Introduction
The attack on civilians during the January 2026 in Tehran represented the implementation of decisions taken at the highest levels of the ruling power structure. As the political, security, and judicial center of the country, Tehran hosts the highest decision-making and command authorities. What unfolded in the capital’s streets reflected a policy that began in command rooms and extended into the streets, detention facilities, hospitals, and courtrooms.
The January uprising emerged as a continuation of nationwide protests against the suppression of fundamental freedoms, widespread poverty, systemic corruption, and acute livelihood crises. It rapidly evolved into a nationwide challenge to the ruling authorities. The crackdown was not the result of isolated field decisions; it was directed and coordinated at the highest levels of power, from public calls by Ali Khamenei for decisive action, to explicit instructions by Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei to accelerate repression and prosecution, alongside the active role of the Tehran Prosecutor and other military, judicial, and security officials in implementing this policy.
According to identity-based documentation compiled by verified field sources, the names of 1404 individuals killed nationwide have so far been confirmed, including 259 women. Among victims whose ages have been identified, at least 174 were children and adolescents under the age of 18. Within the same verified dataset, 654 identified victims are recorded in Tehran Province. These figures represent minimum documented cases and cannot be considered comprehensive due to widespread internet shutdowns, obstruction of information dissemination, and security pressure on families.
In this city-specific case file, 276 killings within the city of Tehran have been individually documented and identity-verified. The list of their names is attached in the Annex to this report. This list does not represent the conclusion of documentation efforts; rather, it forms part of an ongoing process of recording truth under conditions of restriction and intimidation.
8–9 January; Direct Live Fire in the Capital
Consistent testimonies from Tehran indicate that on 8 and 9 January 2026, the pattern of response shifted from crowd control to the use of lethal force. Reports describe security forces positioned at elevated vantage points and firing directly into crowds in multiple districts.
One eyewitness from eastern Tehran stated:
“On 8 January 2026, the crowd moved from Heravi Square toward Pasdaran. Suddenly they opened direct fire on people. I personally saw at least 20 people shot. People transported the wounded in private cars to Labbafinejad Hospital. A mother was screaming in the street, but the hospital atmosphere was completely securitized.”
Another testimony reported:
“They fired directly into the lines of protesters and people fell where they stood.”
In Parkway, witnesses described:
“Security forces were shooting from rooftops. Even before the protest began, violent arrests with firearms had taken place.”
Taken together, these testimonies point to the use of elevated positions and direct targeting within a dense urban environment.
From “Rioter” to “Mohareb”; Framing for Capital Punishment
Simultaneously with the use of lethal force, official rhetoric paved the way for harsh judicial measures. According to Amnesty International, authorities labeled protesters as “rioters” and “terrorists” and called for their prosecution and punishment “without leniency.” From 10 January onward, the Prosecutor General and provincial prosecutors repeatedly referred to protesters as “mohareb,” an accusation that under domestic law may carry the death penalty. Amnesty warned that such rhetoric significantly increases the risk of death sentences being issued and carried out.
The convergence of live fire in the streets and judicial labeling is relevant in assessing the existence of a coordinated policy.
Kahrizak; Management of Bodies and the Search by Families
During the peak days of repression, numerous reports emerged of bodies being transferred to the Forensic Medicine facility in Kahrizak. The importance of this site lies not only in numbers, but in the management of remains and treatment of families.
Amnesty International, through analysis of imagery and video evidence, identified at least 205 distinct body bags in an area associated with the Kahrizak forensic complex. This finding, alongside reports of refrigerated vehicles transporting bodies, indicates extraordinary pressure on official morgues.
Among the most emblematic accounts is that of Sepehr Shokri. In a video recorded at Kahrizak, his father walks among rows of black body bags, repeatedly calling:
“Sepehr… Sepehr, where are you?”
The footage captures a father searching for his son among unidentified bodies; an image that became symbolic of January 2026.
In another widely reported account, an injured protester allegedly concealed himself among body bags for several days to avoid further gunfire. While this account requires independent verification, it contributes to a broader picture of fear and chaos surrounding the site.
Collectively, these testimonies suggest that Kahrizak became a central node in the post-crackdown management of fatalities.
Children and Adolescents Among the Victims
At least 174 children and adolescents under 18 are included among the verified identity records. The significance of this finding is reinforced by references in domestic media to child fatalities.
