Translator's Note: I originally translated this piece on Thursday July 29th, 2010, but decided to re-post it today as a result of the absurd claims yesterday by Sohrab Soleymani the Director General of Prisons in Tehran, who claimed that prisons in Iran are much like hotels. To Mr. Soleymani I say: "Listen to the agonizing voice of Saeed Masouri from Rajai Shahr prison who writes: .... Rajai Shahr prison, a world filled with burnt, black, disheveled faces, naked bodies covered with sweat and red marks from the sting of lice. A world filled with torn trousers scraps of which are used as belts; bare and filthy feet, clothes worn inside out and covered with lice; torn, mismatched slippers. A world in which you are exposed to polluted air, the extreme smell of putrid waste, overflowing sewage from toilets, the toxicity of dry vomit, infectious phlegm and the body odor from bodies in close proximity, rarely given the opportunity to bathe; all coming to a climax with the smell of urine by those who are unable to control themselves."
Mr. Soleymani does this remind you of a hotel? What say you to the innocent families of political prisoners who live with the fact that their loved ones are being tortured behind the walls of your prisons? SHAME ON YOU! We will reveal your lies to the world! We will continue to fight for those who have been silenced and have no voice...
I ask anyone who cares about Human Rights, to read the heart breaking letter written by Saeed Masouri, describing the harrowing conditions at Rajai Shar Prison. I ask that you read his account and inform the world of the Human Rights violations and atrocities taking place behind the prison walls in Iran's notorious prisons; for remaining silent is turning our back on humanity, common decency and the dignity for life.
Thursday 29th July 2010 - RAHANA- In a moving letter, Saeed Masouri incarcerated since 2000, describes the harrowing conditions at Rajai Shahr prison. Dr. Saeed Masouri was arrested in December 2000, in the city of Dezful and is currently being held in Section 10, Ward 4 at Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj. His original trial and appeals court initially resulted in a death sentence. During his 10 years in prison he has spent 3 years in solitary confinement in prisons in Tehran and Dezful. After extensive efforts, his death sentence was reduced to life imprisonment.
According to reports by RAHANA, in the past 10 years, Masouri has never been allowed conditional leave from prison and during his initial arrest and time in solitary confinement, he endured extensive physical and psychological torture. Masouri was transferred to Rajai Shahr prison, renowned for its inhumane conditions a few years ago. In a letter written from inside prison and provided RAHANA News Agency "Human Rights House of Iran", Masouri describes the inhumane prison conditions. The content of this letter is as follows:
Life outside the prison continues as usual and it is difficult for people to imagine what hell and human tragedy is taking place a few meters behind the prison walls that they casually pass by every day; much like those who lived around the camps in Auschwitz and Dachau and perhaps had no idea what was going on inside the walls of those notorious camps.
I want to paint a picture of Rajai Shahr prison though large in the eyes of the citizens of Karaj, in reality a very small prison because of over crowding. This is a different world, much like hell depicted in fictional movies, full of fire and smoke. A world filled with burnt, black, disheveled faces, naked bodies covered with sweat and red marks from the sting of lice. A world filled with torn trousers scraps of which are used as belts; bare and filthy feet, clothes worn inside out and covered with lice; torn, mismatched slippers. A world in which you are exposed to polluted air, the extreme smell of putrid waste, overflowing sewage from toilets, the toxicity of dry vomit, infectious phlegm and the body odor from bodies in close proximity, rarely given the opportunity to bathe; all coming to a climax with the smell of urine by those who are unable to control themselves.
All this against the backdrop of the tremendous uproar and cries of prisoners who seem to spend their entire day in lines. Prisoners standing in lines holding plastic bottles that have turned black and serve as tea cups; standing in multiple, long, packed lines to use the bathroom, to take a shower, etc.
Faces gaunt with malnutrition, yet hidden behind dense beards and disheveled hair; heart breaking coughs as a result of lung problems caused by contaminated indoor air; unrecognizable bodies that are associated with starving children in Africa; masses of prisoners across the corridors, looking as though they are dead, heat stricken, with soulless eyes staring at the walls and the ceiling; naked bodies searching for lice in the seams of the clothing, bodies that touch other bodies as they pass them by, all too accustomed to the images around them.
