Against the Civilian Population during the January 2026 Events in Iran

Iran-HRM – This report has been prepared, taking into account the official determination of the United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission confirming the commission of crimes against humanity in Iran, is based on a broad body of direct testimonies from eyewitnesses, families of victims, medical personnel, and field documentation collected from various regions of the country. A significant portion of this information was gathered under conditions of internet shutdowns or severe disruptions, an intensely securitized environment, threats against witnesses, and serious limitations on the safe transmission of information from inside Iran.

The findings of this report indicate that the events of January 2026 did not constitute a series of isolated incidents; rather, they formed part of a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population. This attack was carried out through killings, arbitrary detention, torture, rape, enforced disappearances, deliberate denial of medical care, secret burials, and organized pressure on families to enforce silence. Given the covert nature of these crimes and the structural barriers to accessing information, this report necessarily reflects only part of the true scope of the events. Further documentation, with improved access to evidence and testimonies, will allow for completion and refinement of these findings in the future.

Objective of the Report

The objective of this report is to document and analyze the events of January 2026 in Iran within the legal framework of crimes against humanity, with a focus on identifying patterns of organized repression against the civilian population, the mechanisms through which such repression was carried out, and its legal implications. The report seeks to complement, deepen, and consolidate existing documentation, and to present an accurate, evidence-based account of the nature, scale, and systematic character of these events.

Sources of Information

The information and evidence used in this report have been collected from a diverse and independent range of field-based sources, including:

• Direct testimonies from eyewitnesses in multiple cities across Iran;
• Statements and accounts provided by families of victims who were killed or forcibly disappeared;
• Information and reports submitted by medical personnel and staff of healthcare facilities;
• Documentation relating to arrests, transfers, burial practices, or the handover of victims’ bodies;
• Field data and evidence received from inside Iran through independent and secure channels.

This report is not limited to a single institutional source or report; rather, it relies on the convergence and corroboration of independent bodies of evidence.

Methods of Collection and Verification

Information was collected through a phased and ongoing process. Each claim or finding was assessed, to the extent possible, on the basis of:

• Corroboration across multiple independent sources;
• Examination of temporal and geographical consistency of accounts;
• Comparison of testimonies with available medical data or physical evidence;
• Avoidance of reliance on isolated or unverifiable narratives.

Where full verification was not possible, this limitation has been explicitly acknowledged, and premature generalizations have been avoided.

Security and Ethical Considerations

Given the serious risks faced by witnesses, families of victims, and information sources inside Iran, this report:

• Refrains from disclosing names, personal details, or identifying information that could endanger individuals;
• Adheres to the principles of informed consent and protection of sources in the collection and use of testimonies;
• Presents sensitive information in aggregated or summarized form where necessary.

Limitations

A substantial portion of the information in this report was collected under conditions of widespread internet shutdowns or disruptions, an intensely securitized environment, intimidation and threats against witnesses, and severe constraints on the safe transmission of information from within Iran. These conditions have posed serious obstacles to comprehensive evidence collection, complete documentation of all cases, and full verification of certain data.

Accordingly, this report inevitably reflects only part of the actual scope of the events and the full scale of the crimes committed. As restrictions are lifted, access to additional sources becomes possible, and the process of collecting testimonies and documentation continues, the findings of this report may be further expanded and refined.

This report does not replace official or judicial investigations conducted by international bodies; rather, it is intended to complement, reinforce, and support independent efforts toward truth-seeking and accountability.

Findings: Patterns of Violations and Organized Repression

The findings of this report demonstrate that the events of January 2026 in Iran bore the defining characteristics of a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population. The violations committed were neither reactive nor isolated; rather, they were grounded in identifiable, repetitive, and coordinated patterns implemented across different regions of the country through similar methods.

1. Use of Lethal Force with Intent to Kill

The collected evidence indicates that, during the January 2026 events, security and law enforcement forces extensively used firearms and military-grade ammunition against unarmed protesters. The pattern of gunfire, the type of ammunition used, and the points of targeting indicate an intent to kill or to inflict fatal injury, rather than to disperse crowds.

In numerous cases:

• Shots were fired at vital areas of the body, including the head, neck, and chest;
• Gunfire was carried out at close range or from elevated positions;
• Victims were fleeing or posed no immediate threat.

Documented testimonies:

8 January 2026, Tehran | Street eyewitness
“They were shot from behind. He was running when the bullet hit his head and he fell. He had no stone, nothing in his hands. He was just trying to escape.”

