Iran prison fire death toll rises as protests rage

Damage caused by a fire in the notorious Evin prison, northwest of the Iranian capital Tehran seen Monday. Pic/AFP

Eight prisoners died as a result of a fire at Tehran's Evin prison over the weekend, Iran's judiciary said on Monday, doubling the death toll from the blaze which has increased pressure on a government struggling to contain mass protests.

The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on Sept. 16 while in police custody has sparked protests across the country which the authorities have been trying to put down by force.

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Iran's judiciary said all the victims of the prison blaze had been held in a section of the prison designated for prisoners of robbery-related crimes. Evin also holds political prisoners and many detainees facing security charges, including Iranians with dual nationality.

Authorities said a prison workshop had been set on fire "after a fight among a number of prisoners convicted of financial crimes and theft". State media reported on Sunday that first four deaths had been caused by smoke inhalation and that more than 60 had been injured, four of them critically. State newspaper Iran said that counter-revolutionary forces with help of foreign intelligence services planned the fire in order to keep international attention on the country's unrest.

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