Violence against protesters: Amnesty reports more than 100 dead in Iran

A report by the human rights organization Amnesty International is fueling fears that the death toll from the protests in Iran is many times higher than government claims. At least 106 protesters have been killed since the protests began on Friday, Amnesty said.

The organization relies on video material it has verified, eyewitness accounts, and information from activists outside Iran. These revealed a horrific pattern of unlawful killings by Iranian security forces, the statement says.

Information gathered by us reveals a harrowing pattern of unlawful killings by Iranian security forces. The Iranian authorities must end this brutal & deadly crackdown immediately & show respect for human life. https://t.co/EXOIx1BNOh

Amnesty's figures, which refer to 21 Iranian cities, are in stark contrast to the numbers in state-controlled media in Iran. According to it, nine people have been killed since Friday: four demonstrators, three members of the Revolutionary Guards and two policemen. About 1,000 people were arrested.

Football matches canceled, Internet remains blocked

Although the government said it would ease the situation on Tuesday, the widespread closure of the Internet for the fourth consecutive day suggests there may be further riots and protests. According to media reports, several football matches were canceled in the first league in cities in the south and northwest of the country. There riots should be especially strong.

Earlier, the United Nations had already expressed fears that the death toll could be significantly higher than Iran claims. The UN Human Rights Bureau called on the Tehran government to engage in dialogue with the people. "Protests of this kind and extent are a sign of deep-seated and often well-founded grievances that can not simply be brushed aside," UN spokesman Rupert Colville said.

"We are very concerned about the reported violations of international norms and standards regarding the use of force, including the use of live ammunition against protesters," Colville said. He also called on the government to immediately restore access to the Internet and other forms of communication.

Rationing of gasoline had triggered protests

Iran is in a deep economic crisis triggered by US sanctions against the country. As a result, the Iranian government had rationed gasoline on Friday night and at the same time increased fuel prices, triggering fierce protests. These are the worst riots since the winter of 2017/18, when 25 people were killed. Even then, the protests had ignited the difficult economic situation in Iran.

The US government, which is using a policy of "maximum pressure" to force the Tehran government to renegotiate the international nuclear agreement, had already criticized the security forces' violence against demonstrators and the Internet ban. The federal government had called the protest legitimate and called on the Iranian leadership to respect the freedom of assembly and expression.