Brutal Crackdown in Iran: Death Toll Surpasses 3,400 Amid Rising Executions Risk

Since the unrest ignited in Tehran on December 28, the movement has expanded to 190 cities across 31 provinces. With a 99% internet blackout reported by NetBlocks, obtaining accurate data is increasingly difficult, leading experts to believe the actual casualty count could be significantly higher—some sources even suggest up to 20,000 fatalities. IHR confirmed that a majority of the victims are under the age of 30, including at least 15 minors.

Eyewitness accounts describe a harrowing scene on the streets, with security forces allegedly using machine guns and executing protesters at point-blank range, even after surrender. In Kurdish-populated regions, undeclared martial law has led to mass arrests and house-to-house raids. Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, Director of IHR, compared the current violence to the mass purges of the 1980s and urged the international community to take immediate action to prevent further mass killings. Reports indicate that approximately 10,000 people have been detained since the protests began.