Fire at Iranian prison renews pressure for US prisoner release
Efforts to free Siamak Namazi and Emad Shargi have taken on greater urgency following a deadly fire that erupted at their detention center.
The families of US citizens detained by Iran are urging the Biden administration to move quickly to secure the release of their loved ones after a deadly fire over the weekend engulfed the notorious prison facility that is holding them.
A massive fire erupted late Saturday at Evin Prison, where hundreds of protesters have been sent after more than a month of anti-government demonstrations across Iran. The sound of gunshots and explosions could be heard as the fire ripped through the prison wing that houses inmates convicted of financial crimes, who Iranian state media outlets accused of setting fire to a sewing workshop.
The blaze raged for several hours and killed at least eight people before it was brought under control, Iran's judiciary said Monday.
Located in northern Tehran, the sprawling Evin Prison complex is believed to hold thousands of inmates, including foreign nationals used by Iran to extract concessions from the West. Among them are Iranian-American citizens Siamak Namazi and Emad Shargi, both of whom were convicted of espionage charges that the United States rejects as baseless.
