Iran moves women prisoners to hellhole farm jail after airstrike hits notorious Evin prison

Economic Times

19 hours ago

Following an Israeli airstrike on Iran's Evin prison, female inmates were transferred to Qarchak, a facility notorious for its inhumane conditions. Qarchak, a former livestock farm, is plagued by overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, and infestations. Inmates describe it as a living hell, lacking basic necessities like clean water and adequate medical care, raising concerns about the well-being of those transferred.
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Iran Shifts Women Prisoners to Qarchak After Evin Airstrike
Women Sent to Former Livestock Facility
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Prisoner Speaks Out From Inside Qarchak
No Windows, No Clean Water, No Dignity
Medical Care is Almost Nonexistent
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After an Israeli airstrike damaged Iran's infamous Evin prison, authorities moved dozens of female inmates to Qarchak, a detention center described by prisoners and rights groups as one of the worst places to be locked up in the country, as per a report.The missiles struck Evin on Monday morning, just one day before Iran and Israel agreed to a ceasefire, ending their 12-day conflict, as reported by The Telegraph. The prison, long associated with political repression, houses activists, dissidents, and others jailed for challenging the regime, according to the report.Iran's judiciary claimed that the transfers were conducted to 'respect prisoners' rights' and 'provide better services," as quoted in The Telegraph report.ALSO READ: No holding, no swiping: California's tough no touch phone law for drivers, simplified Following the strike, Iranian guards began transferring prisoners from the damaged facility, as per the report. Women were handcuffed and sent to Qarchak, a former livestock facility located 40 miles south of Tehran, according to The Telegraph report. The prison is already under US sanctions for its record of human rights violations, including torture and extrajudicial killings, as reported by The Telegraph.ALSO READ: Trump claims he spared Khamenei from an ugly death — now wants a thank you from Iran One of the women who was moved, Sayeh Seydal, is serving a three-year sentence for social media posts, which were considered unacceptable to the Iranian regime, and had been imprisoned at Evin since October 2024, managed to record a message, smuggled out of the country, describing the terrifying and dire conditions of Qarchak, according to the report.She said, 'The American and Israeli bombing didn't kill us, but the Islamic Republic has brought us to a place where it's practically killing us,' adding, 'They've brought us to a place where humans don't live. It's a gradual death,' as quoted by The Telegraph.Seydal said that she and other women were crammed into a quarantine ward with no privacy or sanitation, calling it "a real hellhole,' according to the report. She shared that, 'The toilets are like outdoor latrines. The showers? Like outdoor showers. The stench of filth has taken over everywhere. Even the water – the water you splash on your face – is salty. The food? It absolutely cannot be eaten. A terrible situation," as quoted in the report. Seydal pointed out that 'The Islamic Republic has brought us to a place where it seems they want to get revenge for Israel and America and just kill us off easily,' quoted The Telegraph.Human rights groups have also highlighted the horrible condition of Qarchak, as it does not follow the prison standards, like there is no proper sewage system or access to clean water, as per the report. There are also no windows, and when the iron gates to outdoor areas close at 5pm, inmates stare at walls with only two small holes, 'the size of lentils,' for glimpses of the sky, as reported by The Telegraph.Activists have also revealed that the detention centre is infested with cockroaches, rats, salamanders, lizards, water bugs and venomous tarantulas, according to the report. Qarchak's medical care is also very limited, as just five prisoners per ward are allowed daily medical visits, and while prison authorities claim budget constraints prevent the provision of essential medications, they freely distribute sleeping pills and tranquillisers to keep prisoners sedated, as reported by the Telegraph.After an Israeli airstrike hit Evin, authorities transferred prisoners for safety reasons, but women were sent to Qarchak, a far worse facility.It used to be a livestock farm. Now, it's overcrowded, unsanitary, and infested with insects and rodents. Many say it's unfit for humans, as per the report.