A referee and a student are among hundreds of people reportedly killed during massive anti-government protests in Iran. Coach Amir Mohammad Koohkan, 26, was hit by live ammunition on 3 January during protests in the town of Neyriz, his friend told BBC Persian. Everyone knew him for his kindness, they said, adding his family is grieving and angry because he was killed by the regime. Five days later, student Rubina Aminian, 23, was shot from behind during a protest in Tehran, according to human rights groups. She fought for things she knew were right, her uncle told CNN. Nearly 500 protesters and 48 security personnel have been killed in two weeks of protests, a US-based rights group says.
Sources in Iran have indicated that the death toll is likely higher than officially reported. Demonstrations began on 28 December over economic issues in Tehran and have spread to 186 cities across all 31 provinces, according to HRANA. The protests have grown into the largest in years, calling for an end to the Islamic Republic and the rule of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The government's crackdown has led to at least 10,600 arrests, with 496 protesters killed, according to HRANA. Medical staff in Iran have described hospitals overwhelmed with dead and injured patients; on 9 January, 70 bodies were reportedly brought to a single hospital.
Iranian authorities have imposed an internet shutdown, significantly hindering the ability to report on the situation inside the country. The protests that kicked off in December are reminiscent of the unrest experienced in 2022, which was sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini while in custody. During that unrest, over 550 people were killed and 20,000 detained.
Both Koohkan and Aminian are examples of the tragic losses endured during this tumultuous period. Their stories reflect the passionate struggle that many Iranians are undertaking as they seek changes from a regime viewed as increasingly oppressive.
Sources in Iran have indicated that the death toll is likely higher than officially reported. Demonstrations began on 28 December over economic issues in Tehran and have spread to 186 cities across all 31 provinces, according to HRANA. The protests have grown into the largest in years, calling for an end to the Islamic Republic and the rule of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The government's crackdown has led to at least 10,600 arrests, with 496 protesters killed, according to HRANA. Medical staff in Iran have described hospitals overwhelmed with dead and injured patients; on 9 January, 70 bodies were reportedly brought to a single hospital.
Iranian authorities have imposed an internet shutdown, significantly hindering the ability to report on the situation inside the country. The protests that kicked off in December are reminiscent of the unrest experienced in 2022, which was sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini while in custody. During that unrest, over 550 people were killed and 20,000 detained.
Both Koohkan and Aminian are examples of the tragic losses endured during this tumultuous period. Their stories reflect the passionate struggle that many Iranians are undertaking as they seek changes from a regime viewed as increasingly oppressive.
