Warning: this story contains graphic content which some readers might find distressing. Hundreds of photos revealing the faces of those killed during Iran's violent crackdown on anti-government protests have been leaked to BBC Verify. The pictures, which are too graphic to show without blurring, reveal the bloodied, swollen and bruised faces of at least 326 victims - including 18 women. These images, displayed in a mortuary in south Tehran, represent one of the few ways families have been able to identify their deceased loved ones.
Many of the victims were too disfigured to be recognized, and 69 people had been labeled as John or Jane Doe, indicating their identities were unknown when captured. Only 28 of the deceased were clearly identified in the photos. The labels on over 100 victims marked their date of death as 9 January, one of the deadliest nights for protesters in Tehran.
During this escalation, the streets of the city were engulfed in chaos with demonstrators chanting anti-regime slogans. This surge in violence came following a nationwide protest call from Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the late Shah. The leaked images provide a disturbing glimpse of the thousands believed to have been killed by the state.
BBC Verify continues to track the spread of protests across Iran amidst an internet blackout that hinders documentation of the government's violent response. The Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has acknowledged the deaths in a vague manner while attributing blame to foreign actors. As Iran's brutal suppression persists, the leaked images are a crucial reminder of the high cost of dissent against the regime.
Many of the victims were too disfigured to be recognized, and 69 people had been labeled as John or Jane Doe, indicating their identities were unknown when captured. Only 28 of the deceased were clearly identified in the photos. The labels on over 100 victims marked their date of death as 9 January, one of the deadliest nights for protesters in Tehran.
During this escalation, the streets of the city were engulfed in chaos with demonstrators chanting anti-regime slogans. This surge in violence came following a nationwide protest call from Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the late Shah. The leaked images provide a disturbing glimpse of the thousands believed to have been killed by the state.
BBC Verify continues to track the spread of protests across Iran amidst an internet blackout that hinders documentation of the government's violent response. The Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has acknowledged the deaths in a vague manner while attributing blame to foreign actors. As Iran's brutal suppression persists, the leaked images are a crucial reminder of the high cost of dissent against the regime.
