Iranian Political Prisoner Commits Suicide Amid Dire Conditions

Political prisoner Shahin Galehdari has taken his own life in prison in Urmia, in Iran’s West Azerbaijan province, a human rights news agency reported. 

The 46-year-old Galehdari, a resident of Urmia, was arrested in March 2023 and sentenced to two years in prison by the third branch of the Urmia Revolutionary Court on charges of "acting against national security."

According to the HRANA human rights news agency, citing an informed source close to the family, prison authorities contacted Galehdari's family on the evening of February 25 to inform them of his death by suicide.

Galehdari's body was taken to the Urmia forensic medical center and his family is now arranging to collect his remains.

He was previously arrested by security forces in 2014 and later released on bail.

Recent reports have suggested a rise in suicide attempts among Urmia prison inmates. Last week, over 800 incarcerated individuals sent a protest letter demanding the removal of Peyman Khanzadeh, the prison warden.

Human rights media outlets have repeatedly raised concerns about the dire conditions in Urmia prison, particularly for political prisoners. 

At least 32 inmates died in Islamic Republic prisons last year. Nine of them were political prisoners, according to the Hengaw human rights news agency. Some of the fatalities were caused by delayed medical treatment or denial of healthcare, fighting between inmates, suicides and suspected poisonings.