Monday Briefing: The Toll of an Attack on an Iranian Prison
Israel's attack on a notorious prison killed 71, Iran said
Iranian state news media reported yesterday that 71 people were killed when Israel attacked Evin Prison in Tehran on June 23. Dissidents and political prisoners, including opposition politicians, activists, lawyers, journalists and students, are held at the facility.
Detainees, visiting relatives and prison staff members were among the dead, according to a statement from Asghar Jahangir, a spokesman for Iran's judiciary. He did not provide names of the dead, heightening the concerns of some detainees' families, who said they had not heard from their loved ones since the strike.
Israel's Defense Ministry declined to comment, and the Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Jahangir's claims could not be independently verified.
Background: When the Israeli military struck Evin prison, the country's defense minister said it was one of several places targeted, including the headquarters of the Basij, a volunteer force under the umbrella of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps that has brutally cracked down on protesters in Iran.
Analysis: After the 12-day conflict with Israel and the U.S., Iran stands on a knife's edge. What will a shaken country in dire economic straits do with what its president has called 'a golden opportunity for change'?
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