Iran: Notorious Evin prison in flames, shots heard

Riots, fire and gun shots were reported in Iran's notorious Evin prison late Saturday. The riots took place in wards 7 and 8, where mostly common criminals are incarcerated, Iranian independent news outlet Iran Wire said citing sourced inside the prison.

There may have been also some political activists imprisoned in the two wards, who have been recently detained during Mahsa Amini protests, it noted.

Political activists have regularly been incarcerated in large numbers in Evin prison in the capital city of Tehran since its opening in 1972 during Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's reign. Iran Wire earlier said that the number of detained protesters in Evin prison is estimated to be over 1,400 as of 26 September, although it is unknown whether any protesters have recently been jailed in wards 7 and 8.

There are reports of revolts in wards 7 and 8 of the notorious Evin Prison in #Tehran. Prisoners in the other wards and neighbors have been hearing gunshots for a long time. Many of the protesters detained during the recent protests are also jailed in Evin. #Mahsa_Amini pic.twitter.com/TJAFq79EEt

— IranWire (@IranWireEnglish) October 15, 2022

Iran Wire posted on Twitter a video showing the prison compound in flames, with shots heard in the background.

Tehran prosecutor, on the other hand, announced on early Sunday that the incident in Evin prison has been caused by "a fight between inmates" and it "has nothing to do with the recent riots," Iran's state media said.

"Riots and clashes on Saturday night in Evin Prison which was caused by a group of inmates of a ward where bandits and hooligans are incarcerated resulted in fire breakout in prison's clothes warehouse," the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported.