Human Rights Watch: Israel’s attack on Evin Prison is a clear war crime

In the report, Human Rights Watch wrote: “Israel’s attack on Evin Prison is a clear war crime that resulted in the deaths of dozens of civilians.”

According to the report, on June 23, Israeli forces unlawfully attacked Evin Prison in Tehran without any evident military target, killing and injuring dozens of civilians, including prisoners, their family members, and prison staff.

Human Rights Watch emphasized that the strikes, which occurred during prisoner visiting hours, caused significant damage to multiple buildings.

Michael Page, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, said: “Israel’s June 23 attacks on Evin Prison killed and injured dozens of civilians without any clear military objective, violating the laws of war. This is a clear war crime, and the attack put Evin’s inmates at grave risk.”

The report continued: The strikes, carried out during visiting hours, caused extensive damage to the visitation hall, central kitchen, medical clinic, and sections where prisoners were held.

Human Rights Watch also analyzed and verified videos and photographs of the Israeli attacks—released by the media and on social media, as well as materials directly shared with its researchers—alongside satellite imagery taken before and after the strikes.

According to the report, Israeli forces attacked Evin Prison between 11:17 a.m. and 12:18 p.m. on June 23 without giving any prior warning. Satellite images, videos, and witness accounts indicate that the strikes damaged buildings located hundreds of meters apart.

Human Rights Watch added that the attacks destroyed the prison’s main southern entrance, another northern gate, and completely demolished the visitors’ information building adjacent to the main entrance.

The strikes also severely damaged the visitation hall, a judicial complex that houses deputy prosecutors’ offices, and several buildings in the prison’s central compound—where the medical clinic and multiple prison wards are located—causing either significant damage or total destruction.

Human Rights Watch stressed that the attacks damaged buildings and vehicles outside the northern sections of the prison complex, killing and injuring residents.

The report further noted: “Under international humanitarian law, also known as the laws of war, prisons are presumed to be civilian objects.”