For me, hell was not the moment Israel attacked; hell was the moment they wouldn't open the door [of the cell] for us, recalls Motahareh Goonei in an exclusive interview with the BBC. As a political activist held in solitary confinement, Goonei experienced the harrowing realities of the Israeli attack on June 23, when missiles targeted the infamous Evin Prison, resulting in the deadliest assault on Iranian soil with 80 casualties. Eyewitness accounts and satellite imagery provide grim details of the attack amidst the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict. Human Rights Watch has condemned the airstrike as unlawfully indiscriminate, potentially constituting war crimes. Goonei describes the chaos as explosions shook the compound, while guards initially attempted to block inmates from escaping. Despite the horror, inmates came together to assist one another, showcasing humanity in the direst circumstances.
Evin Prison: A Devastating Attack on Iranian Soil

Evin Prison: A Devastating Attack on Iranian Soil
An exclusive account from inside Evin Prison reveals the harrowing aftermath of an Israeli missile strike that turned a notorious jail into a tragic site of civilian casualties.
In a chilling firsthand account, political prisoner Motahareh Goonei details the chaos during an Israeli missile strike on Evin Prison, where 80 individuals reportedly lost their lives. The attack, characterized by indiscriminate violence, has raised serious concerns about war crimes and the implications of targeting civilian infrastructure.