Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported Tuesday that Iranian authorities have intensified a “brutal” crackdown on nationwide protests, urging them to halt the unlawful use of force and release those arbitrarily detained.
According to HRW, the government has used lethal force to suppress the unrest, deploying military-grade weapons as well as metal pellets fired from shotguns, tear gas and batons against largely unarmed protesters. The rights group documented instances of violent repression that extended beyond the streets, including security force raids on Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ilam on January 4 and 5, aimed at arresting injured protesters and confiscating the bodies of those killed.
State officials have publicly opposed the demonstrations and shifted responsibility for the unrest onto those participating in the protests. The authorities have repeatedly portrayed the protesters as “rioters” and warned that they would respond to continued mobilization with harsher measures. On Saturday, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei ruled out dialogue, stating that there was no value in engaging with “rioters,” and that they must be forcefully restrained.
Protests first erupted on December 28 in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar and quickly spread to at least 27 provinces nationwide. Economic instability and ongoing government corruption triggered the movements. The collapsing currency has worsened Iran’s economic crisis, driving up prices for everyday goods, including groceries.
Iranian rights groups further documented widespread abuses against detainees, including torture and enforced disappearance, as mass arrests continue across the country. Authorities have detained over a thousand people, including minors as young as 14. More than 150 protesters are reportedly held in Isfahan Central Prison alone, while conditions in Qom Central Prison have been described as “very bad.” One detainee, 17-year-old Soroush Javidi, reportedly lost consciousness due to heavy bleeding after his arrest, and it remains unclear whether he received adequate medical treatment after being taken to the prison infirmary. Public anger has fueled demonstrations outside police stations, where crowds have gathered to demand the release of protesters held in detention.
According to Iran Human Rights, the security forces have killed at least 27 protesters and bystanders, including children, and injured hundreds more.
Among the children and youths killed during the protests include Mostafa Fallahi, Taha Safari, Mohammad Noori, Rasul Kadivarian, Reza Ghanbari, Rexa Kadivarian, and Mohammadreza Karami. All of them were between 15 and 20 years old.
The demonstrations mark the latest wave in a decade-long pattern of nationwide protests challenging Iran’s ruling system, which has repeatedly faced international condemnation for its use of executions and the weaponization of the death penalty. Rights groups have also documented broader patterns of repression against marginalized groups, including systematic discrimination and persecution of Baha’i communities across the country.
