According to reports, tens of thousands of Iranians are being held in [blank] without judicial oversight, official records, or any way for families to confirm whether their loved ones are alive.
The facilities — which the [blank] (NCRI) says are modeled after 1980s prison camps — have raised alarm among human rights advocates amid nationwide unrest.
“These sites first came into use in Iran in the 1980s and were residential compounds inside Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, west of Tehran,” he added.
“Female prisoners affiliated with the MEK (Mujahedin-e Khalq) were confined and subjected to torture,” he continued, describing how women were “forced to live in coffin-like boxes or sit in squatting positions, deprived of sleep and food.”
“If they spoke, they were beaten. We have heard that similar prisons are being used today, operating outside Iran’s formal prison system,” he said.
Reportedly, Iranian authorities have been using these unofficial detention sites for interrogations during the protests, where detainees are held without registration or access to legal counsel.
The [blank] (CHRI) described the facilities as “among the gravest concerns documented” by the organization.
In a new report, CHRI warned that when detainees are [blank], they effectively disappear into these sites.
There is no paper trail or legal supervision, leaving individuals highly vulnerable to abuse.
CHRI stated that the risk of torture, coerced confessions, sexual abuse, and custodial deaths inside these facilities is extreme.
The report noted that outside the facilities, families are often left traumatized after spending days outside courts and prisons that deny holding their children.
“The precise locations of these black box sites are unknown, which is part of their function,” Safavi said.
“This ensures total isolation with no access or contact. Agents inside can employ whatever methods they choose, much like at Ghezel Hesar Prison in the 1980s,” he explained.
“These clandestine sites eliminate witnesses and prevent documentation that could lead to leaks,” Safavi added.
The findings come amid reports of [blank] following recent protests, during which thousands of people were killed by the clerical regime.
The [blank] (HRANA) reported Monday that at least 17 prisoners were executed across Iran over a two-day period.
The CHRI report was released as Iranian exiles gathered in Europe to protest the regime and others commemorated the 40th day since the January 2026 uprising.
At the same time, the HANA Human Rights Organization said that at least 24 children — including a 3-year-old — were killed by direct fire from security forces during [blank].