Protests that began on 28 December across Iran and Rojhilat Kurdistan against political, social, and economic crises continue despite harsh repression by Iranian regime forces.
The protests are reported to have spread to 31 cities, 187 districts, and 614 towns across Iran and Rojhilat Kurdistan. The Iranian regime has completely cut communication networks in the country; due to internet and phone outages, it has become almost impossible to obtain information about developments inside the country. For this reason, the full consequences of attacks by Iranian regime forces cannot be clearly determined.
However, footage obtained from the region under limited conditions shows security forces affiliated with the Iranian regime and the Revolutionary Guards directly firing on demonstrators, using tear gas, and detaining protesters through torture in an effort to suppress the protests. Those injured in the attacks are unable to go to hospitals for fear of being detained following arrests that have taken place in hospitals.
Regime forces driven out of cities
Regime forces have intensified repression against women and young people leading the protests. Fifty-five universities are supporting the protests, where slogans such as “Death to Khamenei,” “Down with Khamenei,” and “Death to the dictator” are being chanted. Universities, which are under constant surveillance by security forces, are seen as one of the main centers of the protests.
Images coming from the region show protesters setting state institutions on fire. In many cities, Iranian regime security forces and the Revolutionary Guards are reported to have been driven out of city centers. In some cities, such as Kermanshah, police forces are reported to have withdrawn.
Some 20,000 people detained
In a country where media outlets are unable to broadcast, state channels air images of detained demonstrators whose statements were taken under unknown conditions. Detentions are not limited to the streets; thousands of people are being summoned to security centers to give statements.
Human rights organizations operating independently in the region continue to share data on the situation. According to figures released by the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), 18,434 demonstrators were detained during the 18 days of protests.
Thousands killed
HRANA also announced that 2,403 demonstrators were killed in attacks by Iranian regime forces. It was confirmed that 12 of those killed were under the age of 18, and that 1,134 demonstrators were injured.
Footage from the region shows hundreds of bodies being left in the streets, while people are trying to bury the bodies they can identify using their own means.