Protests in at Least 222 Locations in Iran, Despite at Least 20 Deaths and 1,000 Arrests, in the First Eight Days of the Uprising

An assessment of updated and verified data by Hrana indicates that on the eighth day of the new wave of nationwide protests in Iran, despite heightened security measures and increased presence of police and security forces, the geographical scope and various forms of protests remain extensive and have continued across 26 provinces. According to a detailed report by Hrana, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, over the past eight days, at least 222 locations in 78 cities across 26 provinces have witnessed street protests, labor strikes, student gatherings, or a heightened security atmosphere. During this period, 17 universities have also reported student protests, indicating the persistence and diversity of protest actions. The geographical spread of the protests According to aggregated data from Hrana, the protests have not been limited to major cities but have also encompassed smaller cities and various regions of the country. In the 24 hours leading up to the eighth day of protests, at least dozens of cities, including Shiraz, Qazvin, Yazd, Bandar Abbas, Birjand, Behbahan, Karaj, Sari, Tehran, Khorramabad, Tabriz, Kermanshah, Mashhad, Nishapur, Bushehr, Yasuj, and Marvdasht, witnessed street gatherings, labor strikes, student protests, or a severe security atmosphere. This geographical dispersion indicates the horizontal expansion of protests and the participation of diverse social strata in this wave of dissent. Suppression and violence On the eighth day of protests, reports and updates indicate that confrontations between police-security forces and protesters continue. According to these reports, various methods of suppression such as shooting, tear gas, and arrests have been used to control gatherings in different cities. Simultaneously, the release of a forced confession from a citizen accused of setting fire to one of the officers, without clarity about the conditions of its recording, has sparked reactions. Hrana has also reported that the official narratives of some officials regarding the casualties do not align with eyewitness accounts and unofficial data, and investigations and verifications of these cases are ongoing. Casualties, injuries, and arrests According to updated information from Hrana, by the end of the eighth day of the uprising, the deaths of at least 20 people during these events have been confirmed, one of whom was affiliated with security forces. Hrana has also documented dozens of severe and bloody injuries among citizens caused by the impact of pellet and plastic bullets. In addition to previous reports, Hrana has confirmed the deaths of individuals including Reza Azimzadeh, Mehdi Emami Pour, Latif Karimi, Soroush Soleimani, Rasoul Kadiourian, Reza Kadiourian, Hossein Rabiei, and Amir Mohammad Kouhkan. Furthermore, according to Hrana, concerning reports have been received regarding the beating of Nasser Rezaei Ahangarani, a lawyer, during the protests in Khorramabad. Local sources have reported at least 30 injuries during the protests in Melikshahi. In another part of this report, it is mentioned that during the first eight days of protests, at least 990 protesting citizens have been arrested; however, Hrana emphasized that the actual number of detainees is likely higher than this figure.