More than 100 Nobel Prize laureates have issued an open letter condemning what they describe as mass human-rights violations in Iran amid the bloodiest phase of nationwide protests since the 1979 revolution, calling on world leaders to take “practical steps” in support of demonstrators.
In the January 2026 statement, the signatories express alarm at the “gross and shocking violations of rights of citizens” and use of lethal force against crowds by regime forces.
The letter expresses outrage that security forces have shot demonstrators, raided hospitals, and detained wounded protesters, and it argues the unrest reflects deep anger over repression, corruption and rising protesters “use of lethal weapons” has been central to the crackdown.
Khamenei on The January Protests: It Was Like a Coup, But the Coup Was Suppressed https://t.co/9DxPQYe6dh via @Iran_Focus
— Iran Focus (@Iran_Focus) February 1, 2026
The protests began in late December 2025 as demonstrations over deteriorating economic conditions broadened into anti-government rallies.
By early January, Iranian authorities imposed major internet restrictions after unrest intensified, a move that has made independent verification of casualties and arrests difficult.
However, it is clear that thousands of protesters have been murdered by the regime. The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) has released the names of around 1,500 civilians killed by the regime, which include many minors.
The letter’s message: support protesters, reject dictatorship
The Nobel laureates’ statement states that the protests are a push for democratic governance, saying demonstrators “reject any dictatorship, whether monarchical or religious” and want a “democratic, pluralistic” republic. It adds that Iranians “deserve the strong and unwavering support of the free world.”
The signatories include a mix of Peace Prize winners and laureates in sciences and literature.
The open letter warns that Iran’s regime carried out more than 2,200 executions in 2025 and cites an exceptionally high December total.
