Death Toll in Clampdown on Iranian Protests Surpasses 500, Rights Group Says

About 10,600 people have been detained, a U.S.-based human rights group reported, noting that the death toll and arrest numbers will likely rise.
Death Toll in Clampdown on Iranian Protests Surpasses 500, Rights Group Says
Smoke rises as protesters gather amid evolving anti-government unrest at Vakilabad Highway in Mashhad, Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video released on Jan. 10, 2026. Social Media/via Reuters
Jack Phillips
Jack Phillips
Breaking News Reporter
|Updated:
0:00

Human rights groups have said that hundreds of people have been killed during mass demonstrations that have roiled Iran in recent weeks, and that thousands more have been detained, while some say the death toll could be much higher.

The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said on Jan. 11 that at least 544 people have been killed in the government suppression of nationwide protests, noting that 490 deaths were protesters and 48 were members of the regime’s security forces. About 10,600 people have been detained, the group reported, and the death toll and arrest numbers will likely rise.

Jack Phillips
Jack Phillips
Breaking News Reporter
Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter who covers a range of topics, including politics, U.S., and health news. A father of two, Jack grew up in California's Central Valley. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/jackphillips5
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