Summary of Human Rights Violations in Iran (Dec 31, 2025 – Jan 3, 2026)
This report from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch details a brutal crackdown on protests in Iran between December 31, 2025, and January 3, 2026, resulting in the deaths of at least 28 people. HereS a breakdown of the key findings:
Key Findings:
* Widespread Killings: At least 28 protesters were shot and killed by security forces during this period.
* Unlawful Use of Force: Protesters were largely peaceful, and there was no justification for the use of firearms against them. Security forces used metal pellets from shotguns.
* Systemic Impunity: A long-standing pattern of impunity exists within the Iranian authorities, allowing them to commit crimes against protesters without consequence.This includes murder, torture, rape, and enforced disappearances.
* Official denial & Coercion: Authorities are denying obligation for the killings and are coercing families of victims to falsely portray the deaths as accidents or blame other protesters on state media,threatening reprisals if they don’t comply.
* Targeting of Minorities: The provinces of Lorestan and Ilam, home to Kurdish and Luri ethnic minorities, experienced the deadliest repression.
* High-Level Orders for Crackdown: Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other high-ranking officials issued orders to suppress protests with force and without leniency.
* Specific Incidents:
* Azna, Lorestan: Security forces opened fire on peaceful protesters near the county governor’s office and later outside a police station. At least six protesters were killed, including a 16-year-old whose body was withheld from his family and showed signs of severe head injuries.
* Malekshahi, Ilam: IRGC agents opened fire from a base on unarmed protesters, killing at least three instantly and injuring many others.
Calls to Action:
* International Condemnation: United Nations member states and regional bodies (like the EU) should publicly condemn the violence and exert diplomatic pressure on Iran.
* Global Jurisdiction: Other countries should initiate criminal investigations under the principle of universal jurisdiction to issue arrest warrants for those responsible for the abuses.
In essence, the report paints a picture of a systematic and brutal crackdown on dissent in Iran, characterized by excessive force, impunity, and attempts to silence victims and their families. The organizations highlight a deeply concerning pattern of human rights violations and call for urgent international action.
