Warning: this story contains graphic content which some readers might find distressing. Hundreds of photos revealing the faces of those killed during Iran's violent crackdown on anti-government protests have been leaked to BBC Verify. The pictures show the bloodied, swollen, and bruised faces of at least 326 victims, including 18 women. Displayed in a south Tehran mortuary, these images have become a crucial way for families to identify their deceased members. Many faces are too disfigured for easy identification, with 69 victims listed as John or Jane Doe. Over 100 victims had recorded death dates on 9 January—a particularly deadly night for protesters following a call for demonstrations from Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the national monarch. The leaked images reflect a small portion of the thousands thought to have lost their lives at the hands of the Iranian government.
BBC Verify has tracked the protests across Iran since they reignited in late December, but an almost total internet blackout imposed by authorities has stifled comprehensive documentation of the violence. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei acknowledged several thousand deaths but placed blame on foreign adversaries and those he characterized as 'seditionists.' Despite the ongoing blackout, some individuals are managing to extract vital information to share abroad.
The chilling images leaked depict the harsh reality faced by many victims. Initial analyses suggest that while 392 photos were provided, 326 individuals were identified, some pictured from multiple angles, hinting at the tragic scope of this event.
Eyewitness accounts describe the devastation in the mortuary, with family members trying to identify loved ones amid continuous slideshow projections of victims displaying debilitating injuries. This harrowing experience underscores the brutality of the Iranian state's response to dissent, which may have caused upwards of 4,000 deaths according to independent human rights estimates.
BBC Verify has tracked the protests across Iran since they reignited in late December, but an almost total internet blackout imposed by authorities has stifled comprehensive documentation of the violence. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei acknowledged several thousand deaths but placed blame on foreign adversaries and those he characterized as 'seditionists.' Despite the ongoing blackout, some individuals are managing to extract vital information to share abroad.
The chilling images leaked depict the harsh reality faced by many victims. Initial analyses suggest that while 392 photos were provided, 326 individuals were identified, some pictured from multiple angles, hinting at the tragic scope of this event.
Eyewitness accounts describe the devastation in the mortuary, with family members trying to identify loved ones amid continuous slideshow projections of victims displaying debilitating injuries. This harrowing experience underscores the brutality of the Iranian state's response to dissent, which may have caused upwards of 4,000 deaths according to independent human rights estimates.
