In the early hours of Monday, June 16, 2025, Dizelabad Prison in Kermanshah became the site of one of the deadliest incidents in Iranian prisons in recent years. Reports indicate that a large-scale riot erupted following missile strikes near the facility, reportedly targeting a military-affiliated ammunition depot in the area.
Amid the deafening sound of multiple explosions and growing fear and confusion among inmates, clashes broke out within the prison wards. According to informed sources, prison guards responded with extreme violence. Sources close to the prisoners’ families say that officers used live ammunition, firing directly at inmates. The result was at least 9 deaths and an unspecified number of injuries.
Brutal Crackdown, Welded Doors, and Communication Blackout
As the clashes escalated, riot control forces were deployed inside the prison. Eyewitnesses report the use of pellet guns, tear gas, and other means of suppression to subdue prisoners. Some prison doors were reportedly welded shut to restrict movement within the facility. The bodies of the deceased were removed in private vehicles, and the injured were transferred immediately, though no official information has been released regarding their whereabouts or medical conditions.
Phone communication between prisoners and their families has been completely severed. To date, no official, from prison authorities to judicial officials,has commented on the deadly incident. This complete silence has deepened concerns among families and human rights activists.
A Troubling Pattern in Iranian Prisons
The Dizelabad incident is only the latest in a series of violent tragedies in Iranian prisons in recent years—from the deadly Evin Prison fire in October 2022 to uprisings at Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz, and unrest in Fashafouyeh, Adelabad, and Qezel Hesar. In many of these cases, inaction and lack of transparency by responsible institutions have obstructed truth-finding and justice.
