Jinamedia – In a newly released report, the human rights organization Hengaw has documented what it describes as a widespread and violent crackdown on recent protests in Iran. According to the report, at least 3,000 civilians have been killed and more than 20,000 people arrested amid what Hengaw characterizes as systematic repression carried out under a near-total internet blackout. The organization states that these actions meet the legal threshold of crimes against humanity under international law.
Based on data collected by Hengaw’s Statistics and Documentation Center, Iranian security forces have killed at least 3,000 civilians since the outbreak of protests on December 28 (7th of Befranbar 2725). The report notes that war-grade weapons were used against demonstrators.
So far, Hengaw has verified the identities of 600 of those killed, including:
44 children under the age of 18
61 women, including one pregnant woman
27 university students and two teachers
In terms of geographical distribution, the highest number of fatalities has been recorded in Tehran Province (137 cases), followed by Isfahan (101) and Kermanshah (65). Hengaw also reports that approximately 500 members of Iran’s security and repressive forces were killed during the clashes.
Eyewitnesses told Hengaw that security forces were deployed on rooftops and high buildings as part of a pre-planned strategy and opened fire on protesters with clear intent to kill. According to medical and field reports, most victims were shot in vital areas such as the head, heart, and throat.
The report further states that many injured protesters died from blood loss after security forces blocked their transfer to hospitals, or because victims avoided medical centers out of fear of arrest.
Hengaw reports that more than 20,000 people have been detained by Iranian security agencies. The condition of many detainees remains unknown, while some have been charged with “Moharebeh” (enmity against God), a charge that can carry the death penalty.
In addition, families of those killed have reportedly been subjected to severe psychological and financial pressure. According to the report, authorities have demanded large sums of money—ranging from 700 million to 3 billion tomans—for the return of victims’ bodies and have forced families to sign official narratives imposed by the state.
Hengaw emphasizes that the internet shutdown, which lasted more than 17 days, was a deliberate effort to conceal the scale of the violence and prevent information from reaching the international community. During this period, security forces also reportedly confiscated communication equipment, including Starlink devices, particularly in border cities such as Baneh and Piranshahr.
The organization warns against adopting the state’s framing of events as a “war,” arguing that such language is used to legitimize the use of heavy weapons against civilians. Hengaw has called on the international community to act in line with the principle of Responsibility to Protect (R2P) and to take concrete steps to prevent a repetition of mass atrocities similar to those carried out in the 1980s.
Observers cited in the report describe the current level of violence in Iran as unprecedented, pointing to a deepening and potentially irreversible crisis between the authorities and large segments of the population.
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