Iran: Mass Prison Transfers and Arrests Following Israel’s Airstrike on Evin Prison

In the days that followed the attack, the Iranian authorities undertook mass prisoner transfers, relocating surviving inmates—many of whom, human rights defenders, journalists, and activists—to other facilities, including Greater Tehran Penitentiary and Qarchak Prison. These prisons are widely known for poor living conditions, lack of medical care, overcrowding, and limited communication with the outside world.

There have also been credible reports of detainees being moved to undisclosed locations, including intelligence-run safe houses, without any notification to their families or legal counsel. For several days after the strike, many families were left in the dark about the whereabouts and conditions of their loved ones.

In parallel, the Iranian government launched a campaign of arrests, targeting individuals accused of cooperating with foreign entities. Hundreds of people have been detained in connection with these allegations, often without formal charges, due process, or access to lawyers. Some political prisoners have reportedly faced intensified interrogation, solitary confinement, and denial of medication. Several are reportedly facing charges under a newly approved law that fast-tracks the death penalty for individuals accused of espionage or collaboration with hostile governments.

A more detailed account of these developments can be found in our short brief.

These developments raise serious concerns about the well-being and rights of detainees. The OMCT underscores that collective punishment, arbitrary detention, and incommunicado detention are violations of international human rights law. The Iranian authorities’ response to the June 23 airstrikes on Evin Prison has accelerated an ongoing pattern of repression. The large-scale prisoner transfers and new arrests risk becoming yet another normalized chapter in the systemic erasure of dissent in the Islamic Republic.

We call on all relevant authorities to:

• Ensure that all detainees have access to legal representation, medical care, and contact with their families.
• Disclose the identities and conditions of those who were killed, wounded, or transferred following the strike on Evin.
• Refrain from using the aftermath of the conflict as a pretext for further repression or politically motivated detentions.
• Facilitate independent monitoring of detention conditions and ensure accountability for any violations of international human rights law.