Documentary report on atrocious conditions of Vakeel Abad Prison in Mashhad, northeast Iran

A humanitarian catastrophe in Vakeel Abad Prison of Mashhad in northeast Iran
Learn more about deteriorating living conditions in the prisons of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Despite the winter cold and prisoners’ needs to heating appliances and adequate care, most of the inmates of Vakeel Abad Prison of Mashhad were deprived of adequate supplies during the winter season.

Inmates are forced to go to the prison courtyard early in the morning, and despite the rain or cold weather they are kept there for long hours. If it starts to snow they have a very thin blanket to sit on and another blanket (if they are able to procure one) to cover their heads with, which of course is not enough at all. At times there have been cases where the prisoners, suffering from severe sleep deprivation, have fallen asleep in the courtyard under the snow, and when they wake up they find themselves covered with a layer of snow.

Going out in the cold weather was mandatory for wards 1.6, 2, 4 and 5 in this prison and carried out on a daily basis. The remaining wards were also forced into the cold weather once or twice a week, leading to increasing chronic illnesses in the prison.

Lice and bedbugs run wild in this prison and the inmates are bothered to such an extent that they cannot sleep at nights, as they are constantly bitten by these insects and most of their bodies are filled with wounds.

Showers are only open 2 hours a day for 1,500 inmates, and in the summer and winter season the prisoners are forced to shower with cold or relatively cold water. There are no 24-hour showers, and showers with warm and high pressure water are closed in the summer season.

Gas is provided in the fasting month of Ramadan for only 4 hours after “iftar” when inmates end their daily fasting.

The food is horrible in this prison as it is mostly comprised of livestock soya. Food rations are very low and the inmates are not provided any fruits.

The prison store is not always open and closed most of the times. Foodstuffs are not always available and when goods such as eggs are brought to the prison long lines are formed outside of the store. Most of the times the prisoners do not receive any eggs or chicken meat, and they are forced to wait until the next weeks to maybe be able to buy some at higher prices.

There are no refrigerators in Mashhad prison.

Removing and reinstalling window glasses in the summer and winter, respectively, is described as air conditioning and electric heating services.

Having a fan or radio is banned in this prison.

Inmates are prohibited from bringing any books into the prison due to the fact that there are female personalities in the text.

The prison mullahs treat the inmates in a sadistic manner, forcing them into religious classes as a method to humiliate them.

During holidays and New Year inmates seen celebrating or congratulating others are sent to solitary confinement.

Prison officials use the inmates as their slaves and they have each chosen a servant whom they order around.

The women’s ward has no gas stove to cook food.

Prison guards attack the inmates during inspections and they are beaten very severely. Humiliating prisoners is a very common practice.

Counselors and psychiatrists in the prison wards actually place the inmates under very poor treatment, and they are relieved of being held accountable. The lives of these prisoners are no longer of any importance for them.

Wards 4 and 5 are in extremely atrocious conditions.

Ward 1-6 is known as the “killing field”.

A large number of executions are carried out on a weekly basis in Vakil Abad Prison. Amputations are carried out inside the prison, and lashing is conducted once every 3 days before the eyes of other inmates in the prison sports arena, known as the “wrestling hall”.

Telephone calls are only allowed in certain hours of the day with each prisoner being given only 5 minutes, if there is a telephone card available because only a number of prison officials are allowed to sell telephone cards. If an inmate is under penalization, he/she is deprived of any phone calls or visits with family members.