Iran’s Judiciary Confirms 71 Dead in Israeli Attack on Evin Prison

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s judiciary announced Sunday that at least 71 individuals were killed in Israel’s recent attack on Tehran’s infamous Evin prison. The facility is widely known for holding political prisoners and dissidents.

Judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir, in a statement posted on the Mizan news agency website, detailed that the casualties from Monday’s assault included prison staff, soldiers, inmates, and even members of visiting families. The full extent of the claim could not be independently verified.

The June 23 attack, which occurred just a day before a ceasefire between Israel and Iran took effect, struck multiple prison buildings, prompting immediate concerns from human rights organizations regarding the safety of the detainees. While Israel’s motive remains unclear, the strike coincided with a day when its Defense Ministry stated it was targeting “regime targets and government repression bodies in the heart of Tehran.”

Jahangir did not provide a detailed breakdown of the casualty figures but indicated that the prison’s infirmary, engineering building, judicial affairs section, and visitation hall were all hit. Notably, the visitation hall was where family members were killed and injured. The New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran condemned Israel for striking the prison, viewing it as a violation of the principle of distinction between civilian and military targets. The group also criticized Iranian authorities for their “failure to evacuate, provide medical assistance or inform families” after the attack, emphasizing Iran’s legal obligation to protect prisoners.

Some injured were treated on-site, while others were transferred to hospitals. Iran had not previously disclosed death figures, though on Saturday, it confirmed the death of top prosecutor Ali Ghanaatkar, whose controversial prosecution of dissidents, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi, drew widespread human rights criticism. Ghanaatkar was among approximately 60 individuals honored in a massive public funeral procession held Saturday in Tehran, with his burial scheduled for Sunday at a shrine in Qom.

The strike on Evin prison was part of a broader conflict initiated by Israel on June 13, aimed at dismantling Iran’s nuclear program. Over 12 days before the ceasefire, Israel claimed to have killed around 30 Iranian commanders and 11 nuclear scientists, striking eight nuclear-related facilities and over 720 military infrastructure sites. This conflict resulted in more than 1,000 deaths, including at least 417 civilians, according to the Washington-based Human Rights Activists group. In retaliation, Iran launched over 550 ballistic missiles at Israel, most of which were intercepted, but those that penetrated caused damage and killed 28 people.

阅读中文版 (Read Chinese Version)

Disclaimer: This content is aggregated from public sources online. Please verify information independently. If you believe your rights have been infringed, contact us for removal.