Amnesty Calls for Justice Against Iran's Brutal Crackdown on Protesters

WHO:

The Guardian - Amnesty International, Iranian security forces, Mahsa Amini, Agnès Callamard (Amnesty International’s Secretary General), Ali Khamenei (late supreme leader), Mohammad Bagheri (former chief of the general staff of the armed forces), Ahmad Vahidi (then minister of interior), Majid Mirahmadi (then deputy minister of interior for police and security).

Amnesty International - 87 Iranian officials identified for investigation.

WHAT:

The Guardian - Iranian security forces coordinated the killing, torture, and sexual abuse of hundreds of protesters during the nationwide protests in 2022.

The Guardian - Amnesty International documented the deaths of 377 protesters and bystanders, including 56 children.

Amnesty International - The report details crimes against humanity including murder, torture, enforced disappearance, imprisonment, rape, and persecution.

Amnesty International - 106 Baluchi protesters and bystanders were unlawfully killed, including 20 children.

Amnesty International - 95 Kurdish protesters and bystanders were unlawfully killed, including 13 children.

Amnesty International - The report is over 1,000 pages long.

WHERE:

The Guardian - Protests occurred across towns and cities in Iran, particularly in Kurdistan, Kermanshah, and West Azerbaijan provinces.

Amnesty International - Sistan and Baluchistan province, Zahedan (site of "Bloody Friday").

WHEN:

The Guardian - Protests began in September 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini.

Amnesty International - Mass protest killings occurred on 8 and 9 January 2026.

Amnesty International - 30 September 2022 marked the unlawful killing of 87 individuals in Zahedan.

WHY:

The Guardian - Protests were sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini after her arrest by the morality police for alleged hijab violations.

Amnesty International - The Iranian authorities aimed to suppress dissent and maintain control through lethal force.

HOW:

The Guardian - Security forces received orders to "respond mercilessly and go as far as causing death."

Amnesty International - Security forces used military-grade firearms and shotguns loaded with metal pellets to disperse protests.

Amnesty International - The report details a hierarchical command structure within Iranian security forces that facilitated the crackdown.

(UPDATED September 16, 2026 22:04 UTC)

Amnesty International has identified 87 Iranian officials for investigation following a report detailing the coordinated killing, torture, and sexual abuse of hundreds of protesters during the nationwide protests that erupted in 2022 after the death of Mahsa Amini. The extensive report, which spans over 1,000 pages, documents the unlawful killings of 377 individuals, including 56 children, and outlines crimes against humanity committed by Iranian security forces, who were ordered to respond with lethal force. Notably, mass protest killings occurred on January 8 and 9, 2026, highlighting the ongoing violence and repression faced by dissenters in Iran.