Sunni prisoner beaten severely at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj

HRANA News Agency – The family of Seddigh Mohammadi, a Sunni prisoner suffering from psychological illnesses awaiting execution in Iran, say they found bruising and evidence of beating on his body during a recent visit to the prison.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), the family had finally been allowed to visit Seddigh Mohammadi in Ghezel Hesar prison last week, after a year of being prohibited from visiting the prison.

During the visit, during which Seddigh was separated from the family behind glass, the family noticed that Seddigh’s legs were bruised and one of his teeth had been broken.

The family also said that Seddigh Mohammadi had been forced to remain in solitary confinement for 40 days without reason.

The family complained about his injuries and suspected beatings to the Head of Unit 2 of the prison, Hossein Ghadami, as well as the Head of Security, Iraj Haghighi. However, following threats from Prison Security towards Seddigh Mohammadi, the family was forced to withdraw their complaints.

Seddigh Mohammadi was previously beaten by prison guards before being transferred to solitary confinement on 12 August 2014, after he complained about prison guards who had insulted his Sunni religious beliefs. The attack in August left him with severe bruising to his body and a wound to his head.

Seddigh Mohammadi, originally from Javanroud in the Kermanshah province of Iran, was arrested in June 2010, before being sentenced to death after being convicted of Moharabeh ‘enmity against God’.

The Supreme Court originally overturned his death sentence, along with that of another Sunni prisoner, Hadi Hosseini, in December 2013 due to their psychological illnesses. The move came after the men ended a 7-week long hunger strike, with officials promising to provide a retrial in the Revolutionary Court in Sanandaj.

However, the men did not receive retrials as promised, and in May 2014 the Supreme Court confirmed their death sentences once again. Their cases were sent to the Office for the Implementation of Sentences, and the men are at risk of execution.