Iran Protests: Alarming Reports about Causalities and Arrests

While the Iranian government has blocked the ordinary people’s access to the internet, the few photos and videos received from Iran give a hint at the brutal crackdown by the authorities. However, some telephone lines are still working and reports show that protests are still going on in several Iranian cities. 
The officials have only admitted deaths of five people, but Persian media and reporters operating in diaspora estimate that tens of people have been killed so far. According to the Prague based Radio Farda, at least 40 people have been killed. 
Washington D.C. based Iranian journalist Shahed Alavi quoted his source inside Iranian government that “from Friday to Monday, 200 people were shot dead and more than 3000 wounded.”
Iran Human Rights is trying to confirm the news through its sources inside the country. 
On the other hand, Iranian authorities have arrested many, including some known human rights defenders and civil activists. Sepideh Gholian and Soha Mortezaei are among the detainees. 
Iran Human Rights (IHR) condemns internet blackout and violent crackdown of protesters by the Iranian authorities and calls on the international community to react immediately. 
IHR director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said, “Total internet blackout might indicate the Iranian authorities’ plans to use even more violence against the protesters. We urge the international community, especially the EU, to use all their leverage to put pressure on the Iranian government to stop the violent crackdown.”