Portugal Colonial - Amnesty urges probe into Israeli strike on Tehran prison

The strike, confirmed by Israel, killed 79 people, according to a provisional tally by Iranian authorities.

It also destroyed part of the administrative building in Evin, a large, heavily fortified complex in the north of Tehran, which rights groups say holds political prisoners and foreign nationals.

Amnesty International, an international non-governmental organisation that campaigns to protect human rights, called the Israeli attack "deliberate" and "a serious violation of international humanitarian law".

The air strikes should therefore be "criminally investigated as war crimes", it said.

"The Israeli military carried out multiple air strikes on Evin prison, killing and injuring scores of civilians and causing extensive damage and destruction in at least six locations across the prison complex," Amnesty said, basing its assessment on what it said were verified video footage, satellite images and witness statements.

There was nothing to suggest that Evin prison could justifiably be seen as a "legal military objective", it said.

The strike on Evin was part of a bombardment campaign Israel launched on Iranian targets on June 13 with the stated aim of stopping the Islamic republic from acquiring nuclear weapon capabilities.

The victims of the June 23 attack included administrative staff, guards, prisoners and visiting relatives, as well as people living nearby.

Between 1,500 and 2,000 prisoners were being held at the time in the prison.

Among them were Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, two French nationals arrested three years ago accused of espionage.

They were not injured in the attack, their families said, and have since been transferred to a different location.

France, and other western governments, consider them and others to be "hostages" taken by the Iranian authorities for leverage in negotiations.

P.Mira--PC