January Protesters Held in Harsh Conditions at Mashhad’s Vakilabad Prison

According to information obtained by IranWire, individuals detained during the January protests in Mashhad are currently being kept in harsh and deteriorating conditions inside Vakilabad Prison.

Informed sources say that among these detainees, there are several individuals under the age of 18.

Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city, is also one of the country’s most important religious centers. For readers outside Iran, Vakilabad Prison is widely known for its history of secret mass executions and chronic overcrowding. Holding minors in the same facilities as adult prisoners violates international human rights standards, yet such practices have increasingly been reported during the regime’s crackdowns on “Generation Z” protesters.

The information received indicates that, due to a lack of space in the prison, a significant number of detainees have been kept in the quarantine ward of Vakilabad Prison for an extended period.

This comes even though quarantine wards are typically meant for the short-term detention of newly arrived inmates, allowing authorities to monitor their health before moving them to general wards, and they are not equipped with basic facilities.

According to these sources, the quarantine ward at Vakilabad Prison lacks sufficient sanitary facilities, and inmates do not have adequate space to rest or sleep properly. Reports also indicate that detainees have been subjected to limited medical care, unsanitary conditions, and insufficient food during this period.

Informed sources also say that, given the wartime conditions in the country, prisoners’ access to medical and health services has become even more limited, and concerns about the health and safety of detainees have increased.

Based on these reports, the prison has sent messages to the detainees asking their families to provide bail for their release.

However, families’ attempts to post bail have so far produced no outcome. When they go to the Prosecutor’s Office or the prison, they reportedly find no officials available to address their cases, leaving their efforts effectively unsuccessful.