In one report carried by a state-affiliated outlet, a relative of a 13-year-old victim stated:
“My niece was 13 years old. She was not a protester. She was simply killed.”
Acknowledgment of such cases within domestic media underscores the breadth of the violence.
Eye Targeting and Enucleation; Reporting by The New York Times
Multiple testimonies from Tehran and other cities indicate deliberate targeting of protesters’ eyes. Medical professionals have reported an unprecedented rise in severe ocular injuries, in some cases resulting in full enucleation.
A report published by The New York Times referenced hundreds of eye-removal surgeries at a specialized hospital in Tehran, indicating that hundreds of operations were performed in a single facility in connection with direct ocular trauma.
One protester recounted:
“They shot my eye from close range. Everything went dark.”
If shown to be widespread and repeated, such targeting could indicate punitive use of so-called less-lethal weapons with permanent consequences.
Expansion of Arrests; From Streets to Schools and Families of Political Prisoners
As protests continued, a new wave of arrests targeted citizens, teachers, students, university attendees, and medical personnel. Officials acknowledged arrests linked to the protests, yet no comprehensive figures were released.
A spokesperson for the Teachers’ Organization of Iran stated that no official statistics had been published regarding detained teachers and students, while confirming verification of at least 200 student deaths nationwide. Mohammad Davari described school environments as “severely tense” and reported pressure on educators and students.
In one documented case, three family members of Babak Alipour, a political prisoner sentenced to death, were arrested in Tehran on 26 December 2025 while returning from a visit to him at Qezel Hesar Prison. As of the time of writing, no official information has been released regarding their place of detention or legal status, and family sources report no contact.
Arrest of Medical Personnel; Interference with Medical Neutrality
Reports indicate that several members of the medical community were detained following treatment of injured protesters.
Among those reported:
- Sheida Riahi Chelvani, physician; arrested 8 January.
- Dr. Sarv-e Naz Amiri; arrested 10 January in Tehran.
- Fatemeh Afshari, operating-room specialist at Atiyeh Hospital, Tehran; detained and denied contact.
- Golnar Naraqi, emergency physician; arrested 13 January and transferred to Qarchak Prison.
On 8 February 2026, the head of Iran’s Medical Council acknowledged that 17 members of the medical community remained detained. Such official acknowledgment indicates that these arrests were not merely unverified reports.
Detention of medical professionals for providing care, if confirmed, would raise serious concerns regarding violations of medical neutrality and the right to health.
Prison Overcrowding; Evin, Qezel Hesar, Qarchak, and Greater Tehran Prison
With the escalation of arrests, reports described severe overcrowding in Evin Prison, Qezel Hesar Prison, Qarchak Prison, and Greater Tehran Prison. Detainees reportedly stated that the number of new arrivals was so high that “there is no space to breathe.”
Group transfers and detention in overcrowded conditions without adequate sanitation have been reported. If substantiated, such conditions may amount to inhuman or degrading treatment.
Legal Assessment
The cumulative evidence concerning Tehran includes:
- Direct live fire;
- Targeting from elevated positions;
- Judicial labeling carrying the risk of capital punishment;
- Management of bodies at Kahrizak;
- Widespread ocular injuries;
- Mass arrests;
- Pressure on families of political prisoners;
- Severe prison overcrowding.
Together, these elements warrant examination as potential components of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population.
UN Special Rapporteur Mai Sato has emphasized:
“Crimes against humanity include murder, torture, and widespread detention against civilians, and require independent and thorough investigation.”
Requests to the Fact-Finding Mission and Relevant International Mechanisms
In light of the evidence presented regarding events in Tehran in January 2026, it is requested that independent international mechanisms:
- Conduct an independent investigation into the use of lethal force on 8–9 January, including examination of the chain of command.
- Secure access to forensic records and the Kahrizak facility to clarify the number of fatalities and procedures for handling remains.
- Examine documented cases of ocular injuries and enucleations through medical file access.
- Investigate mass arrests and detention conditions in Evin, Qezel Hesar, Qarchak, and Greater Tehran Prison.
- Review arrests of medical personnel and family members of political prisoners in connection with the protests.
- Ensure protection of witnesses, families, and medical staff against reprisals.
- Preserve digital and audiovisual evidence for future accountability processes.
Conclusion
The Tehran case demonstrates that the January 2026 repression in the capital was not an isolated or spontaneous reaction, but was reported across multiple interconnected levels; street operations, judicial rhetoric, hospital environments, forensic management, and detention facilities.
