Arrests during the 2025-2026 Iran protests

Iranian security forces have made multiple arrests during the 2025–2026 Iranian protests.^[1] Official Iranian media have said about 3,000 people have been arrested due to the protests, but human rights organizations outside of Iran and independent sources believe the actual number is much higher, possibly reaching 20,000 or more.^[2]

Reports have emerged alleging the arrest of doctors who treated patients injured in protests.^[3]

In early February, the Iranian government began a campaign to arrest reformist activists, especially those who are close to President Masoud Pezeshkian.^[4][5][6] It has also been reported that the Iranian government has been pressuring families of detainees from the protests to attend state-organized rallies commemorating the anniversary of the Iranian Revolution, scheduled to take place on February 11, saying that if they comply their relatives might be released.^[7]

The 2025–2026 Iranian protests began after the serious decline in Iran's economic conditions, the exchange rate, market instability, and the sharp fall in the value of the Iranian rial. The protests started in the Grand Bazaar of Tehran and nearby shopping areas, quickly spreading to other provinces of Iran and other countries, making it the largest anti-government protests since 1979.^{[8][9][10][11][12]}

On January 8, 2026, protests erupted after a call by Reza Pahlavi, leading to a large turnout of opponents in different cities and villages.^[13] After the large turnout of opponents at the gathering, on January 9, Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, ordered the protests to be crushed "by any necessary means," and security forces were told to "shoot to kill" and acted without delay.^[14] As a result, the government imposed a phone and internet shutdown and carried out the largest crackdown and killing of political opponents in modern Iranian history, as well as one of the largest massacres in modern world history.^[15][16] According to Farnaz Fassihi in the New York Times, officials said that the Islamic Republic went into "survival mode" after the anti-government protests.^[17]

On 25 January, Time reported that a specific list included 30,304 protest-related deaths registered in civilian hospitals for 8 and 9 January alone.^[18] The same day, Iran International estimated the number at above 36,500.^[19] Thousands were also arrested during the crackdown. Esmaeil Baghayi, the spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed that security forces had shot protesters.^[20]

Some sources have described these events as "the deadliest government crackdown on protesters in modern Iranian history" and "genocide in digital darkness," calling for international action under the principle of Responsibility to Protect.^[21][22][23]

Official media outlets of the Islamic Republic have reported that about 3,000 people have been arrested in connection with the recent protests. However, human rights organizations outside Iran and independent sources estimate that the actual number of arrests is much higher and could be as many as 20,000 or more.^[2]

According to reports from international media, in the early days of the protests, security forces in Tehran, Malard, Alborz, Lorestan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari arrested several protesters on charges of "disturbing public order." These arrests included at least dozens of people in Tehran and surrounding areas.^[24] Some human rights and independent media reports indicate that security forces also arrested protesters in various cities, including Esfarayen, Dehloran, Izeh, Baghalmak, and Kermanshah, including women, youth, and people from various ethnic groups,^[25] showing that the authorities were targeting a wide range of society.^{[26][27][28][29]} Reports have also emerged of several students being arrested at universities and educational institutions.^[30]

The news agency Hiraba reported on January 25 that at least 150 women and female students were transferred to Adelabad Prison in Shiraz. This large-scale arrest created a dire and inhumane situation in the prison.^[31]

In early February, the Iranian government began a campaign to arrest reformist activists, especially those who are close to President Masoud Pezeshkian.^[4][5][6]

On 28 January, a group of Iranian lawyers and other intellectuals, including Amirsalar Davoudi, Hatam Ghaderi, Abolfazl Ghadyani, Mehdi Mahmoudian, Abdollah Momeni, Mohammad Najafi, Jafar Panahi, Mohammad Rasoulof, Nasrin Sotoudeh, Bengard, and Sedigheh Vasmaghi, and the Narges Mohammadi Human Rights Foundation, published a statement on Instagram asserting that the killings were a crime against humanity. The statement attributed principal responsibility to Khamenei.^[32] Three of those signing, Mehdi Mahmoudian, Abdollah Momeni, and Vida Rabbani, were arrested on 31 January.^[33]

Reports have emerged alleging the arrest of doctors who treated patients injured in protests.^[3]

Following the widespread wave of arrests during the January 2026 protests, human rights organizations and groups reported that a number of detainees were subjected to security pressure to extract forced confessions. According to published reports, state media of the Islamic Republic of Iran and affiliated outlets broadcast videos of detainees confessing to various charges. Human rights groups have described these confessions as the result of pressure, torture, or threats, and as being in violation of the principles of fair trial.^[34][35][36] Human rights observers have stated that the broadcasting of these confessions on state or affiliated media has taken place while many detainees were denied access to legal counsel or fair judicial proceedings, raising concerns that the confessions were obtained under coercion or threat.^[37]

It has also been reported that the Iranian government has been pressuring families of detainees from the protests to attend state-organized rallies commemorating the anniversary of the Iranian Revolution, scheduled to take place on February 11, saying that if they comply their relatives might be released.^[7]

On 18 January, The Guardian reported a rights group's claim that detainees were being subjected to torture and sexual assault while in custody,^[38] while Iran International reported detainees were being injected with unknown chemical substances.^[39] Reports from KHRN (a French-based human rights organisation) cited by Iran International, claimed that two protesters were abused while in detention during Iran's nationwide unrest in the city of Kermanshah.^[40] One of those detained was a minor. According to these accounts, security personnel subjected the detainees to sexualised physical mistreatment during their transfer, including beatings and the use of batons through their clothing and over their anal areas.^[40]