Adelabad Prison (زندان عادل‌آباد) is a

prison A prison, also known as a jail, gaol, penitentiary, detention center, correction center, correctional facility, or remand center, is a facility where Prisoner, people are Imprisonment, imprisoned under the authority of the State (polity), state ...

located in the southern

Shiraz Shiraz (; ) is the List of largest cities of Iran, fifth-most-populous city of Iran and the capital of Fars province, which has been historically known as Pars (Sasanian province), Pars () and Persis. As of the 2016 national census, the popu ...

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

. As the central prison of Shiraz, Adelabad was initially constructed in an uninhabited area south of the city. However, due to the expansion of Shiraz, it is now located within the urban limits. Several notable political prisoners have been incarcerated here, including Navid Afkari, Kasra Nouri, Vahid Afkari, Ali-Akbar Masoumi Beigi, and Ezzatollah Sahabi, from pre-

1979 Revolution The Iranian Revolution (, ), also known as the 1979 Revolution, or the Islamic Revolution of 1979 (, ) was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979. The revolution led to the replacement of the Impe ...

to the present.

Description

Adelabad Prison is one of the largest prisons in Iran. Constructed during the 1970s, it was originally located outside the city limits, but today, it is within the city’s urban fabric. The prison’s official name is Shiraz Central Prison, but it is widely known as Adelabad Prison due to its location in the Adelabad district.

Structure

Adelabad Prison consists of two main sections: the central detention center and the main prison facility. These are two separate buildings within the same complex. The prison has 14 wards, with those convicted of serious crimes such as murder, armed robbery, and first-degree kidnapping typically held in Wards 10 and 11, officially named "Hemat Ward" and "Neshat Ward," considered among the most notorious within the facility. Other prisons in Shiraz include Pirbanoo Prison (for drug-related offenses) and the Shiraz Military Prison. Due to concerns regarding public safety and urban planning, Shiraz City Council has proposed relocating Adelabad Prison outside the city. This plan, first discussed in 2007, aims to improve mental health and security in the metropolitan area and create better conditions for prisoner rehabilitation.

Prison Facilities

Medical Services

Reports indicate that medical care in Adelabad Prison is inadequate, with inmates sometimes waiting 10 to 15 days to see a doctor. Some cases of untreated illnesses have led to severe health complications and even deaths.

Educational and Recreational Facilities

Authorities claim the prison offers vocational training in 15 fields. There is also a designated room for incarcerated mothers to play with their children.

Notable Events

2020 Riot

On March 29, 2020, a riot erupted in Adelabad Prison due to inmates protesting their conditions amid the COVID-19 pandemic and their exclusion from furlough programs. Some reports indicated gunfire was heard, though authorities denied any escape attempts.

2021 Political Prisoners' Hunger Strike

On March 19, 2021, political prisoners at Adelabad, along with inmates in

Evin Prison Evin Prison () is a prison located in the Evin neighborhood of Tehran, Iran. The prison has been the primary site for detaining Iran's political prisoners since 1972, before and after the Iranian Revolution, in a purpose-built wing nicknamed "E ...

and Greater Tehran Central Prison, staged a three day hunger strike in protest against injustice and in solidarity with impoverished Iranians.

U.S. Treasury Sanctions

On September 24, 2020, the

U.S. Department of the Treasury The Department of the Treasury (USDT) is the national treasury and finance department of the federal government of the United States. It is one of 15 current U.S. government departments. The department oversees the Bureau of Engraving and ...

sanctioned Adelabad Prison for human rights violations. The sanctions followed the execution of Navid Afkari, and also targeted Judge Mahmoud Sadeati for his role in Afkari’s case.

European Union sanctions

On April 2025, the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...

sanctioned Adelabad Prison, citing its involvement in the unlawful detention of several European citizens. According to the EU, these individuals were held as hostages, denied access to a fair trial, and subjected to severe violations of their most basic rights. The sanctions included an asset freeze and were part of broader measures targeting Iran's human rights abuses and treatment of dual and foreign nationals.

References

{{Reflist Prisons in Iran Human rights abuses in Iran Political repression in Iran Ministry of Intelligence (Iran)