National Council of Resistance of Iran says thousands of prisoners—especially political detainees—are exposed to grave danger due to bombings, overcrowding, and intensified repression inside prisons.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) has issued a warning about the growing dangers faced by prisoners across the country during the ongoing wartime conditions, stating that thousands of detainees—particularly political prisoners—are at serious risk due to the absence of shelters, severe shortages of basic necessities, and intensified repression by security forces.
According to the NCRI statement, as airstrikes and bombardments continue across different parts of Iran, millions of civilians have fled their homes in search of safety. Prisoners, however, remain trapped inside detention facilities with no possibility of seeking shelter or leaving the compounds. The council warned that inmates are not only exposed to the risks of military attacks but are also confronting a deepening humanitarian crisis inside prisons, including shortages of food, water, and basic sanitary facilities.
Reports obtained from inside several prisons indicate that conditions in some facilities have become extremely critical. In Fashafouyeh Prison near Tehran, inmates reported that after explosions struck areas surrounding the prison, several prisoners attempted to leave the compound in an effort to protect their lives. According to these accounts, security forces belonging to the regime’s special unit known as NOPO blocked their escape by firing pellet rounds, deploying tear gas, and reportedly using live ammunition.
Prisoners say the aftermath of the incident has made living conditions even more difficult. Food rations have been reduced, access to water and bathing facilities has become severely limited, and repeated power and gas outages have created additional hardship. Reports also indicate that access to the prison store—where inmates normally purchase essential items—has almost completely collapsed. Food, hygiene products, and medicines are now extremely scarce, while telephone access for contacting families outside the prison is reportedly being cut off.
The NCRI statement also described worsening conditions at Ahar Prison. According to the report, following the bombing of Sarab Prison during the early days of the war, all inmates and staff from that facility were transferred to Ahar. The transfer dramatically increased the prison population and pushed the facility into a critical state.
Local sources say overcrowding has reached such levels that many inmates no longer have enough space to sleep and are forced to rest on the floor. Shortages of food and sanitary facilities have further intensified the humanitarian concerns inside the prison.
Another facility described as facing severe conditions is Gonbad-e Kavus Prison, where reports indicate that prisoners are suffering from acute food shortages, with some inmates reportedly experiencing hunger. The situation has been exacerbated by the absence of a functioning prison store and the departure of some administrative staff from their posts, disrupting basic services and oversight within the prison.
According to the reports, the number of detainees in the facility has also increased following recent protests, leading to severe overcrowding in several wards.
During the first days of the war, Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the Iranian Resistance, called on the international community to take urgent action to secure the immediate release of prisoners—particularly political detainees. She stressed that keeping prisoners confined during ongoing bombardments amounts to “a double crime” and warned that the lives of thousands of detainees are at risk if urgent action is not taken.
In its concluding remarks, the NCRI urged international institutions and human rights organizations to pay immediate attention to the situation of prisoners in Iran and warned of the serious humanitarian consequences if the current conditions continue.
