Evin prison fire: Gunfire heard as huge blaze breaks out at notorious jail amid protests

A huge fire has broken out at Iran’s notorious Evin Prison, where political prisoners and anti-government activists are kept in the capital Tehran.

Online videos and local media reported gunshots, as nationwide protests entered a fifth week.

At least eight people have been injured in the fire, reports the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), but no fatalities have been recorded.

It is unclear what prompted the blaze and the events unfolding within the prison’s walls on Saturday, based on the footage circulating online and reported by Iranian media.

Shots continued to ring out as plumes of smoke engulfed the sky in Tehran amid the sound of an alarm, videos show.

An “armed conflict” broke out within the prison walls, the US-based Centre for Human Rights in Iran. It said shots were first heard in Ward 7 of the jail. This information cannot, however, be independently verified.

It comes as anti-government protests continued to flare up across the country along main streets and at universities in some cities across Iran on Saturday – a movement sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September.

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Original News : https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-protests-evin-prison-fire-b2203607.html