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Iran: Sunni political prisoners barred from visiting family members

gohardasht-prison

NCRI – in the latest crackdown on Sunni and Kurdish political prisoners the Iranian regime’s authorities in Gohardasht Prison in the city of Karaj have prohibited them from having family visits.

The head of the prison, Mohammad Mardani, told the Sunni prisoners that they would not be allowed to visit their family members until further notice and their families had been informed of the ban.

The Sunni political prisoners who are being held in Gohardasht prison in city of Karaj are mostly from the far away Western region of the country and have family visits once every few months.

The Iranian regime’s henchmen in prison use the family visit as a means to further put these political prisoners under psychological pressure.

The practice is not something new in Iranian prisons but it has recently intensified as more Sunnis are arrested.

In early October, the Iranian regime’s State Security Forces arrested at least 20 Sunni Iranians on the day of Islamic feast Eid al-Adha, or Feast of Sacrifice, in the western city of Mahabad.

Forces violently raided the houses of Mahabad residents.

The Iranian regime’s security forces prevented Sunni Muslims from holding Eid al-Adha, or Feast of Sacrifice, prayers in some districts of Tehran on October 4.

An Iranian Sunni cleric said: “We have repeatedly requested the Ministry of Interior to cooperate and remove the limitations as this is our right in our country. But unfortunately according to the reports limitations have been imposed on Sunnis in parts of the country.”

The latest report, published in October, by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights states: “At least 150 Sunni Muslims are currently detained for reportedly organizing religious meetings and activities or after trials that allegedly often failed to meet international standards. Many have been charged with serious security offences.”