Poor Prison Conditions Put Iranian Pastor at Risk of COVID-19, Petition Demands for His Release

A new petition has been launched calling for the release of an Iranian pastor who is at risk of catching COVID-19 while in prison.

House church leader Youcef Nadarkhani has served two years of a 10-year sentence for allegedly seeking to evangelize Muslims. Now, with Iran battling a severe outbreak of the disease amongst the incarcerated, Nadarkhani finds himself at grave risk.

Earlier this month, the Iranian government announced that it would be releasing 85,000 prisoners early as a “precautionary measure to confront the outbreak.” The inmates that were furloughed had all been serving sentences of five years or less and tested negative for the illness. As a result of his lengthy prison term, Pastor Nadarkhani did not qualify for the early release and will remain behind bars indefinitely.

He is currently housed in the disease-ridden Evin prison, which is notorious for maltreatment of detainees. In a recorded phone call obtained by The Guardian, one British-Iranian prisoner described the horrific conditions in the prison’s hospital, as COVID-19 continues to run riot among the inmate population.

“As we entered [the new prison ward] the soldiers were wearing worn-out masks, and no gloves. Nobody checked anybody for high temperature. All our stuff they touched when we entered,” said prisoner Anoosheh Ashoori, who is accused of being an Israeli spy.

“Last…