An official in Iran on Monday said that authorities had verified that at least 5,000 people were killed during protests.
That figure includes an estimated 500 security personnel and authorities have blamed “terrorists and armed rioters” for killing Iranians.
According to Reuters, the official, who chose to speak anonymously, said that the greatest number of deaths occurred in the Iranian Kurdish areas in northwest Iran. The area has a history of periods of violent unrest and is where a Kurdish Separatists have been active.
“The final toll is not expected to increase sharply,” the official said. “Israel and armed groups abroad” had supported and outfitted protesters and others who took to the streets.
HRANA, a U.S.-based rights group, said that the death toll was slightly above 3,300 and that are around 4,300 cases under review. The group also said that there have been more than 24,000 arrests.
As of Thursday, HRANA reported on its website that the number of deaths under investigation had risen to 9,787, 7,391 people had suffered serious injuries, and the number of arrests had risen to 26,852.
Iran is in its 26th day of protests. Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) published a letter that it wrote to the United Nations Human Rights Council and released just before the council’s special session on Iran.
The letter centered on what it described as a widespread pattern of lethal force being used against unarmed protesters. It cited instances of live gunfire directed at demonstrators, deaths occurring in public streets, and large numbers of injured people being taken to medical facilities, framing these reports as evidence of grave, systematic violations of the right to life. The letter also highlighted mass arrests during and after the protests, raising concerns about the unknown whereabouts of thousands of detainees and noting reported restrictions on their access to legal counsel and family contact.
Another portion of the letter focused on forced confessions, arguing that airing them on state media undermines fair trial guarantees and violates human dignity. The organization said these broadcasts intensify psychological pressure on detainees and are being used to justify and normalize repressive measures.
