|
IRAN - IHR Report - Day 18 of Protests: at Least 3,428 Protesters Killed
January 14, 2026: January 14, 2026 - IRAN. IHR Report - Day 18 of Protests: at Least 3,428 Protesters Killed
At Least 3,428 Protesters Killed in Iran; Serious Risk of Protester Executions
18 days into the anti-government nationwide protests in Iran, at least 3,428 protesters have been killed, and thousands injured.
IHR has learned through sources within the Islamic Republic’s Ministry of Health and Medical Education that, between 8 and 12 January alone, the deaths of at least 3,379 protesters were registered. It should be noted that the total figure is an absolute minimum. New reports and testimonies received by IHR further illustrate the scale of the violence.
According to an eyewitness account from Rasht, a group of young protesters trapped in the bazaar area amid fires and surrounded by security forces raised their hands in surrender, but were nonetheless shot dead. IHR has also received numerous reports of wounded individuals being “finished off”, with witnesses reporting that this occurred both on the streets and in medical facilities.
On 14 January, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, Head of the Islamic Republic’s judiciary, visited a facility holding a number of protesters and stressed the need for swift trials and punishment, stating: “If we want to do something, we must do it quickly and on time. If we are able to do something today but do it two or three months later, it will not have the same effect.” This is while on 10 January, the Prosecutor General declared all protesters to be mohareb (enemies of God), a charge that carries the death penalty.
Warning of the risk of the mass execution of protesters following show trials, IHR is once again calling on the international community to act to prevent the atrocities and protect the people of Iran
IHR Director, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said: “Following the mass killing of protesters on the streets in recent days, the Islamic Republic’s judiciary is threatening protesters with large-scale executions. The international community must take these threats extremely seriously, because officials of the Islamic Republic committed similar crimes in the 1980s in order to hold onto power. If the international community does not act in time, thousands more will be at risk of execution.”
According to data gathered by IHR, more than 10,000 people have been arrested since the protests began.
The new round of protests, which began on 28 December 2025 in Tehran’s bazaar over poor economic conditions, quickly spread to other parts of Iran, accompanied by anti-government slogans. Until the internet blackout, protests had spread to all 31 provinces and around 190 cities.
Death Toll
According to data gathered by IHR, at least 3,428 protesters in 15 provinces have been killed since the start of the protests. It should be noted that the number only includes cases verified directly by IHR or through two independent sources and is supported by hospital and morgue documentation.
Sources in the Ministry of Health told IHR that between 8 and 12 January alone, around 3,500 people were killed, including both protesters and state-affiliated forces. As state media had previously reported the deaths of at least 121 members of military, police, security and judicial forces, this means that the deaths of at least 3,379 protesters were recorded in this five-day period. Reports indicate that most of those killed were under 30 years old, and at least 15 were under 18, though IHR is still working to obtain documentation confirming the exact ages of all victims.
At the same time, unverified figures ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 deaths have been reported. Israeli intelligence assessments have estimated 5,000 deaths, while Iran International TV’s editorial board has claimed that more than 12,000 people were killed on 8 and 9 January alone. CBS News has also reported, citing two sources inside Iran, that the death toll may have reached around 20,000. Owing to the complete internet shutdown and severe restrictions on access to information, independent verification of these figures is currently extremely difficult. IHR is also still working to verify reports of killings from the early days of the protests.
Scale of Repression
Karaj in Alborz province has seen one of the bloodiest crackdowns. Several eyewitnesses have told IHR that state forces in Karaj used heavy DShK machine guns against protesters. An eyewitness from Karaj told IHR: “The protests in Karaj on the 8th and 9th were very widespread; there were crowds everywhere; the streets were full. People were massacred. They were so brutal that they showed no mercy, and they were speaking Arabic as well. In front of our eyes, they fired a final shot at wounded people, even those whose injuries were not serious. They even took selfies with the bodies.”
IHR has also received reports of an intensified security presence and the imposition of martial law conditions from sunset until sunrise in a number of cities, particularly in Kurdish regions. A source in Iran told IHR: “The situation in Kurdistan has not changed so far. Officers are present street by street. Phones are cut. Checkpoints have been set up inside the cities. The officers do not speak Farsi, no one knows where they have come from. There are arbitrary arrests. They raid homes and take people away.”
In Rasht, which has been one of the main centres of the protests, an eyewitness described widespread repression and the killing of protesters. Regarding protests on 8 and 9 January, the witness said that a group of young protesters were surrounded near the bazaar, with fire blocking escape routes on one side and security forces on the other. They raised their hands in surrender, but were nevertheless fired upon and killed.
Internet Blackout
The nationwide internet blackout has continued. From 22:00 on 8 January, the internet was shut down across Iran. According to NetBlocks, 99% of Iran’s internet has been under blackout since.
https://iranhr.net/en/articles/8529/ (Source: IHR)
|
