Footage gives insights into life inside Iran’s notorious Evin prison

Islam Mohamed

The electronic hacking of Evin Prison in Tehran sheds light on the violations taking place inside the prison.

Footage shared widely on social media recently shows violent attacks by prison guards on inmates.

It was shared on social media by a group, introducing itself as ‘Adalah’.

Iran’s Prisons Organization Chief, Mohammad Mehdi Haj-Mohammadi, apologized for the footage, in a rare admission by the authorities in this regard.

He said he takes responsibility for the footage.

He described attacks against the inmates as an ‘unacceptable behavior’.

“I pledge to prevent the recurrence of these bitter events and deal decisively with the wrongdoers,” Haj-Mohammadi said.

Black history                                           

The late Shah of Iran, Muhammad Reza Pahlavi, established Evin Prison in 1971.

After the success of the Islamic Revolution, which was led by Ruhollah Khomeini, in 1979, the prison was dedicated for the supporters of the Shah and the opponents of Iran’s mullahs.

It turned into a center for torturing political prisoners.

Ironically enough, the Islamic Revolution erupted under accusations that the Shah arrested and tortured his political opponents.

The prison is located in Evin, northwest of the Iranian capital.

Taking pictures is prohibited in the area near the prison. The prison consists of underground interrogation rooms. Inside the prison, detainees are usually subjected to a brutal treatment aimed at extracting confessions from them, according to Amnesty International.

The prison is run by the Revolutionary Guard Corpse which reports directly to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

In the 1980s, Evin Prison witnessed the execution of tens of thousands of political opponents. Most of these opponents were accused of being members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization which is outlawed in Iran.

Iran continues to be one of the world’s highest executioners. It is the world’s second highest country, in fact.