In a harrowing episode that lays bare the Iranian regime’s cruelty, security forces opened fire on inmates at Dizel-Abad prison in Kermanshah on June 16, killing at least 10 and injuring over 30. The massacre occurred shortly after an Israeli airstrike hit a nearby military target, sending shockwaves through the prison and shattering windows in multiple wards.
Fearing further attacks and seeking protection, prisoners in wards 2, 3, and 8 pleaded to be relocated to safer areas. Instead of receiving aid, they were met with brutal force. Special anti-riot units were deployed, and witnesses report that the forces beat and shot unarmed inmates—many of whom were simply trying to shield themselves from the aftermath of the explosion.
Deliberate Repression Disguised as Crisis Response
Eyewitness accounts describe a calculated and deliberate response, not a panicked reaction. “The prisoners insisted they be moved from areas where windows had shattered and where they feared further missile strikes. The regime’s answer was bullets,” one report stated.
The regime has already begun a campaign of misinformation, according to opposition sources, planning to blame the deaths on shrapnel from the Israeli airstrike rather than the direct gunfire unleashed by its own security units.
Another Sign of a Regime in Crisis
This massacre is not an isolated incident but part of a disturbing pattern. In the last week alone, at least 41 people have been executed across Iran. The regime, increasingly cornered by economic collapse, international sanctions, and internal dissent, is resorting to escalating violence to cling to power.
Demands for Justice and International Scrutiny
The Iranian opposition has urgently called on the United Nations and the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran to launch an immediate investigation. “This was a massacre of defenseless people. The world cannot remain silent,” the opposition said in a statement.
Local citizens are also being urged to help identify the victims and report what they witnessed to ensure that the truth cannot be buried. The Kermanshah prison killings add to the regime’s long list of human rights abuses, and only firm international accountability measures can stop this cycle of state-sponsored violence.