A host of other prisoners, deprived of the ability to take a walk because of the crowds, stand alone or in twos, watching others, playing with the stitches on their wrists and neck resulting from self inflicted injuries. Many are holding a small towel or piece of cloth used every few minutes to dry the sweat that accumulates on their head and faces; a cloth that also serves as a means to mask their nose and mouth in order to better tolerate the stench of the contaminated air. Add to all this the commotion and deafening noise of their [prison guards] speakers, shouting out vulgar insults, demanding silence and giving orders to observe the bathroom and toilet rules, etc. You will only understand the severity of the conditions when you realize that a place designed to accommodate at maximum 90 people, is holding over 1100 prisoners. There is one bathroom for every 250 prisoners. There is one bar of soap or liquid soap for every 500 prisoners, one toilet (often full and over flowing) per 170 prisoners. Every 5 prisoners have access to 5 square meters of space, forcing prisoners to use the space in corridors and stairways; one blanket per every 5 - 6 prisoners; prisoners who are forced outside their prison cells from 7pm to 7am, standing in the outdoor areas because of the lack of space indoors. Even in the open air areas, you seldom find a place to stand. Food is often served to many on a piece of newspaper and the only means to eat it, is to find some place to sit in the open air areas. This condition is even obvious to the guards who not face the daunting task of counting and keeping track of the prisoners in such a large crowd, but are also exposed to all kinds of disease and illnesses.
Surprisingly, from early morning until nightfall, the television set can be heard, with talk of human dignity, human rights and the way we manage the world, but not a word is said about what is happening here behind these prison walls. Apparently, public health, bathrooms and toilets are so tied to our country's security that talking about them is considered a crime against the national security of our nation. Take for example Reza Jooshan, a 22 year old who was moved to solitary confinement because he had the audacity to speak out and complain about the conditions. Though his transfer to solitary confinement came as no surprise to me, the conditions at Rajai Shahr and other prisons are so dire that they will not be solved by sending people to solitary confinement. It is no wonder that for many prisoners incarcerated in Iran's notorious prisons, being held in a place like Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib jail is but an unattainable dream; execution becoming their only tangible hope to escape from this unbearable human tragedy.
Saeed Masouri Rajai Shahr Prison July 2010
I want to paint a picture of Rajai Shahr prison though large in the eyes of the citizens of Karaj, in reality a very small prison because of over crowding. This is a different world, much like hell depicted in fictional movies, full of fire and smoke. A world filled with burnt, black, disheveled faces, naked bodies covered with sweat and red marks from the sting of lice. A world filled with torn trousers scraps of which are used as belts; bare and filthy feet, clothes worn inside out and covered with lice; torn, mismatched slippers. A world in which you are exposed to polluted air, the extreme smell of putrid waste, overflowing sewage from toilets, the toxicity of dry vomit, infectious phlegm and the body odor from bodies in close proximity, rarely given the opportunity to bathe; all coming to a climax with the smell of urine by those who are unable to control themselves.
All this against the backdrop of the tremendous uproar and cries of prisoners who seem to spend their entire day in lines. Prisoners standing in lines holding plastic bottles that have turned black and serve as tea cups; standing in multiple, long, packed lines to use the bathroom, to take a shower, etc.
Faces gaunt with malnutrition, yet hidden behind dense beards and disheveled hair; heart breaking coughs as a result of lung problems caused by contaminated indoor air; unrecognizable bodies that are associated with starving children in Africa; masses of prisoners across the corridors, looking as though they are dead, heat stricken, with soulless eyes staring at the walls and the ceiling; naked bodies searching for lice in the seams of the clothing, bodies that touch other bodies as they pass them by, all too accustomed to the images around them.
A host of other prisoners, deprived of the ability to take a walk because of the crowds, stand alone or in twos, watching others, playing with the stitches on their wrists and neck resulting from self inflicted injuries. Many are holding a small towel or piece of cloth used every few minutes to dry the sweat that accumulates on their head and faces; a cloth that also serves as a means to mask their nose and mouth in order to better tolerate the stench of the contaminated air. Add to all this the commotion and deafening noise of their [prison guards] speakers, shouting out vulgar insults, demanding silence and giving orders to observe the bathroom and toilet rules, etc. You will only understand the severity of the conditions when you realize that a place designed to accommodate at maximum 90 people, is holding over 1100 prisoners. There is one bathroom for every 250 prisoners. There is one bar of soap or liquid soap for every 500 prisoners, one toilet (often full and over flowing) per 170 prisoners. Every 5 prisoners have access to 5 square meters of space, forcing prisoners to use the space in corridors and stairways; one blanket per every 5 - 6 prisoners; prisoners who are forced outside their prison cells from 7pm to 7am, standing in the outdoor areas because of the lack of space indoors. Even in the open air areas, you seldom find a place to stand. Food is often served to many on a piece of newspaper and the only means to eat it, is to find some place to sit in the open air areas. This condition is even obvious to the guards who not face the daunting task of counting and keeping track of the prisoners in such a large crowd, but are also exposed to all kinds of disease and illnesses.