9 January 2026, Mashhad | Local eyewitness
“The forces were shooting directly at the upper body. It was as if they had orders to shoot to kill. Several people fell next to me; one was shot in the neck.”

10 January 2026, Arak | Medical personnel (anonymous)
“Most of the injured brought in had gunshot wounds to the head or chest. These injuries are not consistent with warning shots or crowd control.”

Taken together, these testimonies, alongside the geographical spread of similar incidents, indicate the implementation of a unified policy of lethal force against the civilian population.

1. Mass Killings and Widespread Civilian Casualties

Field reports and eyewitness testimonies indicate that a significant number of victims:

• Were unarmed and played no direct role in confrontations;
• Included adolescents, young people, and women;
• Were targeted in streets, along escape routes, or even in the immediate vicinity of their homes.

The simultaneity of incidents in multiple cities and the similarity of methods point to a coordinated pattern of killing at the national level.

Documented testimonies:

9 January 2026, Isfahan | Eyewitness
“We were just watching. Suddenly the shooting started. A boy of 17 or 18 fell next to me. He had done nothing.”

8 January 2026, Tehranpars | Family member of a victim
“My brother was coming back from the grocery store. There was no gathering, no clash. He was shot in the chest. They said it was ‘a mistake,’ but they never gave any explanation.”

1. Widespread and Arbitrary Arrests

Following the January events, security forces carried out large-scale, rapid arrests without due process. These arrests took place in streets, homes, medical facilities, and workplaces, often without the presentation of judicial warrants.

Documented testimonies:

11 January 2026, Tehran | Former detainee, later released
“They said they just had a few questions. They blindfolded me and took me away. For three days, no one knew where I was.”

10 January 2026, Karaj | Family member of a detainee
“They came to the house and broke the door. They only said, ‘Your son is a rioter.’ No warrant, no explanation.”

1. Concealment of Bodies, Secret Burials, and Pressure on Families

The findings show that authorities, in numerous cases, refused to return the bodies of victims or compelled families to carry out night-time burials without ceremonies. In some instances, the release of bodies was conditioned on the payment of money and the signing of commitments to remain silent.

Documented testimonies:

10 January 2026, Tehran (Kahrizak) | Eyewitness
“They said if you hold a ceremony, we will not give you the body. They told us to bury him at night and be done with it.”

12 January 2026, Mashhad | Family member of a victim
“They said either you pay and sign, or he will be buried tonight without informing you.”

These patterns were implemented to conceal the true scale of the killings, prevent public documentation, and break the resistance of families.

1. Enforced Disappearances and Deliberate Denial of Information to Families

The findings indicate that enforced disappearance was a central tool of repression during the January 2026 events. In numerous cases, individuals were removed from contact with their families for days or weeks following arrest or injury, with no official information provided regarding their place of detention, health status, or even whether they were alive.

This pattern included:

• Failure to officially register arrests or transfers;
• Contradictory denials of detention by different authorities;
• Complete denial of contact with family members and lawyers;
• Sudden handover of bodies or notification of death without explanation of the time, place, or cause.

Documented testimonies:

9 January 2026, Tehran | Mother of a detainee
“From the night of the arrest until six days later, no one answered us anywhere. Everywhere we went, they said he was not there. In the end, they said he had died, without telling us when or where.”

11 January 2026, Karaj | Sister of a disappeared person
“The IRGC said he was not with them, the police said the IRGC took him. The prosecutor’s office said there were no detainees at all. Ten days later, they only told us to come to collect the body.”

10 January 2026, Mashhad | Father of a disappeared wounded person
“He was in the hospital, shot. In the morning we went back and they said he had been taken away at night. No one said where. We still do not know if he is alive or not.”

In some cases, families received minimal information only after signing silence pledges or paying money. These practices indicate that enforced disappearance was not the result of chaos, but part of a deliberate policy aimed at instilling fear, disempowering families, and preventing legal accountability.

1. Torture and Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment

Numerous testimonies from released detainees and families indicate that torture and ill-treatment in official and unofficial detention facilities were not exceptional, but routine. These practices were carried out with the aim of extracting confessions, intimidation, and psychological breakdown.

Reported patterns include:

• Severe beatings during arrest and interrogation;
• Threats of killing or harming family members;
• Sexual violence and sexual threats;
• Prolonged deprivation of sleep, water, food, and medical care.

Documented testimonies:

12 January 2026, Tehran | Released detainee
“I was blindfolded. Every time my answers were not what they wanted, they beat me. They said if I did not confess, they would bring my sister.”

