Verified videos emerging from Iran show bodies piled up in a hospital, snipers stationed on buildings, and CCTV cameras being destroyed, illustrating the unprecedented crackdown on protests earlier this month.
BBC Verify has been closely tracking the protests across Iran since they erupted in late December. However, authorities have imposed a near-total internet blackout, significantly complicating efforts to document the extent of the violent repression against protesters.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported nearly 6,000 confirmed deaths, including approximately 5,600 protesters, since the demonstrations began. Another 17,000 reported fatalities are under investigation despite ongoing internet restrictions following nearly three weeks of unrest.
Another group, Norway's Iran Human Rights (IHR), has speculated that the final death toll could exceed 25,000, while Iranian authorities acknowledged over 3,100 deaths, attributing most to security personnel or bystanders attacked by rioters.\
The latest documented videos were reportedly filmed on January 8 and 9 during a nationwide protest called by Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the former Shah. These nights are regarded as particularly deadly for protesters.
Multiple clips reviewed by BBC Verify show alarming evidence, including at least 31 bodies within a mortuary at the Tehranpars hospital. Other footage captured in West Tehran displays protesters roaring amidst gunfire, while additional videos illustrate efforts by individuals to disrupt surveillance systems.
In videos from Kerman, armed personnel are seen firing indiscriminately from inside a building, while snipers recorded in Mashhad highlight the chilling atmosphere of street violence.
Despite the near-total internet blackout since January 8, some individuals manage to utilize satellite internet and VPNs, hinting that more footage could continue to surface as the country grapples with economic turmoil from the ongoing shutdown.
Additional reporting from BBC Persian.