Surprisingly, from early morning until nightfall, the television set can be heard, with talk of human dignity, human rights and the way we manage the world, but not a word is said about what is happening here behind these prison walls. Apparently, public health, bathrooms and toilets are so tied to our country's security that talking about them is considered a crime against the national security of our nation. Take for example Reza Jooshan, a 22 year old who was moved to solitary confinement because he had the audacity to speak out and complain about the conditions. Though his transfer to solitary confinement came as no surprise to me, the conditions at Rajai Shahr and other prisons are so dire that they will not be solved by sending people to solitary confinement. It is no wonder that for many prisoners incarcerated in Iran's notorious prisons, being held in a place like Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib jail is but an unattainable dream; execution becoming their only tangible hope to escape from this unbearable human tragedy.
Saeed Masouri Rajai Shahr Prison July 2010
گزارشی از زندان رجاییشهر به هر آن کس که گوش شنوایی دارد… | رهانا پنجشنبه , ۷ مرداد , ۱۳۸۹ @ ۱۲:۱۸ ق.ظ
سعید ماسوری زندانی که از سال ۱۳۷۹ در زندان به سر میبرد با نوشتن نامهای از درون زندان گزارشی از وضعیت زندان رجاییشهر داده است. خبرگزاری حقوق بشر ایران - رهانا
دکتر سعید ماسوری که در دی ماه سال ۱۳۷۹ در دزفول بازداشت شد از جمله زندانیان سالن ۱۰ بند ۴ زندان رجاییشهر در کرج است. وی در دادگاه اولیه و تجدیدنظر به اعدام محکوم شد و چند سال زیر حکم اعدام بود. وی در مدت ۱۰ سال بازداشت، سه سال را در سلولهای انفرادی تهران و ذزفول گذراند. حکم اعدام وی پس از تلاشهای بسیار به حبس ابد کاهش پیدا کرده است.
به گزارش رهانا، در طی ده سال گذشته وی حتا از یک روز مرخصی نتوانسته استفاده کند. در طی مدت بازداشت اولیه و سلول انفرادی وی مورد شکنجههای روجی و جمسی فراوانی قرار گرفته بود.
اکنون وی چند سال است که به زندان رجاییشهر منتقل شده و در این زندان با وضعیت دشواری به سر میبرد. وی نامهای از درون زندان در مورد وضعیت این زندان نوشته است که در اختیار رهانا، سامانه خبری «خانه حقوق بشر ایران» قرار گرفته است:
اگر چه ممکن است در خارج از زندان زندگی به ظاهر در جریان باشد ولی قطعاً در همین کرج کسی نمیتواند باور کند که چند متر آنطرفتر یعنی پشت دیوار زندانی که از کنار آن عبور میکند چه جهنّم و فاجعه انسانی در حال وقوع است،همانطور که خیلیها در اطراف اردوگاههای داخو و آشویتس هم در حال زندگی بودند و شاید به درستی نمیدانستند درداخل آن چه میگذرد.
میخواهم تنها در یک پلان شمایی از زندان رجائی شهر که نزد اهالی کرج بسیار بزرگ مینماید ولی در واقع به دلیل ازدحام جمعیت بسیار کوچک است را به تصویر بکشم . اینجا گویی که دنیایی دیگر است ،چیزی شبیه جهنّم در فیلمهای تخیلی،آکنده از آتش و دود و چهرههای سیاه سوخته و ژولیده ، بدنهأی لخت و عرق کرده و سراسر قرمز و آبله ای بر اثر زخم نیش شپش ، شلوار هایی با لنگ پاره شده آن که به عنوان کمربند استفاده شده ، پاهای برهنه و کثیف لباسهای پشت و رو پوشیده شده به خاطر شپش، دمپایی های پاره و لنگه به لنگه، هوای کثیف و آلوده، بوی زبالههای متعفن شده، گنداب توالت های سر ریز شده، استفراغهای خشک ناشی از مسمومیتها ،خلتهای سینه عفونی شده که همهٔ محوطه را فراگرفته،بوی عرق بدن هایی که در این فضای بسته و گرم و آلوده به ندرت امکان حمام کردن مییابند…همه و همه با بوی زخم ادرار افرادی که نمیتوانند خود را کنترل کنند به اوج میرسد و این همه با فریاد و همهمهٔ سرسام آور زندانیانی که با بطریهای پلاستیکی سیاه شده به عنوان لیوان چای در صفهای انبوه،دو صف ایستاده و یا پشت سر هم در صفهای چند ردیفه و فشرده در نوبت توالت و حمام و غیره صف کشیدهاند ، رخ میدهد .
