Iran officially announces that more than 3,000 people have died in protests

Iran officially announces that more than 3,000 people have died in protests

Iranian authorities have announced that 3,117 people have been killed in the protests, Euronews reported, citing the country's Interior Ministry.
According to the data, 2,427 of the dead were civilians and security forces. No details were given about the remaining victims. The official figures are much lower than the estimates given by human rights organizations. In particular, the US-based HRANA put the death toll at at least 4,902, while Reuters sources said the number of victims could exceed 5,000. The publication notes that during the protests, Iranian authorities restricted the Internet and international communications, and obstructed the work of journalists. This situation made it difficult to independently assess the scale of the violence.

The protests began on December 28 against the backdrop of economic problems and turned into nationwide protests. According to HRANA, about 26,500 people have been arrested, some of whom could face the death penalty for "rebellion against God."