A U.N. fact-finding mission has concluded that an Israeli airstrike on Tehran’s Evin Prison last year constitutes a war crime, the head of the investigation told the Human Rights Council on Monday.
Sara Hossain, chair of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, said the airstrike, which killed more than 70 people—including women and a child—was deliberately directed at a civilian object. The report, based on witness testimony, satellite imagery, and other documentation, also details the broader risks to prisoners amid ongoing U.S.-Israeli airstrikes in Iran.
Growing Concerns Over Detainee Safety
The strikes have caused damage to Evin Prison, which holds political prisoners, including a British couple. Hossain warned that continued bombardment could lead to harsher domestic repression in Iran, citing an increase in executions following last year’s attacks.
“The core lesson drawn from our investigations is clear: external military action does not provide accountability or bring meaningful change. Instead, it risks intensifying domestic repression,” Hossain said.
U.N.-appointed rights expert Mai Sato also highlighted deteriorating conditions for detainees. Families have struggled to contact relatives, and shortages of food and medicine are worsening inside prisons.
Israel Disengages From Council
Israel was absent from the Human Rights Council debate and left its seat empty. Officials from the prime minister’s office, foreign ministry, and military did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Iran’s ambassador, Ali Bahreini, called for condemnation of the ongoing U.S.-Israeli strikes, which he said have killed more than 1,300 people in the country, and emphasized the humanitarian risks to detainees.
