As limited internet access is gradually restored in Iran, more information is emerging about what is believed to be the most violent crackdown on public unrest since the 1979 revolution. Rather than bringing reassurance, renewed connectivity has revealed widespread suffering, fear and alleged abuses carried out during the unrest.
Reports from inside the country describe deep trauma among the population. Many people remain fearful, avoiding social media and limiting phone conversations due to surveillance. In some areas, silence has become a means of survival.
Several organisations have released differing figures on the number of deaths linked to the protests. Iran International has reported that more than 36,500 people may have been killed. The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has confirmed 6,373 deaths, with over 17,000 cases still under investigation. Other estimates suggest the final death toll could exceed 25,000. Human rights groups believe many deaths have not been officially recorded, with bodies allegedly concealed to reduce public awareness of the scale of the violence.
As more details emerge, accounts describe families spending days outside courts, prisons and hospitals in search of missing relatives. Some are reportedly required to view large numbers of bodies to identify loved ones. In certain cases, families have allegedly been pressured to sign false statements before receiving a body, claiming the deceased was part of the security forces.
Arrests have continued across the country, with reports of heavy bail demands and detainees not being released despite payments being made. There are also allegations of secret executions, with deaths later attributed to protest-related violence.
Hospitals are no longer seen as safe spaces by many. Medical workers have described injured protesters being removed by security forces or denied treatment. Doctors, nurses and emergency responders have reportedly been detained or punished for helping the wounded, with such actions treated as opposition to the state.
Among those affected are members of Iran’s Christian minority. A Christian firefighter, Yohanna Mirpadyab, was reportedly shot and killed while responding to a fire during the unrest. Other Christians are said to be imprisoned, held without contact with their families, or facing severe mistreatment.
House churches and Christian gatherings have come under renewed pressure. Christians are often portrayed by authorities as foreign agents or threats to national security, leading to arrests and confiscation of religious materials. One Christian convert, previously imprisoned for charges linked to her faith, was reportedly detained again earlier this year and has not been heard from since.
Fear has also spread beyond Iran’s borders. Iranian Christians living abroad have faced questioning and detention by immigration authorities in some countries, with the possibility of forced return to Iran. Advocacy groups warn that deportation would place these individuals at immediate risk.
Despite the danger, leaders within Iran’s underground church continue to call for prayer and support. They express a desire to serve their communities with compassion and truth, even as years of religious repression have created deep mistrust.
Christian leaders have urged believers around the world to pray for wisdom, protection and courage for those in Iran, and for justice for all who are suffering amid the ongoing crisis.
Names have been changed to protect identities.
Based on reports from Open Doors.
