Iran: Some 120 death row inmates are set to be executed before March 20th, 2017

Families of prisoners on death-row in Iran, detained in Karaj central prison, were told by prison authorities that the sentences of all those awaiting execution which are some 120 people, will be carried out in the Central Prison of Karaj before the start of the Iranian New Year , which begins on 20 March 20 17. The announcement caused panic and concerns among the prisoners and their families.
In addition, reports indicate that the guards in central prison of Karaj have transferred the death-row prisoners, particularly the prisoners incarcerated in Ward 5, to different wards of the prison.
The families say that prison official moved the death-row prisoners to different wards in order to prevent protests and rioting during their transfer for implementation of the sentences.

It should be pointed out that prison officials strongly fear protests inside the prisons, in particular prisons where there are high number of death-row prisoners. Because of this fear and in order to prevent protests, they often enter the prison cells unannounced and forcefully transfer the prisoners to solitary confinement first while handcuffing and shackling and blindfolding them before taking them for implementation of the death sentence.