In Iran, disturbing reports have surfaced about the alleged sexual assaults of detained teenagers. Additionally, families of deceased protesters are reportedly being asked to pay as much as 10 billion rials to receive their loved ones’ bodies.
An official from the Iranian National Council of Resistance informed that “atrocities continue” in the country, claiming that detainees in prisons have even been murdered and their bodies incinerated.
This report emerges as the Iranian government asserts it has managed to contain weeks of protests that have swept across the nation.
The unrest began on December 28, fueled by widespread anger over political oppression, economic distress, and state violence.
Iran’s Prosecutor General, Mohammad Movahedi, declared, “The violence is over,” suggesting that the situation has been brought under control. He also extended thanks to those who intervened during the protests.
Notably, on the 25th day of demonstrations, the death toll has reached 4,902, with another 9,387 cases under investigation. The total count of arrests has surpassed 26,500.
Reports from human rights organizations indicate that some families have faced immense pressure, including threats, to falsely accuse protesters for the deaths of their relatives. Additionally, two protesters, one being just 16, have alleged sexual assaults by security forces in Kermanshah.
According to the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN), many funerals took place under heightened security measures, and the families often had to pay exorbitant fees to retrieve the bodies.
Meanwhile, eyewitnesses have described disturbing incidents where military personnel coerced young individuals to undress for body checks, marking an apparent increase in brutality against detainees. Armed clashes reportedly continued in areas like Kermanshah, Rasht, and Mashhad, contradicting the government’s claims of restored calm.
Ali Safavi from the NCRI stated that the situation remains tense. Even if the protests fade, lingering resentment over the bloodshed is likely to inhibit any return to normalcy between the populace and the regime. He also mentioned the historical significance of shoes left in public spaces, serving as eerie reminders of the mass executions in 1988 under Khomeini’s orders.
