Iran: 42,000 protesters arrested after bloody riots

Smaller protests that began last December in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar over economic hardship unleashed long-suppressed broader grievances and quickly escalated into the most serious existential threat to Iran’s Shiite theocracy in nearly five decades.

The authorities cut off Internet access and killed thousands of people in violent riots, according to human rights groups. Tehran blames “armed terrorists” linked to Israel and the United States for the violence.

Within days, plainclothes security forces launched a campaign of arrests accompanied by an increased presence on the streets around checkpoints, according to five activists from Iran who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“They arrest everyone,” said one activist. “No one knows where they are being taken or where they are being held. With these arrests and threats, they are trying to bring fear into society,” he added.

Lawyers, doctors, witnesses and two Iranian officials gave similar statements to Reuters on condition of anonymity to avoid retaliation by security services.

Multiple Western and Middle Eastern sources told Reuters this week that Trump was considering options against Iran, such as targeted strikes on security forces and leaders to motivate protesters, although Israeli and Arab officials said air power alone would not topple the clerical establishment.

According to the latest list of the American human rights group HRANA, 6,373 people were killed – 5,993 protesters, 214 members of the security forces, 113 under the age of 18 and 53 bystanders. 42,486 people were arrested, according to HRANA data.

Two Iranian officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to Reuters that authorities have arrested thousands of people in recent days.

They said many detainees are being held in unofficial detention facilities, “including warehouses and other improvised locations.”

Iranian authorities have refused to publicly comment on the number of arrests and the location of those arrested. On January 21, the authorities announced that 3,117 people had been killed in the riots.

Three Iranian lawyers told Reuters that dozens of families had contacted them in recent days.

“Many families contact us to request legal assistance for their detained children,” said one lawyer. “Some of those arrested are younger than 18 years old – boys and girls,” he added.