Iranian police and militia enforcers have killed 185 people since protests erupted last month over the death in custody of 22-year-old Martha Amini, according to human rights groups.
At least 19 of those killed were children, according to Iranian human rights groups. Unrest spread across the country for weeks following the death of Amini, who was seriously injured while in custody by Iran’s moral police. Protesters set fire to a police station and killed pro-government enforcers demanding an end to the Islamist regime.
According to the IHR, police killings occurred in 17 provinces across Iran, but violence was most severe in Sistan and Baluchistan in the southeast of the country.
The Iranian government has denied responsibility, claiming that Amini died of his own accord while in police custody.
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Morality police were the first to arrest a woman for wearing the hijab improperly. The incident has resulted in tens of thousands of Iranian women stripping off their hijabs and some even burning them in the streets.
The Iranian government has responded with a deadly military crackdown and widespread internet cutoffs, making it difficult to verify casualty estimates.
Multiple unverified videos have been circulating on social media that appear to show students defying the regime. Other videos appear to show pro-government forces firing at demonstrators. Iranians have been protesting against the regime for years, but observers say the current fears are different.
“The Iranian people have been protesting for more than two weeks. This time it is different. See the courage of the Iranian protesters who are burning Basij headquarters and police cars, attacking and even killing regime forces. Never before,” Iranian analyst Lisa Daftali told Fox News Digital last week.
“But what the Iranian people are telling the world is that they want to continue and fight their own battle, but they don’t believe they can do it without Western support. The support they need is not.From the podium, though, it’s a good start.The people of Iran need the West, led by the United States, to turn from appeasing the regime to helping the people. I am,” she continued.
Crowds across the country chanted “Death to Khamenei!” and “Death to the dictator!” refers to Iran’s supreme leader.
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Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei denounced the protest “Riot”, accusing the US and Israel of inciting the riot.
Fox News’ Ashley Papa contributed to this report.