As of the date of publication of this report, the names of 276 individuals killed in the city of Tehran have been received and verified based on information confirmed by their families and close relatives. Due to restricted access to official records, communication disruptions, and security pressures, this list reflects the minimum number of confirmed cases. The process of documentation and verification remains ongoing.
The investigative steps outlined above are therefore essential to clarify the full scope of the events in Tehran and to ensure accountability under international human rights standards.
Annex 2
Confirmed Victims – Tehran (Phase One – 276 Names)
- Asghar Velayati
- Mohammad Haji Mohammadi
- Danial Karimi
- Mohammad Qabezi
- Ayoub Shaker
- Amirhossein Javadzadeh
- Omid Fallahi Pour
- Ali Ranjbar
- Yazdan Afroogh
- Amirreza Heydari
- Mahan Heydari
- Mehdi Aghahosseini
- Milad Gholami
- Karim Touni
- Mohammad Goli
- Ali Aghajani
- Yaser Ezzati Nosratiyan
- Aria Honarmand
- Mohammadmehdi Seyfollahpour
- Mostafa Afshar
- Mehdi Mirzaei
- Omid Azimi
- Mahsa Dezfoulian
- Setayesh Shafiei
- Pouya Farsi
- Faramarz Foroughi
- Iman Norouzi
- Ali Akbar Gholamzadeh
- Majid Ghanbari
- Ali Sadeghi
- Masoud Sadeghi
- Mobin Ghanbari
- Arsalan Ghahremani
- Amir Ahmadi
- Aida Aghili
- Omid Fadakar
- Mehdi Jafari
- Amir Nouzemani
- Hossein Heydari
- Rosita Hajizadeh
- Asal Shafiei
- Behzad Abbasi
- Artin Abdollahi
- Amirali Parvizi
- Farzin Balali
- Shahab Khorshid
- Sepehr Ebrahimi
- Fatemeh Abdollahi
- Hossein Farahi
- Mohammad Soleimani
- Armin Vafaei
- Milad Tajik
- Mahan Mardani
- Ali Mohammad Kazemi
- Diako Ghadermarzi
- Mohammadali Mohammadian
- Milad Otmani
- Parsa Madanchian
- Ali Moradi Ardebili
- Hamoon Ali Bori
- Gholamreza Kashani
- Nasir Nasiri
- Milad Jahangiri
- Amirhossein Movahed
- Sahar Fallah
- Vahid Firouzi
- Majid Astir
- Maedeh Moradi Kia
- Ali Orouji
- Mohammadhossein Baghraei
- Heman Kazemi
- Danial Zarei
- Mohammad Bagherpour
- Seyed Ahmad Hosseini
- Amirhossein Malekshahi
- Ramin Sahari
- Javad Ghorbani
- Mohammad Rasoulizadeh
- Aref Mousavi
- Elina Hojjati
- Mehdi Rahimi
- Akbar Hosseini
- Amirhossein Emam Jomeh
- Omid Saeedi
- Baniamin Mohammadi
- Peyman Derang
- Elina Bahrami
- Mahin Marhamati
- Sama Esmaeili
- Milad Hassanzadeh
- Saeed Alnajri
- Mahyar Kakazadeh
- Hadi Forough
- Pouria Bahari
- Amir Parsa Ashkboos
- Arash Ahmadvand
- Kimia Kamiab
- Sina Lavasani
- Mohsen Darbandi
- Masoumeh Ebrahimi
- Ali Mirzaei
- Mohammad Farhadi
- Fereshteh Rajabi Aqbash
- Saeed Farahani
- Pouria Derakhshan
- Hossein Tehranchi
- Behzad Ebrahim Pour
- Rasoul Alivandi
- Behrouz Masoumnejad
- Gholamreza Youssefi
- Alireza Mollahosseini
- Elaheh Nouri
- Kianoush Zare Talab
- Iman Kazemi
- Reza Armand
- Zeinab Hamidi
- Abbas Eshaghi
- Asal Mansouri
- Amirhossein Shakerami
- Amirhossein Kiadarbandseri
