According to reports from Hana Human Rights Organization’s colleagues, Salmas Central Prison, one of the key detention centers in northwestern Iran, has become a symbol of systematic and widespread human rights violations. Documented reports from credible sources indicate inhumane conditions in this prison, which not only violate fundamental human rights but also contradict the Islamic Republic of Iran’s own domestic laws.
- Sanitation and Basic Services
• Severely damaged sanitary facilities: The prison’s restrooms are extremely deteriorated and unusable. The lack of a proper sewage system has resulted in widespread environmental contamination and the outbreak of infectious diseases among inmates.
• Prisoners lack access to basic hygiene items such as soap, tissues, and disinfectants. Cleaning of shared spaces is rare and unorganized.
• The prison’s drinking water does not meet health standards, causing digestive, skin, and infectious diseases. Many inmates are forced to consume contaminated water, as they cannot obtain clean drinking water. - Nutrition and Health Conditions
• The food provided to prisoners lacks sufficient nutritional value. Meals often contain expired or spoiled ingredients, leading to severe malnutrition, which has become a major crisis among inmates.
• Sick prisoners are denied access to specialist doctors and essential medications. Those requiring urgent medical care are largely ignored, leading to deteriorating health conditions and even death in some cases. - Overcrowding and Inhumane Conditions
• The number of inmates far exceeds the prison’s standard capacity. Overcrowding has led to the spread of contagious diseases, increased violence, and worsening mental health issues among prisoners.
• Lack of heating and hot water: During cold seasons, the heating system is ineffective, and prisoners are forced to endure freezing temperatures. Additionally, hot water for washing and personal hygiene is rarely available. - Inhumane Treatment and Violation of Human Dignity
• Verbal abuse, humiliation, and psychological torture: Prison guards, especially soldiers and officials in charge, treat inmates in a degrading manner, seeing themselves as superior and holding absolute power. Insults and verbal abuse have become a daily reality for prisoners.
• Humiliating treatment of prisoners’ families: On visitation days, families face inhumane and insulting behavior. They are searched like slaves and subjected to demeaning treatment by prison authorities. - Systematic Corruption Inside the Prison
• Drug distribution by prison officials: Evidence suggests that prison authorities distribute drugs to select inmates and sell them at high prices to others. This not only endangers prisoners’ physical health but also fuels violence and exploitation within the prison. - Role of Prison Officials in Human Rights Violations
• Mehrali Farhang (Prison Director) and Esmail Qolizadeh (Deputy Director) have played a direct and active role in overseeing torture and mistreatment of prisoners. These individuals are recognized as key perpetrators of human rights violations in Salmas Prison and should be included in international sanctions lists.
Hana Human Rights Organization Calls for International Action
To support prisoners’ rights and combat widespread human rights violations in Iran, Hana Human Rights Organization urges international bodies to:
• Pressure the Islamic Republic of Iran through all diplomatic means to end human rights violations.
• Impose international sanctions against Mehrali Farhang, Esmail Qolizadeh, and other officials involved in human rights abuses at Salmas Central Prison.
• Send independent international observers to investigate prison conditions and report on the real situation inside Iranian prisons, especially Salmas Central Prison.
• Initiate legal proceedings in international courts against Iranian officials responsible for human rights violations, torture, and mistreatment of prisoners.