Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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January 23, 2026 Human rights
The scale of mass killings on the streets of Iran has decreased, but "state brutality" continues. This was stated by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, speaking at a special session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Friday.
According to him, repression not only fails to solve the country's problems, but also creates conditions for further human rights violations, instability, and bloodshed.
Türk reported that thousands of people, including children, have been killed since January 8, when security forces began using live ammunition against demonstrators. Accurate figures are difficult to establish, as the authorities simultaneously imposed a widespread communications blackout, and the UN is denied access to the country.
Peaceful protesters were reportedly killed on the streets, in residential areas, universities, and even medical facilities. Video footage obtained by the UN shows hundreds of bodies in morgues with gunshot wounds to the head and chest. Hundreds of security forces are also reported dead.
According to Türk, security forces carried out mass arrests in several cities, harassing the wounded in hospitals and arresting lawyers, human rights defenders, activists, and ordinary citizens. The Tehran prosecutor's office opened criminal cases against athletes, actors, film industry workers, and cafe owners for "supporting the protests."
The High Commissioner is particularly concerned by the statement made by the head of Iran's judiciary this week, who said that "the work has only just begun" and that there will be no leniency for those detained.
Rise in the number of executions
Iran remains one of the world's leading executioners. According to the UN, at least 1,500 death sentences were carried out in the country in 2025—a 50 percent increase from the previous year.
Turk expressed deep concern over the authorities' contradictory statements regarding possible executions of protesters: while Iran's foreign minister insists executions will not be carried out, senior judicial officials continue to threaten charges that carry the mandatory death penalty.
Attempts to discredit the protests
According to Türk, the authorities are attempting to portray protesters as "terrorists," "enemies of the state," and "foreign agents," claiming that peaceful demonstrations have been infiltrated by "rioters." However, he emphasized, this in no way justifies the excessive and disproportionate use of force or absolves the state of its obligations to ensure due process.
Part of a long-term cycle of repression
The High Commissioner recalled that the current wave of protests is the latest stage in Iranians' long-standing demands for change. The last major surge in violence occurred in 2022 following the death of Gina Mahsa Amini, which led to the UN Council's creation of the International Fact-Finding Mission.
The current protests began due to sharp price increases amid a severe economic crisis, exacerbated by harsh domestic policies and international sanctions. Socioeconomic demands quickly escalated into calls for political and structural reforms.
Although the authorities initially declared their willingness to engage in dialogue and announced increased subsidies, they soon returned to their usual tactics of suppression – murder, arrests, and intimidation.
A call for dialogue and reform
Turk emphasized that the only way out of the crisis is dialogue based on respect for the rights of all Iranians. Particular attention, he said, must be given to the voices of women, girls, youth, and ethnic and religious minorities.
The High Commissioner expressed the UN's readiness to support any steps aimed at complying with Iran's international human rights obligations.
Volker Türk called on the international community to take measures to mitigate the negative impact of sanctions on human rights in Iran. He emphasized that aggressive rhetoric and threats only exacerbate the situation and that achieving accountability for violations is impossible through force – either internal or external.
Statement by the Fact-Finding Mission
The UN Fact-Finding Mission in Iran issued a statement on Friday describing the "unprecedentedly brutal" crackdown on protests.
According to the Mission, the government's response quickly escalated from conciliatory rhetoric to widespread violence: security forces used live ammunition, including assault rifles and heavy machine guns, resulting in the deaths of thousands. Evidence points to arbitrary killings, torture, sexual violence, and mass detentions, including of children and journalists. Hospitals were overwhelmed, and relatives searched makeshift morgues for bodies.
The mission emphasized that violations in Iran are systemic and organized. The authorities are concealing the scale of the crisis, including by completely shutting down the internet. Against this backdrop, the judiciary is demanding swift and harsh punishments, including the application of the "enmity against God" law, which carries the death penalty.
The mission called for an urgent international response to gather evidence, establish accountability, protect victims, and end the cycle of impunity that leads to further escalation and the commission of even more serious violations.
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