New international reports shed light on the extent of violence during mass protests in Iran, where the regime is suspected of killing over 16,500 protesters.
Numerous families continue the painful search for missing relatives, while the humanitarian situation is described as dramatic, writes The Sun.
According to various sources, up to 360,000 people have been injured, including children and pregnant women. Most of the victims are reported to be under the age of 30. Doctors from several hospitals have stated that many of the wounded have died from blood loss, as security forces have prevented blood donations and transfusions.
An Iranian official has admitted that at least 5,000 people have been killed, including 500 members of the security forces, blaming the violence on “terrorists and armed rebels.” However, independent organizations and sources speak of much higher figures.
It is also reported that between 700 and 1,000 people have lost sight in one eye due to gunshot wounds, while a hospital in Tehran has recorded around 7,000 eye injuries.
At the same time, fears are growing that Iranian authorities are planning to extend the internet shutdown indefinitely, plunging the country into a permanent “digital isolation.” According to monitoring projects, Iran aims to move from mass censorship to a closed intranet, where only people with security clearance will have access to the outside world.
The protests, which erupted on December 28, have spread to all 31 provinces of Iran and constitute the regime's most brutal response to demonstrations in its 47 years of rule. Among the victims is 23-year-old student Rubina Aminian, who was shot dead during a protest in Tehran, her family forced to identify her among hundreds of bodies.
The situation in Iran remains tense, amid accusations of massacre, total censorship, and escalating state repression.
