ARTICLE 19 expresses deep concern over Iran’s response to the widespread protests currently unfolding across the country. The protests, sparked by severe economic crisis, spiralling inflation, and deteriorating living conditions, were met with repression by the authorities, resulting in deaths, injuries, and the mass detention of individuals exercising their rights to peaceful assembly and free expression. We call for the immediate cessation of the use of force against protesters, the release of those who have been arbitrarily detained, and respect for international law.
Update: As of 7 January, reports indicate that the authorities’ crackdown has resulted in at least 36 people being killed, and over 2000 people arrested.
Independent monitoring groups report that at least 20 people have been killed, and more than 1,000 individuals have been arrested since the protests began. The demonstrations over the past week are the largest seen in the country since the death of Mahsa Jina Amini and the Woman, Life, Freedom movement. They are rooted not only in economic conditions but also in longstanding demands for accountability, justice, and respect for fundamental human rights. Protesters have voiced wider grievances against corruption, governmental mismanagement, and repression that persist amid shrinking civic space.
Iranian authorities have responded to the protests using familiar tactics to suppress dissent both on the ground and in the digital space; the Judiciary Chief publicly expressed that no leniency should be shown towards protesters. The methods used are not new – in recent years, the regime has imposed nationwide internet shutdowns and pervasive digital surveillance, blocked major social media platforms, and passed restrictive laws that criminalise criticism of the government and aim to control public narratives. These measures severely undermine the right to freedom of opinion and expression, restrict access to information, and cut off avenues for peaceful mobilisation and reporting on human rights violations.
ARTICLE 19 condemns the use of violence, arbitrary arrest, intimidation, censorship, and digital repression against protesters, journalists, human rights defenders, and ordinary Iranians striving to exercise their fundamental freedoms. The criminalisation of online expression and coercive digital control further illustrates the regime’s systematic efforts to silence dissent and tighten its grip on society.
We urge the international community to support protection for Iranian civil society, maintain secure communication channels, and hold Iranian authorities accountable for violations of international laws and norms. The rights to express dissent, access information freely, and mobilise peacefully are fundamental human rights that must be protected, both online and offline.