Call for Accountability
Amnesty International is urging the international community to pursue immediate criminal justice regarding the systematic killing of protesters in Iran. The organization states that impunity for these crimes exposes Iranians to further atrocities, a reality witnessed on January 8-9, 2026, when security forces illegally killed thousands of demonstrators and bystanders. Continued failure to achieve international justice risks normalizing the mass killing of protesters in the country.
The Woman, Life, Freedom Uprising
The unrest began on September 16, 2022, following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman who died in custody after being arrested by the morality police for violating mandatory hijab laws. Over the subsequent three months, hundreds of thousands took to the streets peacefully to protest decades of repression, discrimination, and impunity. Women and girls led the demonstrations, rejecting discriminatory laws that had enabled state violence, arbitrary arrest, and exclusion from public life.
Findings and Identified Officials
Following years of exhaustive investigations, Amnesty International documented that Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity to crush the uprising. Based on detailed documentation and analysis of security force command structures, the organization has identified 87 Iranian officials who must be criminally investigated for their roles in these crimes. The report concludes that these violations were part of a widespread and systematic attack directed against the civilian population, implemented through state policy to suppress protests, punish demonstrators, and create an atmosphere of terror.
Documented Violations
Security forces used military-grade weapons and shotgun rounds filled with metal balls to disperse, intimidate, and punish protesters. Amnesty International collected evidence regarding the deaths of 377 individuals, including 56 children. At least 45 people were killed at close range using prohibited shotgun rounds. Many victims were denied access to hospitals, resulting in permanent injuries such as blindness. Authorities also employed torture methods, including beatings, electric shocks, and psychological threats against families.
Tens of thousands of people, including children as young as ten, were arbitrarily detained for acts protected under international human rights law, such as peaceful assembly, chanting, dancing, and online solidarity. In many instances, individuals were abducted without judicial warrants, tortured, and left in remote areas or held in security facilities where they were forced to sign false confessions. Survivors and families seeking justice continue to face persecution while those responsible remain free.
This report was produced by the HuMedia newsroom.
