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Iran’s Police Chief Acknowledges Prisoner Abuse | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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TEHRAN, Iran, (AP) – Iran’s police chief is acknowledging that protesters detained in postelection unrest were abused in custody, but says the deaths of detainees were caused by illness, not torture.

The police commander, Gen. Ismail Ahmadi Moghaddam, has fired the head of a detention facility that was ordered closed last month.

Three guards at the Kahrizak prison have also been detained on charges of mistreating prisoners.

Human rights groups have identified at least three protesters they say died after being detained at Kahrizak. But the police chief says deaths were caused by viruses.

His remarks were reported by state media Sunday.

Lawmaker Hamid Reza Katouzian rejected the statement and said detainees were murdered.