13 January 2026, Isfahan | Female detainee
“The sexual threats were explicit. They said they would do something that would make my family ashamed to see me. That was worse than the beatings.”

11 January 2026, Mashhad | Cellmate of a deceased detainee
“He could no longer stand. He asked for a doctor; they said ‘it will pass.’ Two days later, he was no longer breathing.”

In some cases, families reported clear signs of torture following the release of detainees or the return of bodies, including fractures, extensive bruising, cable marks, and burns. These indicators, combined with the recurrence of similar patterns across multiple cities, point to the systematic use of torture within a broader policy of repression.

Consolidated Summary of Findings

The patterns of enforced disappearance and torture, alongside the use of lethal force and the concealment of bodies, form a coherent chain of grave human rights violations aimed not merely at suppressing protests, but at breaking the individual and collective will of society. From the perspective of international law, these patterns contain clear elements of crimes against humanity.

Epilogue

The documented findings and patterns in this section demonstrate that the events of January 2026 cannot be characterized as a series of isolated violations or sporadic reactions. The geographical scope, repetition of methods, coordination among multiple institutions, and severity of the violations all indicate the existence of an organized structure of repression.

At the same time, documenting violations and patterns of abuse constitutes only the first step toward accountability. Fundamental questions regarding decision-making processes, chains of command, the knowledge of senior officials, and the resulting legal responsibility require analysis within the framework of international criminal law.

Part Two of this report addresses these questions. With a focus on command structures, implemented policies, official acknowledgments, and applicable legal standards, it assesses the qualification of these acts as crimes against humanity and the resulting structural and individual responsibility.

The first part documented, based on direct testimonies and field evidence, patterns of grave human rights violations during the January 2026 events, including the use of lethal force with intent to kill, widespread and arbitrary arrests, concealment of bodies and secret burials, enforced disappearances, and torture.

Building on those documented findings, Part Two addresses questions of responsibility and accountability. Its focus is on chains of command, prior knowledge and decision-making, and the structural mechanisms through which repression was authorized and affirmed. This includes the role of public statements by senior officials in legitimizing violence, as well as official acknowledgments indicating awareness and acceptance of lethal outcomes. These elements are then assessed within the framework of international criminal law, and the legal characterization of the events is evaluated against the criteria for crimes against humanity.

Chain of Command, Prior Knowledge, Decision-Making, and Structural Authorization of Repression

1. Discursive and Cognitive Conditioning Prior to January 2026

Available evidence indicates that the repression of the January 2026 events occurred within a pre-existing framework of discursive and cognitive conditioning. Prior to the outbreak of these events, official state rhetoric repeatedly emphasized the necessity of decisive, securitized, and uncompromising responses to any form of social protest.

Within this context, on 7 July 2025, an official editorial published by Fars News Agency described the mass executions of political prisoners in 1988 as a “successful historical experience” and explicitly called for their repetition against current political prisoners and opponents. The publication of such a position by a media outlet closely affiliated with the state security apparatus, prior to the January events, indicates that the option of maximal violence, including mass killing, had already been discursively legitimized within official narratives.

1. Ali Khamenei; Construction of the Repressive Framework and Issuance of Political Authorization

In the months leading up to the January 2026 events, Ali Khamenei repeatedly characterized popular protests in public speeches as the product of foreign interference, including by the United States and Israel, and described protesters using labels such as “saboteurs,” “rioters,” and “agents of the enemy.” He asserted that the protests were not “spontaneous or internal” and stated that the ruling system “will not retreat in the face of saboteurs.”

By drawing an ostensible distinction between “protesters” and “rioters,” Khamenei stated:
“We will speak with protesters, but rioters must be put in their place.”

In practice, these statements functioned as political authorization for the escalation of repression and the use of coercive violence against protesting populations. He further framed the protests as part of an “enemy conspiracy” aimed at destabilizing the country and warned that the system would not yield under such conditions. This discursive framing removed protesters from the status of rights-bearing citizens and redefined them as legitimate security threats subject to repression.

1. Continuity of Lethal Repression; Linking 2019 and 2026

There is documented precedent for the issuance of orders authorizing lethal repression by Ali Khamenei. During the nationwide protests of November 2019, a special investigative report published on 23 December 2019 by Reuters cited internal Iranian Interior Ministry officials who disclosed that approximately 1,500 people were killed. The report stated that Khamenei had instructed senior officials to:
“Do whatever it takes to stop them.”

The convergence of rhetoric, methods, and outcomes demonstrates that the January 2026 repression represents a continuation of an established and consciously applied policy for confronting popular uprisings, rather than a temporary or situational response.

1. Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei; Judicial Consolidation of Repression

Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, Head of the Judiciary, publicly labeled protesters as “rioters” and “instigators of unrest” and emphasized the necessity of swift, decisive, and deterrent punishment without leniency. He declared that “there will be no more concessions” and that the judiciary, in coordination with intelligence bodies, would identify and prosecute “the main leaders and instigators.”

Ejei further stressed that no “delay whatsoever” would be tolerated in handling these cases. These positions reveal the role of the judiciary as an instrument for consolidating and completing field-level repression, extending the cycle of violence from the streets into detention centers and courtrooms.

1. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf; Political and Legislative Legitimation of Repression

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of Parliament, described the protests as a “terrorist war resembling ISIS” and as an “organized” operation, portraying protesters as part of an “enemy conspiracy” aimed at “manufacturing deaths.” Emphasizing the simultaneous occurrence of protests across multiple cities, he stated that the system would not limit itself to “post-incident reactions.”

These statements, combined with public threats against the United States and Israel and his praise of Khamenei as the “soul of the Iranian nation,” reflect an effort to frame violent repression as a national security necessity within legislative discourse and public opinion.

1. Masoud Pezeshkian; Executive Alignment with Violent Repression

Masoud Pezeshkian, President, labeled protesters as “rioters” and “terrorists” and attributed the protests to “hostile conspiracies against Iran,” including by the United States and Israel. He called for “decisive action” by security forces and claimed that protesters had been “trained inside and outside the country” to create chaos.

By urging citizens to “prevent disorder” and characterizing any challenge to the leadership as “war against the Iranian nation,” his statements underscore the role of the executive branch in endorsing and intensifying repression.

Official Acknowledgment, Knowledge, and Acceptance of Consequences

In his first public address following the violent suppression of the January 2026 protests, which primarily involved mass killings on 8 and 9 January 2026, Ali Khamenei formally acknowledged, for the first time, the killing of “several thousand” people. These remarks were made on 17 January 2026.

In this speech, Khamenei attributed responsibility for the killings to protesters, the United States, particularly Donald Trump, Israel, and what he termed “seditionists,” while making no reference to the responsibility of security or military forces. This position constitutes an explicit acknowledgment of the масwтаб and gravity of the human toll, while simultaneously demonstrating awareness and acceptance of the lethal consequences at the highest level of authority, coupled with a refusal to accept responsibility or to order investigation and accountability.

From the perspective of international law, this official acknowledgment, when considered alongside prior statements, public orders, and observed operational patterns, constitutes a strong indication of prior knowledge, decision-making, and the continuation of repression without corrective or preventive action.

Legal Assessment

Establishing the Elements of Crimes Against Humanity in the January 2026 Events in Iran

(This section consolidates the legal assessment and final legal analysis into a coherent framework using international criminal law terminology, in accordance with Article 7 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.)

1. Applicable Legal Framework

Under customary international law and Article 7 of the Rome Statute, crimes against humanity are established when specified acts are committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against a civilian population, pursuant to or in furtherance of a state or organizational policy. The legal qualification requires the presence of the following elements:

1. An attack directed against a civilian population.
2. The widespread or systematic nature of the attack.
3. The commission of acts enumerated in Article 7.
4. Knowledge of the attack and conscious participation by the perpetrators.

The findings of this report indicate that the January 2026 events meet all these elements.

1. Existence of an Attack Against the Civilian Population

The body of evidence demonstrates that the actions of security, law enforcement, and judicial authorities did not constitute sporadic responses to unrest, but rather formed a coherent course of conduct directed against a civilian population. Targets included unarmed protesters, bystanders present at protest sites or along escape routes, wounded individuals in medical facilities, and families of victims. Repeated direct gunfire at vital body parts, mass arrests, and the continuation of violence after control of the scene establish the existence of an “attack” in its legal sense.

1. Widespread and Systematic Character

The January 2026 events occurred simultaneously across dozens of cities and provinces and resulted in the killing of thousands of civilians, mass arrests, and widespread enforced disappearances. The geographical scope and scale of victimization independently satisfy the criterion of “widespread.”

At the same time, the use of similar methods of repression across different locations, recurring patterns of shooting, arrest, torture, and secret burial, coordination among security, judicial, and executive bodies, and the use of internet shutdowns as a complementary tool collectively demonstrate the “systematic” nature of the attack.

