Anti-USA propaganda in Tehran.Image: AP
The human rights organization HRANA documents more than 6,000 deaths after protests in Iran. Security forces are reportedly dragging injured protesters away from hospitals.
01/28/2026, 06:4901/28/2026, 06:49
According to the latest information from activists, more than 6,000 people were killed in the protests that were violently suppressed by the Iranian leadership. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said on Tuesday that it had confirmed the deaths of 6,126 people, including 5,777 demonstrators. Among those killed are 86 minors, 214 members of the security forces and 49 bystanders.
The NGO, which has an extensive network of informants in Iran, added that it was still investigating more than 17,000 possible deaths. In addition, at least 41,880 people were arrested during the demonstrations. The organization condemned “the continuation of the communication control policy and the ongoing wave of arrests” and expressed increasing concern for the safety of medical centers for the injured.
Doctors confirm allegations
Activists also accuse Iranian authorities of searching hospitals to find and arrest injured demonstrators. Families would be forced to pay $5,000 to $7,000 to have their loved ones’ bodies released. Given the economic crisis in Iran, this represents a crushing burden. The Ministry of Health in Tehran stated that all people should report to the hospital without hesitation and should not self-medicate at home.
However, some of the allegations were confirmed in Iranian medical circles. A doctor in the northern city of Rasht told Reuters that Revolutionary Guards had taken away dozens of patients with gunshot wounds who had undergone surgery. “We don’t know what happened to them,” he said. In Tehran, a nurse and two doctors said security forces searched clinics for records of protesters who had been treated and then released in order to arrest them.
The number of unreported cases could be significantly higher
“Security authorities continue to pursue an approach focused on mass arrests, intimidation and control of reporting,” HRANA said. The reports of arrests in hospitals have “raised new concerns about the right to access to medical care”.
The protests in Iran began on December 28th. They were sparked by the poor economic situation, but quickly expanded into a mass movement against the religious and political leadership of the Islamic Republic. The Iranian authorities reported a total of 3,117 deaths in the protests last week. It was said that these included mostly members of the security forces and innocent passers-by who were killed by “rioters”.
Another human rights organization, the Norway-based organization Iran Human Rights (IHR), speaks of 3,428 demonstrators who have been proven to have been killed by Iranian security forces. However, the number of unreported cases is significantly higher and could be up to 25,000 deaths. At the weekend, the Persian-language foreign broadcaster Iran International reported, citing reports, documents and witnesses, that more than 36,500 Iranians had been killed by security forces between January 8th and 9th.
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