February 2nd, 2012 – [Kaleme] According to reports received from Evin’s ward 350, the men’s ward was raided by security forces who searched the premises and transferred all political prisoners to the prison yard despite the fact that it was snowing.  The raid reportedly angered the prisoners to such a degree that they began chanting slogans and singing songs, leading to reaction by women prisoners in Evin’s women’s ward 350 who joined in the slogans, forcing the agents to eventually leave the ward.

According to sources inside Evin, on Wednesday morning February 2nd, 2012 and on the eve of the “Decade of Fajr” [period from February 1 to 11, celebrated every year in Iran commemorating the fall of the Pahlavi Dynasty and the Islamic Revolution’s Victory Day] tens of security forces raided Evin’s [male] ward 350, searching all prisoner belongings and furniture, leading to prisoners spending hours cleaning and reorganizing the disarray caused by the sudden search.

After the sudden raid and inspection all male political prisoners [including those suffering from ailments] were forced to leave their rooms and were taken to the prison yard despite the fact that the temperature was below zero and it was snowing. It goes without saying that the sick prisoners suffered greatly under such conditions.

Following this illegal act that took place in the presence of the special prosecutor’s assistant, the prisoners broke out in slogans such as “Ya Hossein… Mir Hossein” , “Mahmoud the Traitor” and “Death to the Dictator” and sang the national anthem “Ey Iran” and other songs such as “Yareh Dabestani”.

The loud and continuous slogans and songs chanted by the prisoners in Evin’s male ward 350 led to reaction by women prisoners at the female ward who joined in chanting slogans and singing songs in protest.

As a result of the raged demonstrated by the prisoners, all inspection was suddenly halted by the inspectors who feared potential loss of control of the situation.

It is worth mentioning that ward 350 located in the basement of Evin prison is divided into a female and male ward.  The women prisoners are kept at the end of the ward in a long and narrow area that has no access to fresh air.

Source: Kaleme: http://www.kaleme.com/1390/11/12/klm-89276/