Israeli Airstrikes on Tehran's Evin Prison Labeled an "Apparent War Crime" by Human Rights Watch

In a grave incident reported by Human Rights Watch (HRW), Israeli airstrikes on Evin prison in Tehran on June 23 resulted in significant casualties among detainees, visitors, and staff. The attack, which occurred during peak visiting hours, killed at least 80 individuals, and HRW classified it as an "apparent war crime," citing a lack of identifiable military targets within the facility. The airstrikes destroyed key areas of the prison, including visitation halls, wards, and the medical clinic, and tragically coincided with a 12-day conflict wherein numerous civilians lost their lives in Iran.

Following the airstrikes, Iranian authorities reportedly intensified their repression of survivors, moving prisoners to overcrowded detention centers where they faced brutal treatment, including beatings and the use of electric shocks. HRW highlighted that many of the detainees had been imprisoned for peaceful activism, and described the conditions of their transfer as deteriorating, with male inmates shackled and women held without basic necessities. The organization raised alarm over the treatment of death-row prisoners and those forcibly disappeared, asserting that such individuals are now at an elevated risk of torture and execution.

Furthermore, the fate of some detainees remains shrouded in uncertainty, with reports of enforced disappearances and limited communication with their families. HRW has urged for independent investigations into both Israeli actions and Iranian responses, holding the responsible parties accountable for violations of international law and potential war crimes, emphasizing the need for protection of all prisoners and a cessation of torture or mistreatment amidst the ongoing turmoil.