Following widespread protests in Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Judiciary have threatened protesters with a crackdown.
On 22 September, IRGC in a statement called on the judiciary to deal decisively with “rumor makers and liars in virtual and real space”. The judiciary responded to this request and said that the “insurgents” will be dealt with.
In the past six days, Iranians have joined protests to condemn the murder of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died while in the custody of Iran’s Hijab police who is known for violent treatment of detainees.
Protests have spread to at least 50 cities and towns across the country, and the security forces have used force and weapons to disperse the protesters.
The Iranian armed forces including the police, antiriot police, IRGC, and the Basiji militia forces, in the past six days, have used excessive force against the protesters including the use of pellet shotguns and live ammunition. Security forces have killed tens of protesters and have wounded many.
Zamaneh Media, independently confirms the killing of six protesters: Fouad Gadimi in Divandareh, Reza Lotfi in Dehgan, Farjad Darvish in Urmiyeh, Hanane Kia in Noshahr, Mehdi Asgari in Garmsar, and Milan Haghighi in Ashnoyeh.
Since Friday, 16th of September, and according to the Kurdistan Human Rights Network, at least 11 protesters were killed in Kurdish cities including Fereydoun Mahmoudi (Saqqez), Zakaria Khyal (Piranshahr), Farjad Darvishi (Urmiya), Fawad Gadmi (Divandara), Reza Lotfi (Dehgolan), Mohsen Mohammadi (Dehgan), Mino Majidi (Kermanshah), Amin Marafet (Ashnoyeh), Milan Haghighi (Ashnoyeh), Danesh Mahla (Balo Village, Urmiya) and Sadruddin Liati ( Ashnoyeh).
More videos are posted on social media that show lifeless bodies of protesters killed in the cities of Tabriz, Kermanshah, Amol, Garmsar, Noshahr, and Tehran. Zamaneh Media is still confirming the identities of those killed.
Norway-based, Iran Human Rights Organization says that they can confirm that at least 31 protesters have been killed during Iran’s nationwide protests.
It is possible that the number of those injured and killed is much higher than what is currently being reported.
According to a report that reached Zamaneh, security forces used automatic weapons against night protests on Wednesday 21 September in Amol. There are unconfirmed reports that more than 10 protesters transferred to hospitals have died. Zamaneh is still confirming the exact number of casualties and the identities of those wounded and killed.
The use of pellet guns has been excessive and at least one woman hit in the face by pellet bullets has died. Another protester in Kurdistan has been blinded in one eye by pellets.
Firing live ammunition, automatic weapons and birdshot have been reported in many Kurdish cities, and in Mashhad and Garmsar.
Widespread protests against the government’s murder of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini started in Kurdish cities, followed by support from universities in Tehran with slogans against dictatorship and compulsory hijab. The protest moved to the streets of Tehran and has been continuing in more than 50 cities and villages since.
The government has mass arrested a number of feminist activists and civil society activists in Kurdistan, Tehran, Tabriz, and other cities at their homes or workplaces by presenting arrest orders. They have arrested at least 40 student activists in similar manners. Many more have been arrested at the protests, the identities of which have yet to be confirmed.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has threatened the protesters and has called on law enforcement to bring order by showing decisive action against “rioters and disrupters of public order”.
There are also causalities on the side of the government forces. Tasnim and Fars news reported that a Basiji force was stabbed to death during the protests in Mashhad. Tasnim also said that another member of the Basij was killed in Qazvin by protestors. NurNews, close to the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, shared a video of an armed officer confirming the death of a soldier.
As IRGC and the Judiciary threaten protestors, internet monitoring groups have reported major internet disruption in Iran. In the first five days of the protests, the Internet was cut off in Kurdistan and Kurdish cities that had taken part in the protests. On day six, however, most protesting cities have had little or no connection to the World Wide Web.
Read More:
Iran’s Minister of Communications: Internet Access May Be Disrupted for Security Reasons
“Woman, life, freedom”: Protests in Iran Against Government Murder of Mahsa Amini