1. Acts Constituting Crimes Against Humanity

Based on the documented findings, the following acts were committed in a widespread and systematic manner:

• Murder; direct gunfire to the head and chest, execution-style killings, and killings along escape routes or inside medical facilities.
• Severe deprivation of liberty; arbitrary arrests without judicial warrants and without access to lawyers or family notification.
• Torture and inhuman treatment; severe beatings, threats of death, sexual violence, and deliberate denial of medical care.
• Enforced disappearance; denial of detention, prolonged lack of information to families, and sudden return of bodies or death notifications without explanation.
• Other inhumane acts; concealment of bodies, night-time burials, financial and psychological coercion, and forced silence.

1. State Policy and Chain of Responsibility

The existence of a state policy is established through converging evidence; including prior discursive conditioning, public orders calling for uncompromising action, coordination among armed forces, the judiciary, and the executive, and implicit or explicit acceptance of lethal outcomes without corrective measures. These indicators demonstrate that the acts were carried out in furtherance of preserving the power structure through violent repression.

1. Knowledge and Acceptance of Consequences

Public statements by senior officials following the events, including formal acknowledgment of the killing of “several thousand” people, demonstrate full awareness of the lethal scope of the repression and acceptance of its consequences without initiating independent investigations or accountability mechanisms. This reinforces the requisite mental element for international criminal responsibility.

Legal Conclusion

On the basis of the above analysis, the January 2026 events in Iran meet all the legal elements required to establish crimes against humanity; including the widespread and systematic nature of the attack, the targeting of a civilian population, the commission of acts enumerated in Article 7 of the Rome Statute, and the existence of a state policy accompanied by knowledge and acceptance at the highest levels of authority.

Human and Social Consequences

The January 2026 events produced profound and enduring human and social consequences. At the individual level, direct victims of the repression suffered severe physical injuries, denial of medical care, and long-term psychological harm. Families of those killed or forcibly disappeared, in addition to the loss of their loved ones, were subjected to pressure, threats, enforced silence, and serious obstacles to accessing truth and justice.

At the societal level, coordinated and large-scale repression weakened public trust, entrenched structural fear, and eroded social cohesion. The presence of security forces in public and medical spaces, interference in medical processes, and expedited judicial proceedings intensified feelings of insecurity and abandonment, significantly restricting citizens’ access to fundamental rights.

The consequences of these events are not confined to the immediate period of repression. Their impact on children, adolescents, and other vulnerable groups; including through direct exposure to violence or witnessing it within their living environments; is already evident. This situation increases the risk of normalizing state violence and reproducing cycles of human rights violations in the future.

Final Conclusions and Recommendations

Based on field documentation, identified patterns of conduct, official positions, and legal analysis, this report concludes that the January 2026 events in Iran constitute crimes against humanity. A widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population, the existence of a state policy, prior knowledge and decision-making, and awareness and acceptance of lethal consequences without corrective action or effective accountability together fulfill all elements required for this legal characterization. The persistence of impunity significantly heightens the risk of recurrence of such crimes.

As demonstrated in the analysis, the January 2026 events meet all the elements necessary to establish crimes against humanity; including the widespread and systematic nature of the attack, the targeting of a civilian population, the commission of acts enumerated in Article 7 of the Rome Statute, and the existence of a state policy accompanied by the awareness of senior officials.

Recommendations

In light of the above findings, the following recommendations are made:

1. To the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission

• Continue and deepen investigations, with a focus on chains of command and individual and institutional responsibility;
• Preserve evidence, including testimonies, medical records, and data related to secret burials;
• Ensure effective protection measures for witnesses and families of victims.

1. To United Nations Bodies and States

• Utilize available accountability mechanisms, including the principle of universal jurisdiction;
• Implement targeted measures against responsible individuals and entities, where appropriate;
• Support independent efforts aimed at truth-seeking and documentation.

1. To Human Rights Organizations and the International Community

• Support victims and families in accessing truth, justice, and reparations;
• Strengthen independent and secure documentation capacities;
• Actively counter denial, distortion, and the normalization of violence.

The findings presented in this report demonstrate that the January 2026 events cannot be understood as the result of momentary decisions, sporadic reactions, or isolated errors. The alignment of prior official discourse, repeated public statements by senior authorities, the role of judicial and political institutions in consolidating repression, and official acknowledgments after the events together form a coherent body of evidence pointing to prior decision-making, awareness of lethal consequences, and the continuation of a repressive policy without corrective action or independent accountability.

This conclusion, alongside the extensive human and social consequences documented, underscores the urgent need to prioritize the preservation of evidence, ensure the protection of witnesses and families of victims, and activate effective international accountability mechanisms.