More allegations of mass executions in Iran prison

According to a letter by an anonymous political prisoner, 500 prisoners were “secretly executed” in Mashhad Vakilabad Prison in the past year.

Mizan Khabar reports that the letter indicates “250 people were executed between July 2009 and March 2010."

The report also notes that in August, the prison carried out four mass executions each time executing between 60 to 70 prisoners.

Mass executions in Mashhad Prison were first reported by The Green Voice of Freedom site in August. According to the reformist website, 70 prisoners mostly convicted of drug related charges were suddenly executed in Vakilabad Prison.

Ahamd Qabel, a religion scholar and researcher, also informed the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that in his 170 days of imprisonment at Vakilabad, he was informed by the guards that 50 people were executed during this time.

Qabel was arrested in December of 2009 and was finally released after posting a $50,000 bail in June of 2010.

Human rights organizations have condemned these executions and noted that carrying out mass executions in secret is a gross violation of international law.