ICHR strongly demands the immediate and unconditional release of all the prisoners of conscience worldwide, whom are at high risk due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and serving time unjustified, for peacefully exercising their rights.
“During this devastating pandemic across the globe, prisoners are at higher risk of becoming infected. It is more urgent than ever that the states take immediate measures to protect all prisoners, and free all the prisoners of conscience whom are serving time for peacefully exercising their rights,” Said Ardeshir Zarezadeh, Executive Director of ICHR.
The prisoners of conscience have not committed any crime, and yet they continue to be imprisoned in highly inhuman and unhealthy conditions that are now becoming increasingly dangerous.
The jail environments are overcrowded and lacking sanitation services in many prisons around the world, that makes it impossible for prisoners to take steps against the disease, such as physical distancing and regular hand washing. The Fact of their unjustified detention puts them at elevated risk.
Prisoners of conscience are solely detained in various parts of the world for peacefully exercising their human rights. They have been denied their rights to fair trial. Without reliable evidence against them and their detentions and trials are clearly politically motivated.
On top of all that they are held in poor health, suffering from inhuman and hard conditions, which puts them at higher risk of COVID-19.
The unjustified imprisonment of anyone during the global pandemic is cruel and extremely inhuman.” Said Ardeshir Zarezadeh, Executive Director of ICHR.
ICHR Strongly Calls on Governments to FREE all Prisoner of Conscience, human rights defenders, lawyers, and labour rights activists immediately and unconditionally. Also the The Government must be held accountable directly for any prisoners death in prisons. We also call on governments to take extra measures to ensure the safety of all prisoners.