71 people killed in Israel's attack on Evin prison: Iran

Death toll was released by Iran's judiciary and confirmed by human rights groups; Iran's failure to evacuate, provide medical assistance or inform families slammed

- 

Dozens of staff members, two inmates and a bystander were the casualties of Israel's attack last week on Tehran's Evin prison, a notorious facility where many political prisoners and dissidents have been held.

The death toll of the strike was released Sunday by Iran's judiciary and confirmed by human rights groups as the one-week mark of the ceasefire between Israel and Iran approaches, despite suspicions from both sides of whether the truce will hold.

Judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir posted on the office’s official Mizan news agency website that at least 71 people were killed on Monday, including staff, soldiers, prisoners and members of visiting families.

While officials did not provide a breakdown of the casualty figures, the Washington-based Human Rights Activists in Iran said that at least 35 were staff members and two were inmates. Others killed included a person walking in the prison vicinity and a woman who went to meet a judge about her imprisoned husband's case, the organisation said.

The June 23 attack, the day before the ceasefire between Israel and Iran took hold, hit several prison buildings and prompted concerns from rights groups about the safety of the inmates.