Evin Prison (Persian: زندان اوین Zendān Evin) is located in Evin, northwestern Tehran, Iran. It houses a wing for political prisoners where prisoners have been held before and after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Due to the number of intellectuals housed there, it was nicknamed "Evin University".
Evin Prison was constructed in 1972 under the reign of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. It is located at the foot of the Alborz mountains on the former home of Ziaeddin Tabatabaee, who briefly served as prime minister in the 1920s. The grounds of the prison included an execution yard, courtroom, and separate blocks for common criminals and female inmates. It was originally operated by the Shah's security and intelligence service, SAVAK. It quickly supplanted Qasr Prison as the country's "Bastille". It was initially designed to house 320 inmates—20 in solitary cells and 300 in two large communal blocks— and was expanded to hold more than 1,500 prisoners—including 100 solitary cells for political prisoners—by 1977.