4 dead, 61 injured in fire, clashes at Iran’s Evin prison

TEHRAN, Iran

At least four prisoners died and 61 others were injured in Saturday night's clashes and fire at Tehran's high-security Evin Prison, the country's judiciary said on Sunday.

The fatalities happened due to "inhalation of smoke" as a result of the fire, the statement noted, adding that the victims were convicts of theft.

The incident took place at around 9:10 p.m., local time on Saturday, when videos circulated online showed plumes of smoke rising from the prison compound followed by the sound of explosions and gunfire.

State-run news agency IRNA initially reported clashes between inmates and staff at the prison, adding that some prisoners set a warehouse of clothes on fire. It said on Saturday night only 8 people had been injured.

Some local media outlets said inmates, mostly those with charges of financial crimes, burnt a sewing workshop at the prison following an altercation with the staff.

On Sunday, conflicting reports emerged about the incident, with semi-official Fars News Agency saying some prisoners tried to escape and inadvertently stepped on a minefield in the hills north of the prison, which caused loud explosions.

The escape attempt happened after clashes between two groups of prisoners during which a clothes warehouse inside the prison was set on fire, the report claimed.

However, a report published by semi-official Tasnim News on Sunday, citing sources, said no prisoner entered the landmine area in the hills. It said the main incident happened in the prison ward where thieves are lodged.

According to reports, families of prisoners assembled outside the high-security jail on Sunday and protested against the incident.

Evin Prison is the biggest detention center in the Iranian capital that holds thousands of prisoners, including many arrested in recent protests over the death of an Iranian woman in police custody.