experts that monitors implementation of the ICCPR by its State parties – has stated that prolonged solitary confinement of a detained or imprisoned person may amount to acts prohibited by Article 7.
