Silent accounts: testimonies of protesters emerging from the heart of repression that have been widely published in foreign media, including Euronews, Voice of America, The Sunday Times, and other international outlets. These reports, relying on testimonies from protesters and families of victims, present a human and shocking picture of the bloody crackdown on protests in Iran. These are accounts that, amid internet blackouts and severe censorship, were smuggled out of the country at the risk of death.
Protesters’ Testimonies: Shoot-to-Kill
One young protester who was wounded during the demonstrations told sources outside the country that security forces fired without warning. He emphasized that bullets were aimed at the head and chest. The protester said the forces were not trying to disperse the crowd but intended to kill.
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Doctors who secretly treated the wounded confirmed in protesters’ testimonies that the injuries were caused by military-grade weapons. According to them, the severity of the wounds is inconsistent with crowd-control weapons.
Families Who Were Denied Even the Right to Mourn
In another part of international media reports, families of victims spoke about security pressures after their children were killed. The mother of one of those killed said security agents handed over her child’s body at night. They imposed the condition that the burial ceremony be held without public attendance.
According to these protesters’ testimonies, many families were forced to sign written pledges. These pledges prohibited them from speaking to the media. In some cases, families were even barred from stating the cause of death.
Enforced Disappearance and Total Lack of Information
One of the most shocking parts of protesters’ testimonies concerns the enforced disappearance of detainees. Families reported that after their children were arrested, they had no information about their fate for weeks and even months. Repeated visits to prisons and prosecutors’ offices yielded no results. Some testimonies state that security agents denied the very existence of the detainees. This situation has left families in a state of suspension and constant fear.
Internet Blackouts; A Tool to Conceal Crimes
Widespread internet shutdowns played a major role in concealing these testimonies. Protesters’ communication with the outside world dropped to nearly zero. Many accounts were sent only through brief calls and limited communication tools.
According to these media reports, this digital blackout caused the true scale of killings and arrests to remain hidden from global public opinion. Protesters’ testimonies were published when many of the victims were no longer alive.
A Generation That Was Targeted
The majority of protesters’ testimonies belong to young people under 30. Families said their children had no weapons and were present in the streets only chanting slogans.
These testimonies show that the repression was neither random nor limited. The accounts point to a clear pattern: the direct targeting of the young generation. The testimonies of protesters and families of victims expose a reality that the Iranian regime has tried to conceal for years. These accounts show that repression in Iran is not merely a security response, but an organized project aimed at silencing an entire generation.
