Israeli Strike on Evin Prison Killed 71, Tehran Says
An Iranian official announced on Sunday that Israel’s June 23 airstrike on Tehran’s Evin prison killed 71 people, including prison staff, inmates, visiting family members, and nearby residents. The attack came just one day before a ceasefire between Israel and Iran took effect, capping nearly two weeks of direct military confrontation between the two longtime adversaries.
Iran’s judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir confirmed the death toll to the judiciary’s Mizan news agency. The agency noted that the main prison building was hit along with its visitation center, engineering offices, and medical clinic.
Human rights groups have criticized the strike, with the Center for Human Rights in Iran calling it a violation of international law for failing to distinguish between military and civilian targets.
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The prison is infamous for detaining political dissidents and dual nationals. France condemned the attack soon after it happened, noting that two of its citizens, Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, were held there.
The families of Kohler and Paris are reportedly in the dark as to the status of their loved ones after the strike. At a press conference on Friday, they called on Iran to provide proof that the two are alive.
Among the dead was Ali Ghanaatkar, the prison’s top prosecutor, known for overseeing high-profile cases including those of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi and British-Iranian detainee Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. A massive funeral was held for Ghanaatkar in Tehran on Saturday.
Advocates say Iranian authorities failed to protect inmates or notify families after the strike.
