Smoke, gunfire at Tehran jail holding political prisoners, dual nationals - Reuters

DUBAI, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Gunfire broke retired astatine a situation successful Tehran holding governmental prisoners and dual-national detainees connected Saturday, witnesses said, and fume could beryllium seen rising supra the jail.

State media quoted a information authoritative blaming "criminal elements" for the unrest, which broke retired aft astir a period of protests crossed Iran implicit the decease successful detention of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian.

The authoritative said calm had returned, but 1 witnesser said gunfire could inactive beryllium heard.

"Roads starring to Evin situation person been closed to traffic. determination are tons of ambulances here," said a witnesser contacted by Reuters. "Still we tin perceive gunshots."

Another witnesser said families of prisoners had gathered successful beforehand of the main situation entrance. "I tin spot occurrence and smoke. Lots of peculiar forces. Ambulances are present too," they said.

The activistic website 1500tasvir shared video footage it said showed peculiar forces connected motorbikes heading for the prison.

The situation mostly holds detainees facing information charges, including Iranians with dual nationality. It has agelong been criticised by Western rights groups and it was blacklisted by the U.S. authorities successful 2018 for "serious quality rights abuses".

Siamak Namazi, an Iranian American imprisoned for astir 7 years connected espionage-related charges rejected by Washington arsenic baseless, returned to Evin connected Wednesday aft being granted a little furlough, his lawyer said.

Human Rights Watch has accused authorities astatine the situation of utilizing threats of torture and of indefinite imprisonment, arsenic good arsenic lengthy interrogations and denial of aesculapian attraction for detainees.

The unrest astatine Evin situation came aft astir a period of protests crossed Iran since Amini - a 22-year-old pistillate from the country's Kurdish portion - died connected Sept. 16 portion being held for "inappropriate attire".

The protests person posed 1 of the astir superior challenges to the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution.

Reporting by Dubai bureau Writing by Dominic Evans Editing by Helen Popper, William Maclean

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