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Iranian authorities accused of mass killings amid protests
Videos verified by BBC show bodies in hospitals, snipers on rooftops, and protesters destroying surveillance cameras as Iran faces its deadliest unrest in decades.
Death toll disputed as groups report thousands killed
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has confirmed nearly 6,000 deaths since protests erupted in late December, including 5,633 demonstrators. The group is also investigating an additional 17,000 reported fatalities despite an ongoing internet blackout.
Norway's Iran Human Rights (IHR) warns the final toll could surpass 25,000. Iranian officials, however, claim over 3,100 deaths, most of them security personnel or bystanders allegedly attacked by "rioters."
Videos expose violent crackdown on protesters
Footage from 8 and 9 January, verified by BBC Verify and BBC Persian, reveals the bloodiest nights of the protests. One video shows at least 31 bodies piled in a mortuary at Tehranpars Hospital in east Tehran, while another depicts seven body bags outside the entrance.
In west Tehran, protesters on a highway scatter after gunfire erupts, with screams heard in the background. Other clips show demonstrators disabling CCTV cameras to evade surveillance, including one man climbing a post to smash a camera as a crowd cheers below.
Snipers and armed forces deployed nationwide
In Kerman, southeastern Iran, armed men in military uniforms are seen firing weapons down a street, though their targets remain unclear. A small fire burns in the road as protesters chant in the distance.
In Mashhad, northeastern Iran, verified footage shows two snipers on a rooftop-one standing near a rifle, the other crouching while smoking. The men appear to be monitoring the area during daylight.
Internet blackout hampers documentation efforts
Since 8 January, Iran has enforced an almost-total internet shutdown, severely limiting the flow of information. Some protesters have briefly regained access using tools like SpaceX's Starlink and VPNs, but the blackout has crippled the economy and delayed the release of further evidence.
BBC Verify has tracked protests in 71 cities and towns, though the actual number of affected areas is likely far higher. More videos are expected to surface in the coming days as connectivity improves.
"Supplies have stabilized, but the scale of the crackdown remains difficult to document under these conditions," a BBC analyst said.
