Mass transfer of detainees from security detention centers has subjected a closed section in Ghezel Hesar Prison to a shortage of sleeping space, cut off calls, deprivation of visits, and a ban on fresh air exposure.
Iran Human Rights Society, Friday, August 21, 2026 – Reports received from Ghezel Hesar Prison show that since early April 2026, the transfer of new detainees to one of the closed suites of this prison has intensified, and the population of this section has increased from about 30 to 40 people to more than 200 prisoners.
A portion of the newly arrived individuals were previously interrogated in high-security detention centers, including Ward “Alef-One” and Ward 209 of the Ministry of Intelligence. After completing the interrogation phase, they were initially transferred to the Greater Tehran Prison in Fashafoyeh and subsequently to Ghezel Hesar Prison.
The manifold increase in population without expanding the housing space or providing essential facilities has rendered conditions in this section critical. Prisoners have been deprived of phone calls, family visits, and fresh air, and on some nights, due to lack of sufficient space, they have been forced to sleep in turns.
What You Read in This Report
- The population of a suite in Ghezel Hesar Prison has grown from a maximum of 40 to more than 200 people;
- A number of prisoners were transferred to this section after interrogation in security wards;
- Prisoners remain deprived of telephone calls, visits, and fresh air exposure;
- Shortage of sleeping space has forced prisoners to rest in turns;
- Detainees transferred from Fashafoyeh reported salty water, insufficient food, and small cells;
- Reports of execution threats and mock executions to induce terror have been raised.
Increase in Transfers to Ghezel Hesar Prison Since Early April
According to received information, the influx of new prisoners surged sharply starting in early April. Prior to this period, the population of the suite holding them was between 30 and 40 individuals, but with continued transfers, the number of prisoners exceeded 200.
Separate reports have also confirmed the transfer of several political prisoners from Evin and Fashafoyeh to Ghezel Hesar Prison in the final days of April. According to one report, a group of prisoners was transferred from these two prisons to Ghezel Hesar on April 13.
Population density has increased while the suite’s space was not designed to accommodate such a large number. Prisoners stated that on some nights, it was impossible for everyone to lie down simultaneously, forcing individuals to sleep in turns or remain seated for long hours.
Another report regarding “Suite 35” of Unit 3 in Ghezel Hesar Prison also highlighted extreme overcrowding, deprivation of basic rights, and unsuitable living conditions in this section.
Closed Cells and Complete Deprivation of Fresh Air
Population increase is not the only problem facing these prisoners. According to informed sources, cell doors remain closed for extended periods, and prisoners are deprived of even the minimum required fresh air time.
The lack of space to move inside the cell, combined with the ban on leaving to the yard, has trapped prisoners for hours and sometimes days in a restricted, overcrowded environment. Such conditions heighten the risk of physical illnesses, respiratory problems, muscle pain, and psychological disorders.
Telephone calls and visits have also been halted or severely restricted for this group. These deprivations have prevented families from obtaining regular information regarding the exact whereabouts, physical condition, and judicial proceedings of their relatives.
Narratives of Prisoners Transferred from Ward 209 and Fashafoyeh
A number of newly arrived prisoners stated that after completing interrogations in Ward 209 of the Ministry of Intelligence, they were transferred to a new detention facility run by this institution in Fashafoyeh. According to their accounts, cells in Fashafoyeh were smaller, and a lack of clean water and adequate food exerted immense pressure on detainees.
Salty water, limited meal portions, and the lack of basic items such as tea were among the difficulties these individuals experienced in Fashafoyeh. Some detainees were arrested alongside their spouses, with men and women held separately in sections controlled by the Ministry of Intelligence.
Transferred prisoners also reported threats of execution and mock executions intended to instill fear and coerce them into cooperation or confessions. The Iran Human Rights Society cannot independently verify these claims; however, mock executions, if proven, constitute psychological torture and inhuman treatment.
Isolation During Wartime and Compounded Psychological Pressure
In the early days of April, when the number of new entrants to the suite was lower, prisoners’ connection with the outside world was almost entirely severed. The coincidence of this isolation with wartime conditions and the sounds of jet fighters and explosions created severe anxiety.
