Qezel-Hesar Prison: The Largest in the Middle East
Qezel-Hesar Prison, located near Karaj, holds nearly 17,000 inmates, making it the largest prison in the Middle East. However, beyond its overcrowded conditions lies a deeper crisis involving systemic corruption and abuse within its administration.
A Monopoly on Survival
Qezel-Hesar operates as a self-contained city due to its size, forcing inmates to depend entirely on the prison’s Welfare Foundation (Bonyad Ta’avon) for basic necessities. This organization holds a monopoly over the supply of food, water, medicine, clothing, and other essentials. However, reports reveal that these items are sold at exorbitant prices and are often of poor quality, leaving prisoners with no alternative but to accept the exploitation.
The Bonyad Ta’avon is also implicated in facilitating drug trafficking within the prison. According to reports, senior officials within the organization are complicit in distributing substances such as methamphetamine among inmates, further endangering the prison’s vulnerable population.
Named Officials in the Corruption Network
The corruption involves key figures within the Bonyad Ta’avon and prison administration including:
- Eng. Ebn-Rahman: Head of the Welfare Foundation’s branch in Qezel Hesar Prison.
- Amir Dehkadeh: Procurement officer of the Welfare Foundation.
- Ali Alikahi: Financial manager of the Welfare Foundation.
- Farzad Javanfar: Procurement officer and nephew of senior prison officials.
- Akbar Rezvani: Deputy prison officer and another of Javanfar’s uncles.
- Jafar Rezvani: Head of Unit One at Qezel Hesar and also related to Javanfar.
- Nabi Saharkhiz: A pivotal figure in the network, allegedly overseeing lower-ranking operatives involved in smuggling drugs into the prison.
It is reported that Saharkhiz’s network operates under individuals such as Siamak Shams and Abolghassem Shirazi. Allegations suggest that daily shipments of methamphetamine are smuggled into the prison through the Welfare Foundation and distributed under Saharkhiz’s supervision.
Forced Transfers and Inhumane Conditions
On January 20, 2025, a mass transfer of 970 prisoners from Unit 4 of Qezel Hesar began under the direction of Karaj’s provincial governor and the director of Karaj Prisons, Asghar Fathi. These transfers were purportedly carried out to create more space—approximately half a square meter per prisoner—but have exacerbated already dire conditions.
During the process, prisoners were forcibly relocated without their belongings, which were either confiscated or stolen. Items such as refrigerators, televisions, carpets, and personal goods worth over 500 million tomans were reportedly looted, allegedly to cover budget deficits in Karaj’s local administration.
Political detainees housed in Unit 21 of Qezel-Hesar, many of whom were previously transferred from Evin and Rajai Shahr Prisons, are also at risk of being relocated. Over the past 18 months, these inmates have been moved multiple times, with their personal belongings confiscated during each transfer.
The overcrowding, extortionate pricing, forced transfers, and systemic corruption reflect a broader pattern of neglect and abuse within Iran’s prison system. Authorities, including Karaj’s governor and prison officials, have shown little regard for the human rights of inmates. Instead, they appear to prioritize personal and financial gain at the expense of vulnerable populations.
