Kylie Moore Gilbert predicts revolution as former prison burns

Kylie Moore-Gilbert watched the prison that held her for 804 days on trumped-up espionage charges become the epicenter of Iran’s civil war on Sunday after the revolution.

Evin Prison, which houses many of Iran’s political and dual-national detainees, is notorious for human rights violations. Reported gunshots and explosions within the walls.

Moore-Gilbert, who was released from Evin in November 2020, said: “It looks absolutely terrifying.

“Giant columns of smoke and guards are firing missiles into the prison, perhaps to prevent a large-scale breakout or to cover the fears. The thought of sniffing and hearing the commotion around you and not knowing what’s going on or being unable to run, get out, or defend yourself must be terrifying.”

Iran’s state-run IRNA, citing a senior security official, reported clashes between prisoners in one ward and prison staff. Officials said prisoners set fire to a warehouse full of prison uniforms, causing the fire. He said the “mob” had been separated from the other prisoners, easing the conflict.

Officials said the “situation was fully under control” and that firefighters were putting out the blaze. Tehran’s public prosecutor, Ali Salehi, later said “peace” had returned to prisons and said the unrest was unrelated to the protests that had swept the country for four weeks.

A video posted online showed gunshots blaring as plumes of smoke rose into the sky amid alarm sounds. Protests soon erupted in the streets, with people burning tires and chanting. The driver sounded the horn to show solidarity with the protesters.An ambulance and a fire truck rushed towards the prison. Internet was blocked in this area.

Prison fires erupted on Saturday as protesters stepped up anti-government demonstrations on main streets and universities in several cities across Iran. Human rights observers reported that hundreds of people, including children, had died when the movement ended its fourth week.