Clandestine detention facilities operated by Iranian security forces, particularly the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Ministry of Intelligence. These secret prisons are notorious for severe human rights abuses, including torture and inhumane conditions.
Enghelab Street Facility
Based on your description, the facility is located on Enghelab Street, heading from Enghelab Square towards Azadi Square. On the left side, opposite a large traffic police office, there’s an empty lot previously marked as the Basij West District, later labeled as Qavamin Bank’s parking lot. Within this lot, concealed entrances lead to underground detention areas.
While specific coordinates are challenging to ascertain without precise landmarks, this area is approximately around:
Latitude: 35.7006° N
Longitude: 51.3917° E
Subterranean Structure
The facility reportedly includes a staircase descending about 10 steps, leading to multiple corridors and rooms, each capable of holding numerous detainees.
Torture Chambers
A specific section, accessible via a side corridor from “Ward 1,” contains cramped cages referred to as “suites,” designed to inflict severe physical discomfort. Devices like the “talking tree,” a rotating bar with welded handcuffs, are used for torture.
Additional Facilities
1. Ministry of Interior Building Detention Center:
Location
Situated on the negative fourth floor of the Ministry of Interior building in Tehran.
Description
A soundproof detention center comprising small rooms equipped with multiple air conditioners, creating unbearably cold conditions. Detainees have reported rapid dehydration and severe discomfort within minutes.
2. Facility near Saveh Road:
Location
Believed to be near the beginning of Saveh Road, possibly within the Nematabad police station vicinity.
Description
A highly secretive and oppressive environment where detainees are subjected to extreme overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, and minimal sustenance.
Reports from human rights organizations and investigative journalism have documented the existence of secret detention centers in Iran. These facilities are often used to suppress dissent and intimidate political activists. Detainees frequently endure torture, solitary confinement, and other forms of severe mistreatment.
For instance, the Kahrizak Detention Center gained international notoriety following the 2009 protests, where detainees suffered torture and death due to inhumane conditions.
Additionally, reports have highlighted the use of unofficial and secret detention centers by various intelligence and security agencies in Iran, where detainees are held without formal charges and subjected to severe abuse.
While specific details about the facilities you’ve mentioned may not be widely documented, the described conditions and locations are consistent with known practices of clandestine detention by Iranian security forces. The secret prisons operate outside the official penal system, making it challenging to obtain comprehensive information.
