Qarchak Prison () is a prison for women located in Qarchak, in Qarchak County, previously part of Varamin County, Tehran province, Iran (30 km SSE of the capital). It is also called (Shahr-e Rey prison), "Gharchak Women’s Prison", Rey Penitentiary or Varamin prison.
In August 2025, reports from human rights organizations described a severe deterioration in conditions at Qarchak Prison, citing prolonged power outages during extreme summer heat, lack of access to potable water, and denial of adequate medical care for inmates with chronic illnesses. Political prisoner Maryam Akbari Monfared was reported to be in immediate danger due to the lack of urgent medical attention.
As of July 2020, 17 female political prisoners are being detained in Qarchak prison.
On 23 May 2020, Soheila Hejab (), a 30-year-old law graduate sentenced to 18 years in prison for forming a group for women's rights and who had been summoned for that day to the Court of Appeals, was brutally arrested on leaving the hearing by IRGC agents, and taken to Qarchak.
In June 2020, it was reported that political prisoners in Qarchak had been infected with COVID-19.
On 26 July 2020, the Australian academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert was moved from Evin prison to Qarchak. Moore-Gilbert was later returned to Evin and freed in November 2020.
On 20 October 2020, human rights activist and lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh was moved to Qarchak from Evin prison.
In July 2025, trade unionist Nasrin Javadi and other political prisoners were moved to Qarchack following the Israeli strikes on Evin prison.
On 7 December 2021, the U.S. Department of the Treasury added Soghra Khodadadi (described as "the current director of Qarchak") to its Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list. Individuals on the list have their assets blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them. The listing said Khodadadi "was responsible for ordering and directly participating in a violent attack on 13 December 2020 against prisoners of conscience in Ward 8 along with at least 20 other guards. According to publicly available reports, prison guards beat these female prisoners of conscience with batons and stun guns. Khodadadi ordered this attack in retaliation for the prisoners exercising their right to freedom of expression."
|
|