25.01.2026 14:30
The number of people who have lost their lives in the protests that have been ongoing in Iran for 28 days has risen to 5,459, while an allegation based on secret documents has quickly caused an uproar. It is stated that during the crackdown on protests held nationwide on January 8 and 9, more than 36,500 Iranians were killed by security forces.
The US-based Iran Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) announced that the number of people who lost their lives in protests that began due to economic issues in Iran has risen to 5,459.
NUMBER OF ARRESTS EXCEEDS 40,000
According to HRANA's report, 40,887 people have been detained as a result of events in many parts of the country. In the incidents that occurred during the protests, 5,459 people, including 208 security personnel, lost their lives. HRANA had reported yesterday that the death toll had risen to 5,137.
THE BLOODIEST CIVIL MASSACRE IN HISTORY
As the protests continue on their 28th day, it has been claimed that the crackdown by Iran's state security forces against protests nationwide on January 8-9 was the bloodiest two-day civil massacre in history. According to secret documents obtained by Iran International, field reports, and witness statements, at least 36,500 people are reported to have died. This figure is significantly higher than official statements and estimates from independent civil groups.
THEY WERE KILLED IN HOSPITALS AND DURING DETENTION
According to details in the documents, security forces clashed with protesters in more than 400 cities and towns across the country, and many people died in the streets, hospitals, and during detention. Some photos and videos related to certain deaths showed that the injured were targeted while receiving treatment in hospitals. There are also claims that some families were forced to pay large sums, such as "bullet fees," to retrieve the bodies of their loved ones.
These documents also show that the death toll continues to rise in reports presented by Iran's top security institutions to parliament and state officials. In a report dated January 20, more than 30,000 deaths were identified, while by January 24, this figure had exceeded 36,500. Although independent verification is currently not possible, information from hospitals and accounts from eyewitnesses indicate "shocking" levels of casualties.
PROTESTS IN IRAN
Protests that began on December 28, 2025, led by shopkeepers in Tehran's Grand Bazaar due to the rapid depreciation of the local currency against foreign currencies and the deepening economic troubles spread across the country. During the protests that escalated in the capital Tehran on January 8, the government blocked internet access as a result of the incidents that occurred.
In a statement made yesterday by the Forensic Medicine Institution of the Iran Martyrs and Veterans Foundation, it was stated that 3,117 people, including security forces and civilians, lost their lives in the incidents that occurred during the protests. It was expressed that 2,427 of these individuals were security forces and civilian citizens killed by "armed terrorist groups," while no information was provided about 690 individuals. Although protests in Iran have decreased, HRANA, based in Virginia, USA, continues to update the death and detention figures, claiming to have verified more cases.