CBS: The Death Toll from Iran's Uprising Estimated Between 12,000 and 20,000

A recent report from CBS News indicates that since the onset of the nationwide uprising in Iran, the Islamic Republic has killed between 12,000 and 20,000 protesters. Despite such unprecedented bloodshed, Iranian protesters continue to fight for freedom in the streets. The CBS report states: 'Information that gradually leaked out of Iran on Tuesday shows that the government’s crackdown to end over two weeks of widespread anti-government protests has likely been far deadlier than activists abroad have reported so far.' The report adds: 'With limited phone lines opening for calls from within the Islamic Republic, two sources - including one from inside Iran - told CBS News on Tuesday that at least 12,000 and possibly up to 20,000 people have been killed.' British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper announced in Parliament on Tuesday that the British government believes 'around 2,000 people may have been killed; but it is likely higher.' She added: 'My concern is that this figure may ultimately be significantly higher.' According to CBS, obtaining accurate casualty figures has been extremely difficult, as Iranian authorities have cut off internet and phone services across the country for the past five days. While the complete internet blackout in Iran continued for the fifth consecutive day, some Iranian citizens were able to make phone calls to outside the country on Tuesday, although there was still no possibility of calls from abroad to inside Iran. One source inside Iran who managed to contact outside the country told CBS News on Tuesday that human rights groups gathering comprehensive casualty statistics based on reports from medical officials across the country believe the death toll is at least 12,000 and possibly up to 20,000. According to this source, security forces have visited many private hospitals in Tehran and threatened medical staff to provide the names and addresses of individuals receiving treatment for injuries sustained during the protests. CBS News emphasized that it has been unable to independently verify these shocking figures; numbers that are several times higher than those reported by human rights groups independently in recent days, although these groups have always stated that their estimates are lower than the reality. Additionally, a Washington-based source in contact with sources inside Iran told CBS News on Tuesday that a credible source informed him that the death toll is likely between 10,000 and 12,000. Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing an unnamed Iranian official, that at least 2,000 people have been killed since the protests began. CBS News also confirmed that a video released online on Tuesday shows the bodies of at least 366 and possibly over 400 protest victims piled up in a morgue on the outskirts of Tehran. The video shows forensic staff documenting horrific injuries on the corpses and also a large crowd of people seemingly trying to identify the deceased. Based on images seen in this video, the injuries are severe, including gunshot wounds, injuries from pellet shots, cuts, and other serious trauma.