Human Rights Activists News Agency, known as HRANA, has counted 36 deaths since demonstrations intensified, identifying 34 protesters and two members of the security services among the dead. Arrests have been mass and indiscriminate, according to rights monitors. Independent verification inside Iran is constrained by limited press access; much of the documentation reaching international monitors comes from smartphone video and accounts relayed by contacts inside the country. One rights organization reported protests or street gatherings in at least 174 locations over a seven‑day period, underscoring the breadth of the unrest. The scale of killings and mass detentions raises potential violations of international human rights law and obligations to protect civilians.

Source: The Guardian January 08, 2026 06:16 UTC