Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 09:39am on 18 Jan 2026,Sunday International
A report citing doctors working inside Iran has claimed that at least 16,500 protesters were killed and about 330,000 injured during the recent crackdown on demonstrations. The protests began over economic issues and later expanded into calls for political change. The report says many victims suffered gunshot and shrapnel wounds to the head, neck, and chest. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has acknowledged “several thousand” deaths but rejected higher figures. In contrast, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has verified just over 3,000 deaths so far. Independent verification of higher numbers remains difficult due to internet restrictions. (PC: HT)
