Christian Pastor Among 30 Prisoners Badly Beaten in Evin Prison Raid

Pastor Farshid Fathi in Evin prison for Christian faith

A Christian pastor is among 30 prisoners who were badly beaten during a raid in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison last week, when prison guards are said to have assaulted inmates who protested against an aggressive inspection.

“CSW is extremely concerned by the reported events in Evin Prison. The treatment meted out to these prisoners is unacceptable and is in clear violation of Iran’s obligations under article 10 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which states that prisoners should be treated with humanity and with respect for their inherent human dignity. We call on the authorities to thoroughly investigate this incident, sanctioning those responsible,” Christian Solidarity Worldwide Chief Operating Officer Andy Dipper said.

According to the Christian watchdog group, Evangelical church leader Farshid Fathi, who is serving six years in prison for what it says are false political charges, suffered a broken foot and toe during the raid. At least 29 other prisoners were also reportedly wounded, with injuries ranging from fractured skull to broken ribs and limbs.

CSW’s Kiri Kankhwende told The Christian Post on Wednesday that initially there were reports that the Head of Prisons in Iran had been fired over the issue, but the group looked into it and found out that the reports were false.

Evin Prison has a reputation as one of the most brutal prisons in Iran and in the world. Pastor Saeed Abedini, a U.S. citizen, was initially kept there before being transferred to another prison in Iran to serve an eight-year sentence.

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