Since 28 December 2025, Iranian authorities have unleashed an unprecedented, deadly crackdown to crush protests that erupted demanding fundamental change and a political system that respects human rights following decades of repression.
Thousands have been arbitrarily detained, and authorities have used unlawful force, resulting in mass killings and serious injuries. We must take action now to end protest violence in Iran and hold those responsible to account.
Authorities have met thousands of protesters with lethal repression – security forces carrying out torture, violence and mass killings, and all under the cover of digital darkness since 8 January, when a nationwide internet shutdown was imposed to conceal their crimes.
Verified videos and eyewitness accounts gathered by Amnesty International show security forces firing rifles and shotguns loaded with metal pellets at protesters, frequently targeting their heads and torsos. Medical facilities have been overwhelmed with the injured, while distraught families search for their missing loved ones in overflowing morgues and hospitals.
The head of judiciary gave orders to show “no leniency” against those who dare to stand up against the Islamic Republic system, and those arbitrarily detained continue to be at risk of conviction, prolonged sentences, and the death penalty based on forced “confessions” extracted under torture or other ill-treatment.
UN member states, including Australia, must take urgent diplomatic action to protect protesters from further violence and massacres and confront the systemic impunity that is driving this deadly crackdown.
There is undeniable evidence that the Iranian authorities have consistently violated human rights law and standards on the use of force and firearms, showing blatant and reckless disregard for human rights.
Sign the petition now to call for the immediate release of all those detained solely for exercising their human rights, to protect from torture and other ill-treatment all those who have been detained, and to ensure anyone charged with a recognisable criminal offence is tried in proceedings meeting international fair trial standards, without recourse to the death penalty.
Amnesty International is a global movement of more than 10 million people who take injustice personally. We are campaigning for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all – and we can only do it with your support.
Act now or learn more about our human rights work.
