Two days after a massive fire broke out at Iran’s Evin prison amid the ongoing protests against hijab (headscarves worn by Muslim women), satellite images revealed the damage done to one of the largest buildings in the complex.
According to a report from the Associated Press that cited Planet Labs PBC, the images showed the destruction that happened due to a fire from a large building, part of the northern section of Evin Prison.
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On Saturday night, a massive fire broke out at the Evin prison that houses many of Iran’s political prisoners and anti-government activists.
At the same time, gunshots and clashes had also erupted at the prison amid the nationwide protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini. Several videos online showed chaotic scenes around the prison as flames rose from the complex – the sound of gunfire and people screaming ‘death to the dictator’ were also heard.
The Iranian judiciary on Monday said that at least eight prisoners were killed in the fire, adding that all those dead had been held on theft charges.
Hundreds of people have been killed in Iran so far during protests against the custodial death of Amini.
The 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian was pronounced dead on September 16 after she was detained for allegedly breaching rules that required women to wear hijab headscarves and modest clothes. This sparked Iran’s biggest wave of popular unrest in many years.
(With inputs from agencies)