Without access to telephones, visits, media, or news sources, prisoners could only infer major events from sounds outside the prison. They had no news of their families’ fates and were unaware of what was transpiring outside prison walls.
With the arrival of new detainees, limited information regarding outside conditions reached the suite. Each new prisoner recounted what they had heard or seen prior to transfer, serving as the sole news channel for those inside.
Information Box | Situation in Ghezel Hesar Prison Suite
- Timing of Increased Transfers: Since early April 2026
- Previous Suite Population: Approximately 30 to 40 people
- Current Reported Population: Over 200 people
- Origin of Some Transferred Prisoners: Security Wards, Evin, and Fashafoyeh
- Telephone Calls: Cut off or severely restricted
- Family Visits: Prohibited
- Fresh Air Exposure: Complete deprivation during the reported period
- Sleeping Space: Insufficient; sleeping in turns in some instances
- Main Issues: Overcrowding, isolation, lack of movement space, and psychological pressure
- Claims Requiring Independent Investigation: Execution threats and mock executions
Legal Review of the Situation in Ghezel Hesar Prison Based on Domestic Laws
The laws of the dictatorship ruling Iran in past years have been criticized repeatedly due to conflict with standards of fair trial, ambiguity in security cases, and restricting prisoner rights. Reviewing the situation in Ghezel Hesar Prison based on domestic laws does not mean confirmation of these laws; the goal is to show instances where even these regulations were not observed.
Legal Ambiguities of the Case
It remains unclear under what legal decision the collective deprivation of calls, visits, and fresh air was implemented, and whether it was accompanied by a written order or a set duration. Furthermore, no information has been published regarding the judicial status of newly transferred prisoners, their access to lawyers, or the grounds for holding them in a closed section.
Related Legal Articles
- Article 22 of the Constitution: Protects the rights and dignity of individuals from infringement;
- Article 32: Permits arrest only in accordance with legal procedures;
- Article 35: Recognizes the right to have a lawyer;
- Articles 38 and 39: Prohibit forced confessions and the violation of dignity of prisoners;
- Executive Regulations of the Prisons Organization: Emphasizes the right to fresh air, phone calls, visits, suitable accommodation, and physical and mental health care for prisoners.
Cases of Law Violation
- Holding prisoners beyond capacity in a restricted space;
- Collective deprivation of fresh air exposure;
- Cutting off phone calls and visits without legal explanation;
- Obstructing families’ access to information;
- Potential psychological torture through threats and mock executions;
- Failure to provide adequate space for sleeping and movement.
Reviewing the Situation in Ghezel Hesar Prison from the Perspective of Human Rights and Violation of International Standards
Holding over 200 prisoners in a restricted space, depriving them of adequate sleeping area, banning fresh air, cutting off calls and visits with families, and reports of threats and mock executions directly conflict with the principle of preserving human dignity and the mandate for humane treatment of persons deprived of liberty. Responsible authorities are obligated to guarantee the physical and mental health, family contact, and standard housing conditions of prisoners, regardless of charges or judicial status.
Related International Documents
- Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment;
- Article 9 of the Universal Declaration: Prohibition of arbitrary arrest and detention;
- Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Prohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment;
- Article 9 of the Covenant: Right to liberty and security of person, and prohibition of arbitrary arrest;
- Article 10 of the Covenant: Obligation for humane and respectful treatment of all individuals deprived of liberty;
- Article 14 of the Covenant: Right to a fair trial and defense guarantees;
- Nelson Mandela Rules: Requirement to provide adequate space, ventilation, clean water, proper food, sleeping accommodations, fresh air, healthcare, family contact, and access to legal counsel for prisoners.
An immediate reduction in the suite’s population, provision of adequate sleeping space, restoration of daily fresh air access, removal of restrictions on calls and visits, independent investigation into reports of threats and mock executions, and permitting independent bodies to monitor conditions in Ghezel Hesar Prison are among the most urgent demands raised in this regard.
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