Amnesty International is calling for a war crime investigation into Israel’s June 23 air strikes against Iran, which it argues “constitute a serious violation of international humanitarian law.”
The organization argued in a July 22 statement that evidence suggests Israel’s “deliberate” strikes on Evin prison in Tehran killed and injured “scores of civilians”.
It caused “extensive damage and destruction” in at least six areas throughout the prison complex.
“The attack took place during the working day, at a time when many parts of the prison were packed with civilians,” the piece explains. “Hours later, the Israeli military confirmed it had attacked the prison and senior Israeli officials boasted about it on social media.”
Iranian authorities claim that the strikes, which were confirmed by Israel, killed 79 people.
The attack took place during the 12-day war, forming part of a broader assault against Iran’s military leaders, nuclear officials and scientists, its ballistic missile program, and its nuclear program more generally.
Israel Justifies the Strikes
Israel maintains that the strike on Evin prison was a targeted, intelligence-based operation.
Following the attacks, the Israeli Defense Ministry confirmed that 50 aircraft dropped roughly 100 munitions on various military targets based on “high-quality and accurate” intelligence provided by its Intelligence Branch.
Evin prison has long been associated with the Islamic Republic’s crackdown on dissent and has been used by both the Shah’s regime and the post-1979 government.
Operated by the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), human rights organizations have long claimed prisoners are subject to torture, forced to give confessions, and endure generally inhumane conditions.
Writing on X, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar celebrated the strikes.
“We warned Iran time and time again: stop targeting civilians!” he said. “They continued, including this morning. Our response: Viva la libertad, carajo!”
The post, which tagged Argentine President Javier Milei, referenced the libertarian leaders’ famous slogan.
Sa’ar justified the strikes as part of an effort to “weaken and stop Iran.”
“The attack on Evin was a direct message to those who imprison, torture, and kill those who fight for freedom,” he added.
Prisoners Escape What Amnesty Called “Appalling Abuse”
In 2021, Amnesty International described “appalling abuse of prisoners” in Evin prison, citing leaked surveillance footage.
The organization claimed to have analyzed 16 leaked clips, obtained from Iranian media outlets, that showed sexual harassment, beatings, and ill-treatment of prisoners in need of medical care.
Middle East and North Africa Regional Director Heba Morayef described the evidence as “just the tip of the iceberg of Iran’s torture epidemic.”
In October 2022, Amnesty also published a report titled “Iran: Tortured prisoners at Evin prison are in urgent need of international protection.” In it, researchers argued that Iranian authorities “must immediately allow independent international monitors unhindered access to Iranian prisons to investigate the harrowing use of unlawful force by security forces at Tehran’s Evin prison.”
On July 22, Iranian officials claimed that 27 inmates were still at large following Israeli strikes that allowed 75 prisoners to escape.
Spokesman Asghar Jahangir said that 48 prisoners were either captured or returned to the prison voluntarily, and confirmed that the remaining escapees would be detained.
More Military
We Almost Touched the F-117 Stealth Fighter