- Amirreza Rostami
- Atena Razdar
- Arvin Vafaei
- Behrouz Amin
- Parsa Rahmati
- Parnia Khalaji
- Javad Astiri
- Javad Aghamohammadi
- Hamidreza Moeini Far
- Nasrin Zarmansh
- Arash Asgari
- Salar Mehri
- Mansouri
- Ebrahim Pourahmadian
- Abolfazl Esmaeili
- Mehdi Fathi
- Ahmad Bolouri
- Ahmad Ebadi Kamand
- Amir Javadifar
- Ali Ataei
- Amirhossein Razgardani
- Saeed Rahmani
- Soleiman Parhizkar
- Samaneh Asgari Bazargani
- Somayeh Youssefi
- Soheil Safari
- Siavash Alijani
- Aref Mirmousavi
- Haji Mohammad Rezaei Nasab
- Nima Najafi
- Fazayel Balegh
- Amirsaleh Borji
- Sadegh Ghodsi
- Ilya Ghodsi
- Omid Ali Meisai
- Mohammad Pay Bast
- Ali Kazemi
- Mohammadreza Molavi
- Javad Kazemi
- Yousef Houshmand
- Saman Delaram
- Ali Rezaei
- Ali Arabi
- Alireza Nobaghi
- Fatemeh Fatemi
- Farhad Amani
- Farhad Sohrab
- Forough Eskandari
- Farid Ramazani
- Fouad Safaei
- Maria Karimi
- Mani Tazeh Azar
- Mahan Motaghi
- Majid Afshari
- Mohammad Khanmohammadi
- Mohammad Radman
- Hassan Lotfi
- Alireza Arghavani
- Alireza Seyedi
- Hossein Dadashzadeh
- Hossein Farahi
- Hamid Shirbandi
- Hamid Nik
- Danial Moradi Zadeh
- Mohammad Golriz
- Mohammad Mamloo
- Mohammadparsa Amini
- Ali Asadollahi
- Ali Behrouzi
- Ali Bayat
- Ali Pourakrami
- Morteza Aslani
- Morteza Bagheri
- Morteza Hamedani
- Davoud Kalateh
- Ebrahim Sohi Kish
- Faramarz Golestani
- Mohammadali Foroughi
- Mohammad Esmail Vafa
- Mohammad Rahmati
- Mostafa Sharifi
- Nadali Dehghan
- Pasha Soltani
- Nasrin Abdollahi
- Yaser Ghandali
- Amir Yaghoubian
- Alireza Panahi
- Danial Maranki
- Mehdi Talati
- Hossein Hoveyda
- Ali Ghorbani
- Ahmad Shokarpour
- Armin Soltan Mohammadi
- Ali Bablaghani
- Ali Rouzbehani
- Keyomars Homaei
- Lia Lotfalian
- Shilan Salehi
- Mehdi Kashefi
- Alireza Tahernezhad
- Amirmehdi Razgardani
- Amirmohammad Rahnama
- Amir Reza Hassanvand
- Arman Ghahremani
- Arshia Narj Abadi
- Arin Mohammadi
- Babak Sadeghi
- Davoud Rivehndi
- Emad Modatipour
- Fatemeh Afrazeh
- Ebrahim Naderi
- Hamed Jahedikia
- Hamidreza Firouzmakan
- Hamidreza Mohammadtaheri
- Samyar Alipour
- Hassan Shayesteh
- Hassan Sohrabi
- Hossein Safari
- Masoud Saeedi
- Mehdi Hanifi
- Mehrdad Zare Safa
- Mehrnoush Esfandiari
- Moein Ranjbar
- Mohammad Azimi
- Mohammad Eslamian
- Mohammad Moein Chabok
- Mohammad Nours
- Amirmohammad Ghorotbiglou
- Alireza Orouji
- Amir Ghanbari
- Amirmohammad Lotfi
- Hadi Gholkhani
- Farzaneh Jahanbakhshi
- Khalil Sabri
- Hassan Bahou
- Ala Ghashghaei
- Majid Pourrostami
- Mohammad Rostami
- Morteza Sattari
- Mohammadmehdi Mardani
- Mohammadreza Alizadeh
- Reza Esmaeili
- Sajjad Soleimani
- Mohammad Talebi
- Majid Bouyeri
- Matin Abbasi
- Farzin Norouzian
- Mohammad Hossein Fathollahzadeh
- Yasin Davoudnabi
- Alireza Marouti
- Amir Ghorbani
- Amirali Pahlavanzadeh
- Siavash Esmaeili
- Ali Bilal
- Mohammad Tajik
- Ehsan Afshari
