Washington, DC —13 January 2026
Protests erupted in Tehran on 28 December 2025 following the collapse of Iran’s national currency, with the rial plunging to approximately 1.24 million to one U.S. dollar. The unrest has unfolded amid soaring inflation—estimated at 40 percent—chronic state mismanagement of essential services, including water access, and rapidly deteriorating living conditions. A recent increase in fuel prices further intensified public anger. Taken together, these conditions have triggered widespread unrest across Iran, reflecting deep structural grievances against an entrenched and ideologically rigid governing system that has failed to meet the population’s basic needs.
The protests began with strikes by vendors in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, soon joined by merchants and shopkeepers across the city. As participation expanded, so too did the range of grievances. Demonstrations spread to universities and evolved into broader calls for an end to the Islamic Republic, with demands centered on human rights, dignity, and fundamental freedoms. Protesters represent a broad cross-section of Iranian society, including workers, students, ethnic minorities, women, and individuals affected by long-standing economic hardship and systemic repression. The unrest has since spread to more than 200 cities and towns across all 31 provinces.
Criminalization of Protest
On 3 January 2026, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned that protesters must be “put in their place.” Later that day, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared that its period of “tolerance” had ended. The Head of the Judiciary instructed prosecutors to show no leniency toward protesters, organizers, or perceived leaders and to expedite prosecutions.
Iranian authorities have increasingly framed the protests as a threat to national security, labeling demonstrators as “terrorists” and “enemies of God”—charges that can carry the death penalty under Iranian law. This legal characterization is being used to justify severe penalties not only against protesters but also against individuals accused of supporting or assisting them.
Use of Force and Detention
Iranian security forces, including the IRGC and the national police force (FARAJA), have responded with widespread and often lethal force. Reports indicate the use of live ammunition, metal pellets fired from shotguns and rifles, tear gas, water cannons, and physical beatings to disperse and punish protesters. IRGC officials have also warned that executions of detained individuals may begin imminently.
Authorities have arbitrarily detained tens of thousands of individuals, including children as young as eight. Many detainees are held without due process, often incommunicado, and face a significant risk of torture, sexual violence, and other forms of ill-treatment. Reports of forced confessions—some broadcast on state television—raise serious concerns regarding coercion and due process violations. On 5 January, Tasnim News, affiliated with the IRGC, aired confessions from an 18-year-old woman and a 16-year-old girl accused of leading riots.
Security forces have also conducted nighttime raids on private homes and abducted individuals from hospitals. These actions may constitute serious violations of international law, including torture, enforced disappearance, and extrajudicial killing.
Those expressing dissent or demanding fundamental change continue to face violent repression. The current crackdown echoes the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests, which followed the death of Jina Mahsa Amini after her arrest by morality police. As in 2022, the state response has been marked by grave human rights violations and systemic impunity.
Information Blackouts
On 8 January, Iranian authorities imposed widespread internet and mobile network shutdowns, severely restricting the ability of protesters and journalists to document and disseminate information. These blackouts function as a deliberate tool of repression, limiting transparency and obstructing international scrutiny. Such measures not only constitute censorship but also violate the rights to freedom of expression and access to information.
Reports indicate that at least 4,800 people have been killed, although the true number is likely significantly higher. Nearly 20,000 individuals have been arbitrarily detained.
Documented Incidents and Patterns
Accounts from witnesses, medical personnel, and reviewed visual evidence indicate repeated use of force against demonstrators in multiple regions. In several reported incidents, including in Lorestan and Kermanshah provinces, security forces allegedly opened fire on crowds. Verified footage reviewed by rights groups shows protesters fleeing amid gunfire, with casualties reported.
There are also reports of security forces entering medical facilities in search of injured protesters, raising concerns about access to care and the safety of medical personnel. While authorities have denied responsibility for certain incidents, patterns described by witnesses and documented in available footage are consistent with previous protest crackdowns.
International Legal Concerns
The reported actions indicate likely violations of Iran’s obligation under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), including protections related to freedom of assembly, expression, due process, and protection from torture. The actions described raise serious concerns about widespread violations of these obligations.
The United Nations Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Iran has expressed concern over the reported use of force and mass detentions, calling for restraint, restoration of internet access, and the release of individuals detained for peaceful protest.
Reported actions—including excessive use of force, arbitrary detention, and restrictions on expression—raise serious concerns under international human rights law. Reports indicate that at least 4,800 people have been killed, although the true number is likely significantly higher. Nearly 20,000 individuals have been arbitrarily detained.
The protests reflect a convergence of economic hardship and longstanding political grievances. The state response—marked by force, arrests, and restrictions on information—has intensified concerns about human rights and the protection of civilians.
As the situation develops, sustained international attention, continued documentation, and support for accountability mechanisms will be critical in assessing violations and remain essential to protecting the rights of those affected, and advancing respect for human dignity in Iran.
Photo Credit: Body bags outside the Kahrizak Forensic Medical Center in Tehran. (TGR File).
Lara Kajs is the founder and executive director of The Genocide Report (TGR). She has conducted extensive fieldwork in conflict and displacement settings, including Yemen, Syria, and Afghanistan. Her work focuses on humanitarian crises, international law, and atrocity prevention.