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Graphic videos expose brutal aftermath of Iran protests
Newly surfaced footage from a Tehran mortuary shows rows of bodies, bloodstained floors, and grieving crowds searching for missing loved ones following a violent government response to anti-regime demonstrations.
The videos, verified by BBC Verify and BBC Persian, depict some of the most harrowing evidence yet of the crackdown that began on December 28. While too graphic to broadcast, forensic analysis of the clips reveals nearly 200 bodies in the facility, including victims as young as 16.
Protests spread amid internet blackout
Demonstrations have now reached at least 68 cities and towns, according to verified videos, though the actual number is likely higher. Since last week, authorities have imposed an almost total internet shutdown, isolating over 90 million Iranians from the outside world.
The exact death toll remains unclear. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) estimates more than 2,500 people have been killed. An Iranian official previously told Reuters that 2,000 had died but attributed the violence to "terrorists."
Footage details horrific scenes at mortuary
The videos were posted on Tuesday by Vahid, a US-based Iranian activist, who said they were filmed on January 10 inside the Kahrizak Forensic Medical Centre in southern Tehran. According to Vahid, the footage was captured by a man who traveled nearly 1,000 kilometers to find an internet connection, using mobile networks from neighboring countries to upload the clips.
In two of the videos, the cameraman walks through the mortuary complex, showing rows of body bags lining a road and filling adjacent rooms. At one point, he describes the scene as "the apocalypse." He notes that the footage was taken on a Saturday, the day after exiled opposition figure Reza Pahlavi called for nationwide protests.
Additional clips include photos of bodies wrapped in zip-up bags, some of which appear burned. BBC Verify and BBC Persian counted at least 186 bodies in one five-minute video and 178 in a 16-minute clip, though some may be duplicates. The true number is likely much higher.
Visible wounds and grieving families
The footage, composed of nine separate clips, shows bodies on stretchers and the floor, some fully zipped in bags while others are partially or completely uncovered. Blood-soaked towels and sheets are scattered throughout the complex, with streaks of blood visible on the ground.
Several bodies display visible wounds, including two soaked in blood and another with a deep stomach injury. Some body bags have identifying information written on them, such as names, national ID numbers, dates of birth and death, and fathers' names. At least two men are labeled as unidentified, and among the victims are a woman and a 16-year-old boy.
"There are many [bodies] inside. It's not possible to go inside... this is the women's area."
Voice in the footage
The mortuary separates bodies by gender for religious reasons. In one clip, a man near a hearse tells a female official that one of the bodies is his sister.
Ambulances, hearses, and vans are seen around the grounds, with officials taking swabs from victims and speaking to grieving families. The reason for transferring protest victims to this particular mortuary remains unclear, but eyewitnesses told BBC Persian that hospitals have been overwhelmed by the number of casualties.
Disputed death toll and state response
HRANA reports that 2,403 protesters, 147 government-affiliated individuals, nine civilians, and 12 children have been killed since the unrest began. Crowds of mourners are seen in the videos, searching for loved ones amid cries and wails.
"Some of our best people have been killed."
Man filming the footage
Iranian state television later reported that a "substantial" number of bodies had been taken to the mortuary but claimed most victims were security forces or bystanders uninvolved in the protests.
Due to restrictions on international media operating inside Iran, verification relies heavily on social media footage.
