Sign in Subscribe
Human rights

Conditions Worsen for Iranian Political Prisoners after Israeli Strike

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Families of Iranian political prisoners say the situation in the country's notorious prison system has deteriorated significantly since Israel's airstrike on the Evin prison complex in Tehran on 23 June. The attack killed 71 people and left many prisoners without beds, food, and access to basic hygiene facilities. The Iranian authorities have moved some prisoners to other facilities, but families claim conditions are even worse, with reports of prisoners facing overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, and increased suppression.

Key Takeaways:

  • 71 people, including prisoners and bystanders, were killed in the Israeli airstrike on Evin prison on 23 June.
  • The Iranian authorities have moved an unknown number of prisoners to other detention facilities, with reports of prisoners facing even worse conditions.
  • Families of political prisoners claim conditions in prisons have worsened since the end of the 12-day war, with reports of overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, and increased suppression.
  • The Iranian authorities have arrested at least 700 people on charges of collaborating with Israel, with hundreds more arrested in Tehran.
  • Iran's parliament is considering a bill that allows for broader use of the death penalty for those accused of collaborating with foreign powers.
  • The wife of Asso Azizi, a Kurdish aid worker on death row, said she had not heard from her sister in two days, and that other women prisoners were transferred to Qarchak prison without their personal belongings.
  • Human rights activists say the Iranian authorities are using the war as a pretext to crack down on dissent and opposition, with a wave of repression sweeping across the country.

Statistics:

  • 71: The number of people killed in the Israeli airstrike on Evin prison on 23 June.
  • 700: The number of people arrested on charges of collaborating with Israel during the 12-day war.
  • Hundreds: The number of Iranian citizens arrested in Tehran during the same period.
  • 12 days: The duration of the war between Israel and Iran.
  • 2024: The year in which Asso Azizi's sister, Pakhshan Azizi, was handed a death sentence for armed rebellion against the state.

Sources:

  • Bloomberg News
  • Amnesty International
  • Iranian state media
  • The New-York based Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI)

Read more