Tehran: Irans nationwide Internet blackout remained largely in place as the reported death toll from recent protests continued to rise, with one account saying the number of fatalities may exceed 30,000.
According to Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty, the digital rights watchdog NetBlocks stated on January 25 that Irans Internet shutdown has now surpassed 400 hours. The organization noted that “brief connectivity spikes” could give a misleading impression of broader restoration, while circumvention tools such as VPNs have allowed limited online communication.
Human rights groups have indicated that the blackout has hindered protesters’ ability to organize and restricted the flow of information, complicating independent verification of casualties. The US-based rights organization HRANA, whose figures have been regularly cited by RFE/RL since the violent crackdown began in Iran earlier this month, reports a confirmed death toll of 5,848, with 17,091 fatalities still under investigation.
However, a report publ
ished by Time magazine suggests the number of fatalities in the Iran protests may exceed 30,000, according to two senior Iranian health officials they spoke to. The report, dated January 25, highlights that the majority of deaths occurred on January 8-9, when the government’s crackdown on nationwide protests peaked. Due to intense censorship and the prolonged Internet shutdown, reported death toll figures for the protests cannot be independently verified.
The toll reported by Time sharply contrasts with the official death toll of 3,117 announced earlier this week by Irans Supreme National Security Council but aligns more closely with international estimates. The United Nations has suggested significantly higher casualties, with Mai Sato, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Iran, stating on January 22 that the number of civilians killed could exceed 20,000 as reports from doctors continue to emerge. Amnesty International has described the killings as occurring on an “unprecedented scale.”
The Norway
-based Iran Human Rights group reported on January 25 that Iranian security forces have been targeting doctors and volunteers who were assisting injured protesters. “Security forces are violently arresting doctors and volunteer citizens by raiding homes and clinics, and destroying their property,” the group said, citing informed sources. The organization added that “security agencies have detained doctors and raided makeshift medical shelters with the aim of creating fear and preventing the injured from receiving treatment.”
Further details have emerged regarding injuries sustained during the crackdown. Irans semi-official ISNA news agency reported that Qasem Fakhrayi, head of Tehrans Farabi Hospital, mentioned the number of patients with pellet-related eye injuries surged to around 1,000 on January 9, compared with about 55 cases in the preceding days. Nearly 200 injured people have been transferred to other hospitals due to capacity constraints. Maryam Sabbaghi, the hospitals head nurse, said all beds were
filled, stretchers were borrowed from another facility, and patients were placed in hallways.
The economic impact of the shutdown has also deepened. Majidreza Hariri, head of the Iran-China Chamber of Commerce, stated that merchants have been allowed to access the Internet for only 20 minutes a day under official supervision, a duration he claimed was insufficient for conducting business. Ali Hakim-Javadi, head of Irans Computer Trade Organization, noted that the shutdown is causing 20-30 trillion rials ($18-28 million at the current free-market rate) in daily losses.
Separately, the Coordinating Council of Teachers Trade Associations published the names of more than 40 students it claimed were killed during the crackdown, using information it said was obtained from trusted sources. The umbrella body of independent teachers unions in Iran says the list will be updated gradually.
The violence has drawn criticism from a senior Sunni cleric inside Iran. Molavi Abdolhamid Esmailzehi, the Friday Prayer leader i
n Zahedan, described the killings as a “systematic massacre.” He stated, “This tragedy has created a deep and irreparable rift between the people of Iran and the ruling establishment.” Iran is a Shia-majority country, with approximately 90 percent of the population belonging to that branch of Islam. The Sunni Islam minority comprises about 5-10 percent, according to recent statistics.