Handcuffed at gunpoint: Sailor tells of ordeal in Iran’s Bandar Abbas jail

A sailor, 27-year-old Paul Justin, recounted his nine-month ordeal in Iran's Bandar Abbas prison, where he was handcuffed and subjected to brutal treatment after being detained for fuel smuggling allegations. The sailor, an oiler on the vessel Harbour Phoenix, shared how the prisoners were kept in a cargo room for 10 days before being taken off the ship.

The treatment he endured was described as inhumane, likening it to being treated like an animal. The sailor expressed his fear of death during the nine-month imprisonment, as nearby explosions from missiles were a constant threat. The sailors faced a series of hearings, leading to a five-year sentence and a fine of $7.5 million per person for the 10 Indians, three Pakistanis, two Indonesians, and one Tanzanian.

Despite the charges being denied, the sailors remained in prison. Justin, now back home, is advocating for the release of other seafarers still detained in Iranian jails, emphasizing that they should not have faced such hardship and unfair treatment.