Simultaneously with the crackdown on nationwide protests, hundreds of detained protesters have been transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison, a move that has heightened serious concerns about their fate and the likelihood of widespread rights violations. According to received information, security forces are holding detainees in the quarantine section of Unit two of Ghezel Hesar Prison, an isolated area deliberately separated from other prisoners to prevent any contact, observation, or independent reporting about their conditions.
This quarantine has effectively turned into a hidden detention center within the prison, where protesters are held without official registration of their names and without access to their most basic legal rights. This practice is a clear indication of security agencies’ efforts to have a “free hand” in extrajudicial actions and even the possible disappearance or killing of detainees.
A Case File of a Crime: How Did the Rasht Bazaar Massacre Happen?#IranProtests #IranRevolution #FreeIran2026 #No2ShahNo2Mullahshttps://t.co/KDlFWw7L84
— Iran Focus (@Iran_Focus) January 23, 2026
Ghezel Hesar Unit two Quarantine: Inhumane Overcrowding and Sleeping on the Floor in Winter Cold
According to received reports, about 500 detained protesters have been transferred to the quarantine section of Unit two of Ghezel Hesar Prison, despite the fact that this section has a capacity of only 180 beds. As a result, many prisoners have been forced to sleep on the floor in the winter cold, without blankets, mattresses, or any basic facilities.
According to reports by the Iran Human Rights Society, sources close to the families of detainees say that conditions in this quarantine are extremely abnormal and degrading. Lack of sufficient space, shortage of hot water, absence of heating equipment, and inadequate medical services have seriously endangered the lives of many prisoners.
Some detainees sustained injuries due to beatings during arrest or while being transferred to prison, yet no medical care has been provided to them. This situation has doubled concerns about an increase in silent deaths in detention centers.
Transfer of Protesters to Evin and Greater Tehran Prisons Alongside Ghezel Hesar
In addition to Ghezel Hesar Prison, reports indicate that some of those detained during the protests have also been transferred to Evin Prison and Greater Tehran Prison. However, the main focus of transfers in recent days has been on Ghezel Hesar, a prison traditionally used to hold inmates convicted of serious crimes.
Human rights observers believe that transferring protesters to such a prison is itself a sign of a policy of intimidation and collective punishment. This action, especially given that many detainees have not yet been formally charged, constitutes a clear violation of the principles of fair trial.
Failure to Register Detainees’ Names: A Hidden Path Toward Enforced Disappearance
The identity information of a large number of protesters has deliberately not been entered into the judicial system, eliminating the possibility of legal follow-up, family contact, or even knowledge of their place of detention.
According to observers, this practice follows exactly the same pattern seen in previous crackdowns, in which detainees are kept for days or weeks in a state of “enforced disappearance,” with no institution officially taking responsibility for their detention.
This situation sharply increases the risk of detainees being eliminated, forced confessions being extracted, and physical and psychological torture being inflicted.
‘Bullet Money’ for Releasing Bodies; Repression of Protests in Iran Continues #IranProtests #IranRevolution #FreeIran2026 #No2ShahNo2Mullahshttps://t.co/GHYB4vIenF
— Iran Focus (@Iran_Focus) January 21, 2026
Mass Arrests Amid Intensified Crackdown on Protests
The transfer of hundreds of protesters to Ghezel Hesar comes as waves of arrests continue across the country. Reports indicate that tens of thousands of people have been arrested during the recent protests, severely overfilling detention centers and prisons.
The Iranian regime is using mass arrests in an effort to crush protests at their outset and to prevent people from returning to the streets by creating an atmosphere of fear.
Families’ Concerns: Complete Lack of Information About Loved Ones’ Fate
Families of detainees are living under conditions in which they have no information about the location, physical condition, or legal status of their loved ones. Many families, after visiting prisons and prosecutors’ offices, have been met with vague answers or complete silence from authorities.
