Open Letter to the Head of the Judiciary - The Fire at the Sewing Workshop Was Not at Work / How Can the Deaths and Injuries of Prisoners Be Concealed in the Short Term?

Abdollah Abdi - Abdi Media

You have complete control over prison environments, particularly the Evin Detention Center, and have also had an office there for years as the Deputy Prosecutor of the Revolution Court.

Couldn’t the head or the public relations office of the Prison Organization have issued a brief but precise announcement to transparently and honestly report the situation, especially when it is impossible to conceal such news, given its sensitivity, in the short term?

Instead of the extensive storytelling by officials and various media outlets, couldn’t they have clearly stated that “The defendants and convicts in the 7th ward of Evin Detention Center rebelled and set fire to the ward, and in any incident or fire, some prisoners might have escaped, been killed, or injured, and details will be provided later after examining and counting the prisoners”?

Mr. Head of the Judiciary,

Isn't showing the Tehran Prisons Director in a different section unrelated to the 7th ward, and the IRIB report with rooms locked and the TV on at 2 a.m., making a mockery of the people?

Then showing the 4th ward instead of the 7th and announcing a fire in the sewing workshop, knowing that no prisoner can work in the prison workshops after office hours and that after sunset, the prison doors are locked following a prisoner count—how do you justify this logic? How do you expect this level of falsehood to be believed?

Is this merely a result of mistakes, lack of situational awareness, and using media resources for your own purposes rather than enlightening the public? If so, why criticize other media for being antagonistic and spreading lies?

Who is spreading lies? Look around you with open eyes.

The media under your control propagated the escape of prisoners and stepping on mines.

Is it possible to conceal the deaths and injuries of prisoners in the short term?

If a rebellion occurred, why not report it transparently?

Mr. Ezhieh, I recommend

To gain the trust of the public and the media, make honesty and clear documentation, especially timely, the cornerstone of the judiciary's media work. In cases that might be security-related or have subsequent consequences, lying and false statements only erode public trust further, which is especially detrimental to the judiciary.

It is better to provide an initial, clear, and documented announcement and then complete it; this initial information should not be accompanied by worn-out deception.