Iran protests: brutal crackdown leaves 4,029 lives lost
Iranian officials remain silent, true death toll unknown
Dubai: A sweeping crackdown on demonstrators during nationwide protests in Iran has left at least 4,029 people dead, according to activists, casting a long shadow over the country’s leadership and drawing growing international condemnation.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency released the figures on Tuesday, January 20, saying more than 26,000 people have also been detained since the unrest began. Activists fear the real toll could be far higher.
The agency, which has previously provided reliable data during earlier periods of unrest in Iran, relies on a wide network of activists inside the country to verify each death. Despite this, independent confirmation remains difficult. The Associated Press said it has not been able to independently verify the reported figures.
International reaction has intensified in recent days. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had his invitation to speak at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, withdrawn in light of the killings. In a statement, the forum said that although Araghchi was invited last fall, the “tragic loss of lives of civilians in Iran over the past few weeks” made it inappropriate for Iranian government representation at this year’s gathering.
also withdrew invitations for Iranian government officials, citing the violent crackdown.
Inside Iran, officials have avoided providing a clear death toll. However, in a rare acknowledgment, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that the protests had left “several thousand” people dead, while blaming the United States for the violence. The protests erupted on December 28, driven by anger over Iran’s struggling economy.
Comments from Iranian officials have raised fears that some detainees could face execution, in a country already known as one of the world’s leading executioners. In a joint statement on Monday, Iran’s president, judiciary chief and parliament speaker said that while those described as “killers and seditious terrorists” would be punished, mercy would be shown to those who were misled and played no significant role in the unrest.