As the repression of protests continues, reports indicate that large sums of money are being demanded from the families of victims in order to release the bodies of their loved ones—an action observers describe as psychological torture, a clear violation of human rights, and a continuation of crimes against humanity.
While the suppression of protests has reached a bloody stage with direct gunfire at civilians, new accounts show that the Iranian regime continues to harass families even after killing protesters. According to field reports, security and judicial agents have conditioned the release of victims’ bodies on the payment of sums demanded as “bullet money,” an action that observers assess as psychological torture of families, a gross violation of human rights, and part of crimes against humanity in the repression of protests.
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On January eight alone, 70 bodies of those killed in the protests were transferred to a hospital in Rasht, a city in northern Iran, and another 40 bodies to a hospital in eastern Tehran. Witnesses say security agents demanded 7 billion rials, approximately 5,000 dollars, from families under the pretext of “bullet money” to release the bodies.
According to these reports, the morgue of Poursina Hospital in Rasht lacked sufficient capacity, and agents demanded this heavy sum from families in exchange for releasing the victims’ bodies.
According to informed sources, judicial and security officials tell families that they must pay for every bullet used to kill their loved ones.
The demanded amounts vary by case, ranging from 700 million rials to 2.5 billion rials per bullet. At the current exchange rate, these figures are estimated at approximately 480 to 1,720 dollars.
At a time when the average monthly income of a worker is less than 100 dollars, paying such sums is practically impossible for many families.
The suffering of families who cannot afford to pay
Reports show that families unable to pay these exorbitant sums face additional pressure. In some cases, the bodies of those killed are not returned to their families, and the location where they are being held is not disclosed.
Vingt-troisième jour de manifestations en Iran ; le régime reconnaît de lourdes pertes lors du soulèvement de janvier #IranProtests #IranRevolution #FreeIran2026 #No2ShahNo2Mullahshttps://t.co/XlbcfZ3Bpg
— Iran Focus (@Iran_Focus) January 20, 2026
One family searched for three full days for any trace of their loved one until they were finally told that the body was in Kahrizak, a detention and burial area notorious for abuses. Because the family could not pay the “bullet money” to retrieve the body, they were forced to accept that their brother was a member of the Basij, a paramilitary force under the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
In Mahabad, a city in western Iran, it has also been reported that the bodies of two protest victims have not yet been returned to their families because they cannot afford to pay. It is said that 2.5 billion rials per bullet were demanded, and families were pressured to register their children with the state-run Martyrs Foundation.
Witness accounts of the release of Golaleh Mahmoudi Azar’s body
According to an eyewitness at the memorial ceremony for Gelaleh Mahmoudi Azar at her family home, her body was released to the family in exchange for the payment of 7 billion rials, or 5,000 dollars.
According to the witness, security forces and the IRGC buried Golaleh’s body in the same black bag and allowed the family only three minutes to see her face.
The family was not allowed to wash the body, shroud and bury it, publish funeral notices, or hold mourning ceremonies. IRGC forces and special police units were stationed with vehicles and weapons in front of the family home, and several people have reportedly been arrested during the ceremony.
One of Golaleh Mahmoudi Azar’s relatives said at the memorial ceremony that 2.5 billion rials were demanded for each bullet.
Repression of protests through economic means
The demand for “bullet money” from families is a continuation of the same policy of suppressing protests through various means. At this stage, after killing protesters, economic and psychological pressure is imposed on families to force them into silence.
This action constitutes a form of psychological torture that places families in inhuman conditions—conditions in which they must either pay to receive the body of their loved one or be deprived of the right to mourn.
