Recent investigations by Iranian academics in the U.S. and the U.K. universities published on July 2021 showed that the number of those killed during the November 2019 uprising is more than three times this figure.
The research done with considerable accuracy indicates that the number of those who passed away in November 2019 was 4,200 more than the previous month in October and 4,900 more than the following month in December.
The 2019 protests also known as November uprisings, were a series of nationwide civil protests in Iran initially caused by a 50%–200% increase in fuel prices, leading to calls for the overthrow of the government in Iran and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The protests spread to 191cities within hours.
To crush the protests the Iranian government, shot protesters dead from rooftops, helicopters, and at close range with machine gun fire. Among those killed were children between the ages of 13 and 15. The number of injured was estimated at more than 4,000. The number of detainees also reached at least 12,000.
In an effort to mask the scale and casualty count of the protests, it hauled away large numbers of bodies of the dead protesters and threatened families of slain protesters not to speak to the media or hold funerals.
The government shut down the Internet nationwide, resulting in a near-total internet blackout of around six days.
Khamenei ordered crackdown – ‘Do whatever it takes to end it’
In a Special Report on December 23, 2019, Reuters said, “after days of protests across Iran last month, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appeared impatient. Gathering his top security and government officials together, he issued an order: Do whatever it takes to stop them.”
That order, confirmed by three sources close to the supreme leader’s inner circle and a fourth official, set in motion the bloodiest crackdown on protesters since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
That evening at his official residence in a fortified compound in central Tehran, Khamenei met with senior officials. At the meeting, described to Reuters by the three sources close to his inner circle, Khamenei raised his voice and expressed criticism of the handling of the unrest. “The Islamic Republic is in danger. Do whatever it takes to end it. You have my order,” the supreme leader told the group, one of the sources said.
According to Reuters, Khamenei said he would hold the assembled officials responsible for the consequences of the protests if they didn’t immediately stop them.
In another part of its report, the news agency referred to the role of repressive forces.
A local official in Karaj, a working-class city near the capital, said there were orders to use whatever force was necessary to end the protests immediately. “Orders came from Tehran,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Push them back to their homes, even by shooting them.” Local government officials declined to comment.
Residents of Karaj said they came under fire from rooftops as Revolutionary Guards and police on motorcycles brandished machine guns.
In Mahshahr county, in the strategically important Khuzestan province in southwest Iran, Revolutionary Guards in armored vehicles and tanks sought to contain the demonstrations. State TV said security forces opened fire on “rioters” hiding in the marshes. Rights groups said they believe Mahshahr had one of the highest protest death tolls in Iran, based on what they heard from locals.
“The next day when we went there, the area was full of bodies of protesters, mainly young people. The Guards did not let us take the bodies,” the local official said, estimating that “dozens” were killed.
Referring to the Mahshahr tragedy the agency wrote, “In Mahshahr county, in the strategically important Khuzestan province in southwest Iran, Revolutionary Guards in armored vehicles and tanks sought to contain the demonstrations. State TV said security forces opened fire on “rioters” hiding in the marshes. Rights groups said they believe Mahshahr had one of the highest protest death tolls in Iran, based on what they heard from locals.”
“The next day when we went there, the area was full of bodies of protesters, mainly young people. The Guards did not let us take the bodies,” the local official said, estimating that “dozens” were killed.
Raisi cannot erase his criminal record, he promised to deliver “severe punishment”
As the head of the judiciary, Ebrahim Raisi addressed the widespread protests among Basij students on November 22, 2019.
“Those who created chaos and insecurity in the society should know that they will be severely punished …” he said.
Raisi reiterated, “The security of the country is our most important issue and under no circumstances will we allow the slightest disturbance in security …”.
In a meeting of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary on July 20, 2020, in response to the protest hashtags condemning the execution of three detainees during November uprisings, he described “counter-revolution and robots” as a supporter of hashtags.
Based on reports received from human rights organizations and resources, hundreds of years of prison sentences, hundreds of flogging sentences, as well as exile and compulsory services for the government, were among the punishments handed down by judges during the tenure of Ibrahim Raisi on the judiciary.
Source » iran-hrm