TEHRAN, January 18, 2026 — A chilling wave of violence is gripping Iran, with mounting evidence suggesting nationwide massacres following protests that began in late December, prompting Human Rights Watch to call for a special session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Protests Erupt Amid Economic Crisis
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The unrest initially sparked on December 28 in Tehran when shopkeepers shuttered their businesses in response to the dramatic collapse of the Iranian rial. What began as localized demonstrations quickly swelled into a nationwide movement, spreading to hundreds of cities across the country. Protesters are demanding an end to systemic corruption, economic mismanagement, and the repressive theocratic rule that has defined Iran for decades, calling for free and fair elections.
A Brutal Crackdown and Digital Darkness
Since January 8, Iranian security forces have reportedly engaged in mass killings of protesters and bystanders. Simultaneously, authorities imposed a near-total blackout of internet and telecommunications, effectively silencing dissent and hindering the flow of information. Activists claim the government intends to restrict access to the global internet, making it a “government privilege” reserved for those approved by the regime.
The Rising Death Toll and Surveillance
While verifying the exact number of casualties remains incredibly difficult due to the ongoing internet restrictions, reports paint a grim picture. The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported 3,308 verified deaths as of January 17, with an additional 4,382 cases under review, acknowledging the true toll is likely far higher. Iran International reported over 12,000 deaths as of January 13. The Sunday Times, citing reports from doctors on the ground, indicated at least 16,500 deaths and 330,000 injuries by January 17, with one physician describing the situation as a “genocide under cover of digital darkness.”
The average age of Iran’s population is 32, and tragically, the majority of those killed in the recent massacres are reported to be under 30 years old.
“Bullet Money” and Desperate Measures
Disturbing reports have surfaced alleging that Iranian authorities are demanding payment from families in exchange for the release of their deceased loved ones’ bodies. This practice, dubbed “bullet money,” involves demands ranging from 700 million to 2.5 billion rials per bullet, a staggering sum considering the average monthly income in Iran is 44 million rials. The Sunday Times and Iran International have received widespread reports of this practice.
Further reports from The Sunday Times detail harrowing conditions within the healthcare system, including estimates of over 8,000 people blinded by gunfire, hospital staff donating blood to cope with severe shortages, and security forces removing bodies and wounded individuals from streets and hospitals.
Arrests and Government Denial
HRANA reports 24,266 confirmed arrests related to the nationwide protests, which have occurred across over 170 cities. Despite the widespread unrest, Iranian authorities have largely denied the existence of a popular uprising, attributing the protests to foreign interference from the United States and Israel. Ayatollah Ali Khomeini has acknowledged that “thousands” have been killed, “some in an inhuman, savage manner.”
Misinformation and Propaganda
Many independent Iranian news websites remain inaccessible. State-owned media outlets have been accused of disseminating misinformation, claiming on January 9, at the height of the protests, that the streets were calm and no nationwide demonstrations were taking place. On January 18, Iranian state media reported that “There is no tension on the streets even without security forces present,” repeatedly broadcasting old footage of families at a ski resort.
“As an Iranian woman lucky enough to grow up in Australia, I live with the constant tension of safety and guilt — protected by distance while the women of my country face violence for simply existing,” stated Avin Dabiri, SRC Womens’ Officer. “The Islamic Republic’s record on women’s rights is not a series of isolated abuses, it is intimate and total — a system built on policing and controlling women’s bodies, voices and future.”
Dabiri continued, “What we are witnessing in Iran now is not spontaneous unrest but a movement driven by the fire of women who have inherited decades of resistance and are no longer willing to remain silent. Even as the regime cuts the internet and weaponises silence, Iranian women continue to speak through protest and defiance, risking their lives in the process. Their resistance is not just political, but a reclamation of life itself and we must stand with them.”
SRC President Grace Street stated, “The SRC stands in solidarity with those protesting in Iran for social justice and to overthrow their government, particularly our fellow students and unionists. We condemn the killing of thousands of protesters and their government’s attempts to brush off the anger and demands of protesters as foreign interference. At the same time, we must call out the attempts of Western imperialist forces — like the United States — to use this uprising to plan and justify military intervention which would only be for their own gain, not that of the Iranian people.”