چهرههای تکیده شده ناشی از سو تغذیه ولی پنهان در پشت انبوه ریش و موهای ژولیده ، سرفههای دلخراش ناشی از مشکلات ریوی به خاطر فضای بسته آلوده، بدنهای غیر متعارف که کودکان قحطی زده آفریقا را تداعی میکند ، انبوه زندانیان ولو شده در وسط راهروها که یا به خوابی مرگ مانند فرو رفته اند و یا به شکل گرما زده شده وا رفته و با چشمانی بی روح به نقطه ایی از دیوار و سقف خیره مانده و یا چمباتمه به دیوار تکیه داده، لخت شده، شپشها را در درز لباسهایشان میجویند که در حین عبور انبوه نفرات به آنها میخورند ، تقریبا عادت کرده اند.
انبوهی دیگر که تنها به خاطر اینکه امکان قدم زدن در این ازدحام را نمییابند تنها و یا دو نفره ایستاده دیگران را تماشا میکنند و یا با بخیههای روی مچ و یا گردنشان که ناشی از خود زنی است بازی میکنند و عموما هم تکه پارچه یا حوله ای در دست دارند که هم برای خشک کردن عرق سر و صورت هر چند دقیقه به سرو صورت میکشند و هم به عنوان ماسکی جلوی دماغ و دهنشان میگیرند تا بوی گند و آلودگی هوا را به میزانی کنترل و تحمل کنند و با همه اینها در هیاهوی کر کننده بلندگو و یا فریادها یی با فحشهای رکیک دیگران را به سکوت و رعایت نوبت توالت و حمام و غیره دعوت میکند همراه است واین همه را وقتی میتوانیم بفهمیم که بدانیم در جائی که حد اکثر ۹۰ نفر گنجایش استاندارد آن است ، ۱۱۰۰ نفر محبوس است، برای هر ۲۵۰ نفر ۱ حمام ، هر ۵۰۰ نفر یک شیر صابون یا مایع دستشویی هر ۱۷۰ نفر یک توالت ( آن هم اغلب پر و سر ریز کرده است) هر ۵ نفر یک متر مربع جا(به همین خاطر از فضای راهرو و راه پلهها هم استفاده میشود) و هر ۵ یا ۶ نفر روی ۱ پتو میخوابند و مجبورند از ۷ صبح تا ۷ شب هم بیرون از سلولها و در محوطه هواخوری و جلوی آفتاب باشند چون در سلولها و زیر سقف مطلقاً جا نمیشوند، حتی در محوطه هواخوری هم به ندرت جائی برای ایستادن گیر میآید و وقتی غذا برای خیلیها تنها روی تکه ایی روزنامه ریخته میشود به جز داخل هواخوری جائی برای نشستن و خوردن آن نمییابند و این اوضاع حتی زندانبانان را هم به سطوح آورده چون حتی امکان شمارش و آمارگیری را هم در این ازدحام جمعیت نمییابند و خود نیز در معرض انواع بیماریهایند…
و عجب اینکه تلویزیون از بوق سگ تا پاسی از شب از کرامت انسانی، جایگاه انسان و حتی مدیریت جهانی صحبت میکند ولی از این اوضاع سخنی به میان نمی اید چرا که صحبت از بهداشت و حمام و توالت با امنیت ملی گره خورده و طرح آن جرمی در ردیف اقدام علیه امنیت و نشر اکاذیب است و اگر کسی هم مثل رضا جوشن جوان ۲۲ ساله ایی که در وقایع انتخابات دستگیر شد به این وضع اعتراض و آنرا بیان کند بلافاصله به سلول انفرادی منتقل میشود، البته من هم انتظاری غیر از این ندارم ولی اوضاع رجائی شهر ( و البته بقیه زندانها) بسیار اسفناکتر از آن است که سلول انفرادی راه حل آن باشد و بیخود نیست که برای زندانیان در ایران گوانتانامو و ابو غریب رویایی است دست نیافتنی و امید اعدام شدن راه خلاصی سهل الوصول تر و بسیار متداول تر است و دست یافتنی تر… سعید ماسوری زندان رجائی شهر مرداد
No comments:
Post a Comment