Iran’s Prisoners Between a Rock and a Hard Place

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Written by
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)

Lack of minimal shelter during bombardments, absence of basic necessities, and intensified suppression by the criminal NOPO forces
At a time when, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, millions of Iranians have abandoned their homes and been displaced to seek safety from the bombardments, the lives and health of prisoners, deprived of even the most basic shelter, face serious threats. They are confronting both the dangers of the bombings and severe difficulties in securing basic necessities, such as food and hygiene products, due to the collapse of the prisons’ administrative structures.

Instead of releasing prisoners during these dangerous times, the anti-human mullahs’ regime has dispatched the criminal forces known as NOPO (Special Forces of the Guardians of the Velayat) to prisons to thwart the prisoners’ attempts to escape the bombardments.

According to a report from a political prisoner in Fashafuyeh Prison (Greater Tehran Penitentiary): ‘On the day the area around the prison was struck, we tried to exit the prison, but NOPO dispersed us all using direct fire from pellet guns, tear gas, and ultimately live ammunition. Since that day, we have had neither proper food rations nor water, not even for drinking or bathing. The gas is completely shut off, electricity is frequently interrupted, and basic food, hygiene, and medical necessities are nonexistent. We have no cigarettes, and there is no store… Our phone credits are running out. The devices are disconnected. Communication with the outside of the prison will soon be completely severed.’

‘Under these conditions, the henchmen of Khamenei are cruelly welding the doors shut, ensuring that even if a missile strikes, we cannot save ourselves.’

Another report from Ahar Prison states: Following the bombardment of Sarab Prison in the early days of the war, all prisoners, administrative staff, and security forces from that facility were transferred to Ahar Prison. With this surge in the inmate population, the situation at Ahar Prison has become extremely critical. Overcrowding is so severe that there is insufficient space for a night’s rest, forcing many prisoners to sleep on the floor. Food supplies are highly limited, and numerous prisoners are facing starvation. Furthermore, the lack of sanitary facilities and basic necessities has rendered conditions unbearable for the inmates.

A separate report describes the critical situation at Gonbad-e Kavous Prison: Prisoners are facing a severe shortage of food, to the point that some are suffering from starvation. The prison lacks a commissary, placing even greater pressure on the inmates. Several administrative officials and prison staff have abandoned their posts, leaving no one to address the prisoners’ needs. Following the January uprising, the inmate population surged, creating a crisis within the facility. According to reports, in Ward 1, Hall 3 alone, prisoners are being held at several times the official capacity.

Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), called upon the international community in the early days of the war to take action for the immediate release of prisoners, especially political prisoners, emphasizing that keeping inmates trapped under bombardment constitutes a double crime.

Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)

15 March 2026