Human Rights Watch has reported a severe escalation in the Iranian government’s response to recent nationwide protests, urging authorities to end what they describe as unlawful force and to release arbitrarily detained individuals. The organization highlights the government’s use of lethal tactics, including military-grade weapons, metal pellets from shotguns, tear gas, and batons against mostly unarmed citizens. This crackdown has reportedly extended beyond public spaces, with security forces conducting raids on medical facilities, such as Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ilam, in efforts to arrest injured demonstrators and seize bodies of those killed.
State officials have publicly criticized the protests, attributing responsibility for the unrest to the participants. The government has consistently labeled demonstrators as “rioters,” threatening intensified actions should the protests persist. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has dismissed the possibility of dialogue, emphasizing the need to forcibly restrain what he refers to as “rioters.” The protests, initially sparked by economic instability and governmental corruption on December 28 in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, have since spread to at least 27 provinces amidst a worsening economic crisis marked by a collapsing currency and surging prices.
Further documentation by the Iran Human Rights NGO reveals widespread abuses against detainees, including torture and enforced disappearances. Reports indicate over 150 protesters are held in Isfahan Central Prison, with deplorable conditions reported in Qom Central Prison. One case involves 17-year-old Soroush Javidi, who lost consciousness from heavy bleeding after his arrest, with unclear information about whether he received proper medical attention. Such incidents have provoked public outrage, leading to demonstrations outside police stations demanding the release of detained protesters.
According to reports, security forces have killed at least 27 protesters and bystanders, including children, leaving hundreds injured. Iranian media cite over a thousand arrests as protests erupted in at least 257 locations across 27 provinces. Young victims include Mostafa Fallahi and Taha Safari, among others, aged between 15 and 20 years.
This crackdown continues a decade-long pattern of nationwide protests challenging Iran’s governance, which has attracted international disapproval for its punitive practices, including executions and the weaponization of the death penalty. Documentations of repression against marginalized groups, such as the systematic discrimination of the Baha’i community, further illustrate the severity of the situation. More details can be found in the original report by JURIST and coverage by BBC News.