Amnesty International says leaked state documents and interviews show Iranian security forces coordinated the killing, torture and sexual abuse of hundreds of people during the women-led protests of September 2022.
Iranian security forces “coordinated” the killing, torture and sexual abuse of hundreds of people who took part in the women-led nationwide protests in September 2022, according to leaked state documents and interviews cited by Amnesty International.
The report, reported by the Guardian, draws on leaked documents and testimony that Amnesty says reveal the extent of the regime’s crackdown. According to the organisation, the events of 2022 paved the way for more brutal killings of protesters this year.
The 2022 protests erupted after the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, who had been arrested by the country’s “morality” police for allegedly not complying with Iran’s hijab regulations.
Tens of thousands of people, including children, took to the streets of towns and cities across Iran in the demonstrations that followed her death, according to the account.
Amnesty’s findings, as reported by the Guardian, describe a pattern in which killing, torture and sexual abuse were carried out against those who joined the protests, based on the leaked material and interviews gathered by the organisation.
Why it matters
The allegations point to a systematic, state-organised response to peaceful protest rather than isolated incidents. If substantiated, the leaked documents and testimony could shape international scrutiny and accountability efforts regarding Iran's treatment of demonstrators.