Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Tuesday that Iranian authorities have failed to investigate or prosecute security officials responsible for the 2022 crackdown on nationwide protests following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody.

HRW’s report, released on the third anniversary of Amini’s death, stated that the Iranian judiciary has not pursued cases against those implicated in unlawful killings, mass arrests, and torture of protesters. Instead, it has sentenced dozens of demonstrators to lengthy prison terms or death.

Bahar Saba, a senior Iran researcher at HRW, stated:

The victims and their families who suffered brutal violence at the hands of Iranian authorities have no prospects for justice, as those who should deliver redress are themselves implicated in violations and crimes and shield others responsible from accountability.

According to HRW, at least 500 protesters, including dozens of children, were killed during the demonstrations, and thousands more were injured or arrested. The organization also documented instances of unfair trials, coerced confessions, and denial of access to lawyers.

The UN Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran, established in 2022, concluded earlier this year that Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity, including murder, imprisonment, and torture, in suppressing the protests. Tehran has rejected those findings as politically motivated.

Rights groups continue to call on the international community to maintain pressure on Iran. HRW urged member states at the UN Human Rights Council to renew the mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission and to consider mechanisms for accountability, including supporting universal jurisdiction cases abroad.

The protests, known as the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement, remain one of the largest challenges to Iran’s theocratic government in decades. The unrest began in September 2022 after Amini was arrested by Iran’s morality police for allegedly violating the country’s compulsory hijab law. Her death in custody quickly became a symbol of resistance to state repression, particularly among women and young people. In the months that followed, authorities imposed widespread internet shutdowns, restricted freedom of expression, and carried out mass trials.

International legal bodies and advocacy groups have repeatedly urged Iran to abolish the morality police and reform its laws mandating compulsory hijab. However, in 2024, the Iranian parliament passed new legislation imposing harsher penalties for dress code violations. 

While public demonstrations have diminished due to repression, advocates warn that unresolved grievances and ongoing rights abuses risk sparking future unrest.