27 inmates from Iran’s Evin prison still at large after Israeli airstrike: report

Iranian media reported that 27 inmates from the notorious Evin Prison remain at large following an Israeli airstrike last month.

After Israel’s strike during the 12-day war, 75 inmates escaped from Evin prison, according to the Associated Press, which cited a news website affiliated with Iran’s judiciary. In the article, Iranian Judiciary Spokesperson Asghar Jahangir said that out of the 75 escapees, 48 were either recaptured or returned voluntarily, the Associated Press added. Jahangir also stated that the escapees had been serving time for minor offenses.

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In June, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, which was aimed at destroying Iran’s nuclear capabilities. While Iranian officials said 71 were killed in the strike, local media reported that there were 80 killed, including staff, soldiers, inmates and visiting family members, according to the Associated Press.

Sayeh Seydal, a jailed Iranian dissident who survived Israel’s strike on Evin Prison, told relatives that being in the facility was a “slow death,” according to the Associated Press, which obtained a recording of the conversation. 

“The bombing by the U.S. and Israel didn’t kill us. Then the Islamic Republic brought us to a place that will practically kill us,” Seydal said.

On Tuesday, Amnesty International called for an investigation of Israel’s strike on the prison as a possible war crime, saying it constituted “a serious violation of international humanitarian law.”

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Erika Guevara Rosas, who serves as Amnesty International’s Senior Director for research, advocacy, policy and campaigns, said “the evidence establishes reasonable grounds to believe that the Israeli military brazenly and deliberately attacked civilian buildings.”

Evin Prison is infamous for its harsh conditions and became a place for Iranian officials to throw protesters.

In 2022, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Iranian officials and entities responsible for a crackdown on protesters, including Evin Prison warden Hedayat Farzadi, who was known for his brutal tactics. The department said that protesters thrown in Evin Prison under Farzadi’s watch were subjected to torture and physical abuse.