Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 2, 2022: At least 277 people, including 40 children and 24 women have been killed in the ongoing nationwide protests.
Underlining the high death toll, Iran Human Rights warns about the condition of detainees and heavy sentences including the death penalty. Director, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said: “Instead of accepting people’s legal demands, the Islamic Republic is clamping down with repressive measures and show trials. The charges and sentences have no legal validity and their sole purpose is to commit more violence create societal fear.”
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, at least 277 people have been killed by security forces in the nationwide protests so far. Of those, 40 were under 18 years of age but have not all been verified through document evidence. Iran Human Rights is working to obtain confirmation of their ages.
Death Toll by Province
Protesters have been killed in 22 provinces, with the most reported in Sistan and Baluchistan, Mazandaran, Tehran, Kurdistan and Gilan respectively. The most number of deaths were recorded on 21, 22 and 30 September. October 27 was the bloodiest day last week with 12 recorded deaths.
Deaths have been recorded in 21 provinces: Sistan and Baluchistan: 101 people; Mazandaran: 33 people; Tehran: 28 people; Kurdistan: 24 people; Gilan: 21 people; Western Azerbaijan: 20 people; Kermanshah: 13 people; Alborz: 7 people; Khorasan-Razavi: 4 people; Isfahan: 4 people; Zanjan: 4 people; Lorestan: 2 people; Markazi: 2 people; Qazvin: 2 people; Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad: 2 people; East Azerbaijan: 2 people; Ardabil: 2 people; Ilam: 2 people; Bushehr: 1 person; Semnan: 1 person; Khuzestan: 1 person; Hamedan: 1 person.
Detainees at risk of heavy sentences
According to official reports, dozens of protesters have been charged with the security-related charges of moharebeh (enmity against god) and efsad-fil-arz (corruption on earth) which carry the death penalty. The Islamic Republic’s history and current evidence indicate that they intend to use the death penalty as a tool of political repression to intimidate their opposition.
Intensification of repression on university campuses
On October 29, protests took place in more than 50 universities and higher education institutions in cities including Sanandaj, Tehran, Mashhad, Urmia, Kerman, Kashan, Zahedan, Rafsanjan, Qazvin, Bandar Abbas, Karaj, Ahvaz, Babol, Shiraz, Marivan, Isfahan, Yazd, Khorramabad, Rasht, Qom and Shahrood.
Students who staged peaceful protests to chant their demands were met with violent crackdowns that ended with arrests. Plainclothes security forces besieged and encroached university campuses and arrested fleeing students. In Sanandaj, security forces entered the Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences’ 22 Golan dormitories, and fired tear gas and live ammunition to arrest students.
Numbers are a “minimum”
The numbers of deaths published are an absolute minimum. Reports of protester killings in the last few days are still being investigated. Iran Human Rights has received a high volume of reports of deaths which it continues to investigate with internet disruptions. The actual number of people killed therefore, is certainly higher.