Prisoners in Tehran’s Evin prison blocked guards from transferring political inmate Ehsan Afrashteh for imminent execution on espionage charges, leading to a tense standoff inside the facility, former inmate and activist Mehdi Mahmoudian said on Tuesday.
Afrashteh had previously left Iran for Turkey, where he was reportedly approached by Israeli agents, but his father convinced him to return voluntarily after contacting security officials, Mahmoudian said.
Upon his return, Afrashteh was sentenced to death on charges of collaborating with foreign intelligence services.
His case had never been reported before, as he had been promised clemency if he refrained from publicizing it, Iran International has learned.
However, human rights activists revealed his identity and case on Tuesday as he was being transferred for execution.
Mahmoudian said the Evin Prison confrontation took place in Ward 7, Hall 12, where prisoners barricaded the doors to stop Afrashteh’s transfer. He described the situation as “highly tense.”
Sources told Iran International that the prisoners successfully prevented his execution on Tuesday. However, it remains unclear whether the authorities plan to carry out the hanging at a later date.
The report comes amid growing concern among activists over the number of political prisoners in Iran facing the death penalty, with around 70 reportedly at risk of execution.
