Reports Detail Deteriorating Conditions in Iranian Detention Facilities
New accounts from the National Council of Resistance of Iran describe severe sanitary failures, reduced rations, and heightened restrictions on political detainees across multiple cities.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) has issued a detailed report describing a sharp decline in living standards within several major detention centers across the country. According to the organization, which dated its statement September 11, 2026, the deteriorating conditions are part of a broader pattern of pressure on political detainees. The report cites specific instances of health crises, administrative harassment, and physical abuse in facilities ranging from Tehran to the provinces of Khorasan and Isfahan.
The allegations focus heavily on the intersection of public health risks and punitive measures. In Qom, authorities are accused of allowing environments to become infested with vermin, leading to the spread of infectious diseases among inmates. Simultaneously, in Tehran’s Evin facility, the report claims that visitation rights have been systematically curtailed, with families facing verbal abuse and reduced time with their detained relatives. These claims, if verified, suggest a significant escalation in the treatment of prisoners who are perceived as political dissidents.
Sanitary Crises in Qom and Isfahan
According to the NCRI, the Langeroud facility in Qom, often referred to as Central Prison, is experiencing what the group describes as catastrophic sanitary conditions. The report states that wards are rife with bedbugs, lice, and other vermin due to a lack of basic hygiene maintenance. This environmental degradation has reportedly led to hundreds of inmates contracting skin diseases and other infectious illnesses. The organization further claims that influenza and COVID-19 have spread throughout the facility, exacerbating the health risks for a population that is already vulnerable.
The report indicates that these health issues are compounded by a reduction in daily food rations, which were previously described as meager. In a related development, the NCRI notes that meningitis had previously spread among inmates at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan. The organization argues that the combination of poor nutrition, overcrowding, and unsanitary conditions places the health of most prisoners under serious threat, creating a public health emergency that remains unaddressed by official authorities.
Restrictions on Visits and Personal Property
In Tehran’s Evin Prison, the report details new restrictions imposed on family visits for female prisoners. The NCRI states that the duration of both cabin and in-person visits has been cut in half. Families who travel long distances to see their relatives are reportedly subjected to insults and abuse by prison staff, specifically a new head of the visitation hall. On September 6, families and prisoners staged a protest in the visitation area in response to these measures, although the report does not specify the outcome of this confrontation.
Beyond visitation rights, the report claims that prisoners in Urmia Central Prison have had personal items confiscated. Staff allegedly seized refrigerators and televisions that inmates had purchased at their own expense, asserting that such items 'belong to the prison.' In Mashhad’s Vakilabad Prison, the report alleges that staff raided the ward of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, a boxing champion sentenced to death on charges related to supporting the PMOI/MEK. His sports equipment was confiscated, and his access to newspapers was cut off, marking a further restriction on his daily life.
Calls for International Investigation
In the face of these allegations, the Iranian Resistance has called upon international bodies to intervene. According to the NCRI, the organization is urging the United Nations, the Human Rights Council, and the High Commissioner for Human Rights to condemn the treatment of prisoners. The group specifically requests the dispatch of an international fact-finding mission to visit these detention facilities and meet with detainees, particularly political prisoners. The report characterizes the current situation as a criminal treatment of prisoners by the regime, seeking external validation and potential diplomatic pressure.
