Expansion of Nationwide Protests; Reports of Several Protesters Killed by Repressive Forces

As nationwide protests continue in Iran, reports from several provinces indicate an escalation of bloody repression and the killing of a number of protesters. In Ilam and Qom provinces, various sources report human casualties during the suppression of gatherings; these incidents have occurred simultaneously with the expansion of protests in both large and small cities across the country. According to reports, during the protests in the city of Malekshahi in Ilam province, several protesters lost their lives due to direct gunfire from government forces. Images and reports indicate that a group of citizens held a protest gathering in this city, and repressive forces reacted violently to this gathering. Unconfirmed reports suggest that at least eight people were killed in these events. In contrast, media close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) provided different statistics, claiming that at least three people were killed in Malekshahi and several others were injured. The figures reported by government media have always been met with severe skepticism. In Qom, provincial officials confirmed the deaths of two people during the protests, but the identities of none of the deceased have been officially announced. This statement comes as a video was released hours earlier showing the lifeless body of a severely injured man in the street. Other videos from the same night reported the death of another citizen in Qom. These developments occur as protests have spread across many cities in Iran on Friday and Saturday, with protesters continuing to take to the streets despite security crackdowns. In Tehran, protests continued on Friday evening in various neighborhoods, with citizens chanting anti-government and revolutionary slogans. In the Haft Hooz area, security forces shot directly at protesters. Reports of repressive forces firing on people in other parts of the capital have also been published. In Mashhad, a group of citizens on Saturday, January 13, chanted anti-government slogans in the streets. In Kermanshah, protesters stood firm against security forces on Saturday, resisting attempts by officials to disperse the gathering. In Ilam province, citizens in Malekshahi expressed their dissatisfaction with the current situation by holding a protest gathering on the same day. In Kazeroon, protesters held a gathering on Saturday, chanting protest and anti-government slogans. In Khorramabad, on Friday evening, after security forces fired to disperse the crowd, some protesters charged at the officials, causing the city to become tense for several hours. In Alborz province, the city of Fardis witnessed protests on Friday evening, with protesters resisting security forces. In Gohardasht, Karaj, demonstrators expressed their opposition to the regime by chanting protest slogans. In Isfahan, protesters gathered on the Si-o-se-pol bridge on Friday evening, chanting explicit anti-government slogans. In Qazvin, citizens expressed their dissatisfaction with the political situation in the country through a protest gathering. Similar reports of security forces firing on protesters have also emerged from Farsan. Concurrently with these protests, the funeral of Ahmad Ebrahimi, one of the victims of the popular protests, was held on Saturday, January 13, in Noorabad, Lorestan province. He lost his life on January 11 during the suppression of protests due to direct gunfire from government forces. The funeral was accompanied by a public atmosphere of grief and anger. Following the expansion of nationwide protests, multiple reactions and statements have been issued by civil activists, trade unions, students, and independent organizations within Iran, all emphasizing support for the protesters' demands and criticism of government repression. In one of these statements, 17 civil and political activists emphasized the necessity for security forces to adhere to their 'real responsibility - protecting the lives and security of the people of Iran.' The signatories of this statement, including figures like Abolfazl Ghadiyani, Narges Mohammadi, Jafar Panahi, Saeed Madani, Sedigheh Vosoughi, and Mohammad Rasoulof, urged security forces to refrain from 'executing orders of repression' and warned that participation in the repression of the people is 'a crime that will be recorded in the historical memory of this land.' This statement also emphasized that the current protest movement is a continuation of the civil resistance of the Iranian people and reflects the national will to overthrow the ruling regime. Simultaneously, a joint statement was released by several independent organizations supporting the nationwide protests of various segments of the population. In this statement, the protests are described as a reflection of 'the severely critical living conditions of the masses,' with the spread of poverty, rampant inflation, and unbearable inequalities identified as the main factors of public anger. The signatories emphasized that over time, various segments of society, from workers and teachers to women, youth, and urban and rural laborers, have concluded that under the rule of the Islamic Republic, neither social welfare is attainable nor a bright future is conceivable. In another section of this statement, the policies and actions of the government are identified as the main cause of the intensification of crises, stating that the government perceives any demand as a threat to its survival and therefore responds to even the most basic requests with repression, arrest, and killing. Reactions in support of the protests have also emerged from universities. Freedom-seeking students at the University of Art issued a statement declaring their support for the rightful protests of the people and standing alongside protesting merchants, families, and students across the country against tyranny and injustice. In their message to the government, these students emphasized that their position is clear and resolute, and they see no room for compromise with the current situation. On the other hand, the Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers' Trade Unions also issued a detailed statement declaring their support for the popular protests. This statement noted that what is happening today in the streets and neighborhoods of Iran is the cry of anger and suffering of people who have been under pressure from poverty, discrimination, humiliation, and injustice for years, and their demands have gone unanswered. The council emphasized that the current protests are neither the product of political think tanks nor the project of a specific faction, but rather the voice of people who have nothing left to lose. Educators also pointed out that rampant inflation, the collapse of purchasing power, the destruction of education and healthcare, and the spread of poverty are direct results of policies adopted against the interests of the people. The statement emphasized that protest is the legitimate right of the people, and the response to this right should not be repression, imprisonment, and violence, as violence not only does not solve the crisis but deepens and makes it uncontrollable. The Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers' Trade Unions also reminded military, police, and security forces that they arise from within society, and standing against the people is standing against their own future and that of their children. This council stated that it stands with the people and will continue to do so; not for shareholding or power, but for human dignity, social justice, and a future free from fear and poverty.