Tehran prisoners at risk after Israel’s attack on Evin prison

Hundreds of prisoners from Tehran’s Evin Prison are now trapped in cruel and unsafe conditions. On June 23, Israeli air strikes destroyed parts of the prison. After the attack, Iranian authorities moved many prisoners to overcrowded and dangerous prisons. Among those affected are people who were already arbitrarily detained.

Worse still, authorities are hiding the whereabouts of dozens of other prisoners. Families have no idea where their loved ones are. This could amount to enforced disappearance, which is a crime under international law. These prisoners now face an even greater risk of torture and other abuse.

Here’s what you can do:

Write to the Head of Judiciary urging the Iranian authorities to:

• Immediately release all prisoners arbitrarily detained and consider releasing others, especially pre-trial detainees and those eligible for conditional release.
• Disclose the fate and whereabouts of all prisoners held in sections 2A, 209, 240, and 241 of Evin Prison at the time of the Israeli air strikes on June 23.
• Ensure all prisoners have access to their families and lawyers and are protected from torture and other ill-treatment.
• Guarantee humane treatment for all prisoners in line with international standards, including proper medical care, separation of prisoner categories, and protection of their right to life and health.
• Allow international monitors to carry out prison inspection visits.

Horrific conditions at Shahr-e Rey prison

Shahr-e Rey Prison in Varamin, Tehran province, is notorious for its cruel and inhuman conditions. The prison is a former chicken farm now used to hold women prisoners. Prisoners live in extreme overcrowding, without access to clean water, decent food, medicine, or fresh air.

For years, Amnesty International has documented reports from prisoners about urine-stained floors, filthy bathrooms, a severe shortage of beds, and widespread disease. Food is of poor quality and sometimes contains rocks. The water is salty and undrinkable.

On June 25, 2025, the Instagram account of Sayeh Seydal, a woman transferred from Evin Prison to Shahr-e Rey, published an audio message from inside. In it, she said: “After the American and Israeli bombs didn’t kill us, they [Iranian authorities] brought us here to kill us slowly. No human should live here. It will be a gradual death for us.” She also described being left in quarantine surrounded by filth, saying, “It’s as if they want to take their revenge on us political prisoners for what Israel and the US did.”

In a June 30 interview, Elhan Taifi, daughter of Baha’i prisoner Fariba Kamalabadi, said women prisoners were cut off from their families for two days after the transfer. Overcrowding forced officials to keep women in the quarantine area indefinitely, a space normally used only for a day or two. Elhan also described rooms with overflowing sewage and no sanitation. She quoted her mother saying, “I wish we had died in the missile strike rather than live like this.”

Abuse and overcrowding at Greater Tehran Penitentiary

Conditions are just as bad at the Greater Tehran Penitentiary. Prisoners there have long suffered from overcrowding and lack of medical care. On July 1, 2025, BBC Persian published video footage from inside. It showed former Evin prisoners sleeping on the floor in cramped, filthy spaces.

Families desperate for news of their loved ones said they could not find them in the footage. Prisoners in this facility are not separated based on their offenses. Those convicted of non-violent crimes are forced to share space with those convicted of violent crimes, a clear violation of international law.

On June 30, 2025, human rights defender Reza Khandan, now held in the Greater Tehran Penitentiary, published a letter describing his ordeal. He wrote about the violent transfer, the denial of medical care to the injured, and the guards’ brutality. His words paint a grim picture:

“…none of the injured prisoners…were taken to hospital. Instead of bringing calm, safety, and healing, they [armed guards] chained us in pairs…They were incapable of meeting prisoners’ most basic needs, but in just a few hours, they had assembled thousands of handcuffs, leg irons, and tools of repression…Prisoners who had just rescued the wounded hours earlier were now being targeted by security forces, guns pointed at their heads. We [didn’t sleep for] over 24 hours, and for nine hours, we didn’t even have drinking water. It has now been several days since our arrival. Still reeling from the trauma of the bombing and our horrific transfer, we were confronted with the harsh, chaotic conditions of this new prison. The overcrowding, disorganization, lack of hygiene, and insects swarming the packed rooms have made any moment of peace impossible…”

Prisoners’ warnings ignored

Even before the Israeli air strikes, prisoners and families raised concerns about the lack of protection during the conflict. On June 18, 2025, eight arbitrarily detained prisoners at Evin Prison wrote an open letter to the Head of the Judiciary. They demanded protection for prisoners’ lives. They called for the use of existing laws allowing conditional release during wartime emergencies.

They also pointed to Iran’s own prison rules. These state that when prisons are overcrowded beyond double their capacity, or during crises like natural disasters or disease outbreaks, urgent measures must be taken.

On June 17, 2025, Deutsche Welle Persian reported on a message from journalist Abdolreza (Reza) Valizadeh, arbitrarily detained in section 8 of Evin Prison. He warned that an air strike could be deadly because there were no emergency exits or fire safety measures in place. Informed sources told Amnesty International that section 8 was damaged during the attacks.

Death and devastation from the air strikes

Iranian authorities said the Israeli air strikes on Evin Prison killed at least 79 people. Victims included prisoners, visiting family members, and prison staff. Among those killed were a five-year-old child and his mother, who worked at the prison.

The devastation from the attacks and the authorities’ brutal response have only worsened the suffering of Iran’s prisoners.

Please take action as soon as possible until October 4, 2025. The UA will be duly updated should there be the need for further action.