They beat me until I lost consciousness:
growing reports of brutal arrests, torture and deaths in Iran’s prisons
The Guardian Author: Deepa Parent Wednesday, 3 June 2026
Summary
This Guardian investigation documents a growing number of testimonies from political prisoners, journalists, activists, and their families describing severe abuses in Iran’s detention system following the January protests and the broader crackdown that intensified after the outbreak of war. As internet restrictions in Iran have eased, more accounts of torture, mistreatment, and deaths in custody have emerged.
The report highlights the case of Hamid Asefi, a 63-year-old Iranian writer who says intelligence agents violently arrested him at his Tehran apartment. After requesting to see an arrest warrant, he alleges that officers severely beat him, causing him to lose consciousness. Although authorities later claimed his arrest had been an administrative mistake, Asefi was hospitalized weeks later after doctors discovered extensive brain bleeding requiring surgery.
According to Amnesty International, Iranian authorities have subjected detainees to torture and other forms of ill-treatment since late February. Documented abuses include mock executions, severe beatings, suspension by hands and feet, prolonged solitary confinement, and denial of food and medical treatment.
The article also details the experience of Mehnaz, a 23-year-old protester detained over anti-government social media activity. She reports enduring prolonged interrogations, deprivation of food and water, and losing eight kilograms during more than two weeks in detention at Qarchak Prison. She describes severe overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, and the lack of adequate medical care for female prisoners.
The report further examines the case of Hesam Alaeddin, a 40-year-old father of two who disappeared into Iran’s prison system after his arrest during a search for Starlink devices. Family members allege that he was severely beaten during his arrest in front of his young daughters. Weeks later, authorities informed the family to collect his body. Relatives claim his remains showed extensive injuries consistent with fatal abuse in custody.
Other testimonies reveal violent arrest methods by masked security agents. Mojgan, a Tehran-based rights activist, stated that officers beat her during arrest, causing injuries including a broken toe, apparently to intimidate and terrorize detainees.
The article also focuses on the case of journalist Vida Rabbani, who was arrested after signing a statement condemning the government’s crackdown on protests. According to her lawyer and husband, Rabbani suffered severe beatings in detention. She reports that authorities forcibly attempted to impose hijab compliance, pulling out her hair during assaults. Rabbani further alleges that she experienced sexual violence and physical abuse by an interrogator. Following her release, she continues to suffer from panic attacks, insomnia, and psychological trauma.
Many former detainees interviewed by The Guardian emphasized that security agents often use methods designed to inflict severe psychological and physical pain while minimizing visible evidence of abuse. Survivors describe long-lasting emotional consequences requiring ongoing medical and psychological treatment.
Overall, the report portrays a pattern of escalating repression inside Iran’s prison system, with allegations of torture, starvation, medical neglect, sexual abuse, and deaths in custody. Human rights organizations continue to call for independent investigations and international scrutiny of Iran’s treatment of detainees and political prisoners.
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/jun/03/reports-brutal-arrests-torture-deaths-iran-prisons?utm_source=chatgpt.com