HRANA – According to HRANA’s latest aggregated data on the twenty-ninth day of the protests, the total number of confirmed deaths has reached 5,848. Of these, 5,520 are protesters, 77 are children under 18, 209 are government-affiliated forces, and 42 are non-protesters or civilians. The number of deaths still under investigation stands at 17,091. Total arrests have reached 41,283; the number of people with severe injuries is 7,804; and 240 cases of forced confessions being broadcast have been reported. The number of individuals summoned to security institutions has reached 11,023. A total of 645 protest-related incidents have been recorded across 197 cities in 31 provinces.
On the twenty-ninth day of the protests, the continuation of communication control policies, ongoing arrests and security confrontations, alarming reports of severe physical injuries, particularly to the eyes, and increased pressure on medical staff, alongside threatening statements by judicial and government officials, were among the key developments of the day.
Continued Internet Disruptions
On the twenty-ninth day of the protests, Iran’s government continues to disrupt and restrict internet access in order to maintain repression and control the flow of information. Available reports indicate that these limitations have not only failed to end but have continued in the form of “short and unstable connections”, a pattern that at times leads users to believe the internet has returned, while in practice stable quality and access are not restored. As a result, some sources report that the restrictions have persisted for more than 17 consecutive days; limitations that, in many parts of the country, have reduced internet access to a minimal level and disrupted access to vital services.
Alongside widespread shutdowns or severe bandwidth reductions, there is evidence of the implementation of a policy of “selective access,” whereby only certain pre-approved or limited services remain available to some users, effectively turning the online space into a controlled environment. This policy has posed serious obstacles to the dissemination of news and the documentation of violence and arrests, while simultaneously targeting civil coordination and the capacity to organize protests.
Internet disruptions have extended beyond the political and security sphere, directly impacting everyday economic activity. In one example, some traders are granted controlled internet access only during very limited windows, sometimes as little as 20 minutes per day. Under these conditions, there has even been discussion of the government monitoring internet usage. Such circumstances demonstrate that internet restrictions have gone beyond “controlling protests” and have become a tool for broader management and surveillance of communications.
The internet shutdown has also inflicted significant damage on the country’s economy. Some reports speak of daily losses amounting to several thousand billion tomans due to communication disruptions, emphasizing that the true impact of these losses is not limited to direct figures; their cascading effects can push commerce, online services, money transfers, company operations, and even access to essential services into crisis. The continuation of this situation, especially while society simultaneously faces security pressures and livelihood crises, has intensified social and economic harm.
Overall, the internet remains in a state of permanent crisis: unstable connections, selective access, a severe drop in quality, and the use of communication restrictions as a complement to street-level repression and mass arrests. This trend has not only cut off channels of information and coordination but has also noticeably disrupted the economic and social lives of citizens.
Arrests and Crackdowns
The pattern of widespread and targeted arrests also persisted. Reports indicate that arrests have taken place in various cities, with a particular focus on ordinary citizens, students, and individuals suspected of participating in or supporting the protests. In addition to individual arrests, there is evidence of mass detentions in some areas and provinces, such that in certain cities the number of detainees has reached dozens within a short period of time.
Alongside arrests, tools of intimidation and psychological pressure have been deployed in parallel. The release of videos or reports featuring forced confessions reflects an escalation of security measures in the media and psychological sphere, an approach aimed at instilling public fear, undermining the credibility of protesters, and controlling the narrative of the protests within the country. There have also been reports of summonses, interrogations, and the application of security pressure on the families and relatives of detainees.
Taken together, an assessment of the arrest situation on the twenty-ninth day shows that security agencies continue to focus on expanding arrests, exerting pressure on social and student activists, and using forced confessions as a complementary tool of repression.
Updated (Cumulative) Statistics as of the End of the Twenty-Ninth Day
• Number of recorded gatherings/protests: 645
• Number of cities involved (no duplicates): 197
• Number of provinces involved (no duplicates): 31
• Confirmed deaths: 5,848
▪️ Protesters: 5,520
▪️ Children (under 18): 77
▪️ Government-affiliated forces: 209
▪️ Non-protesters / civilians: 42
• Deaths under investigation: 17,091
• Severely injured: 7,804
• Total arrests: 41,283
• Broadcasts of forced confessions: 240 cases
• Summonses to security institutions: 11,023 cases
Eye Injuries
One of the consequences of the violent suppression of protesters has been the rise in severe eye injuries resulting from the use of pellet guns or shots fired at the face by suppressive forces. Medical reports and documented accounts indicate that a significant number of protesters have sought treatment for deep injuries to the eyes, face, and eyelids, injuries that in many cases have required emergency surgery and carried the risk of vision loss or even eye removal.
In this context, reports have emerged from Farabi Specialized Eye Hospital indicating that around one thousand individuals with ruptures and severe eye injuries were admitted over a certain period of time. According to these accounts, the hospital’s treatment capacity was insufficient to cope with the volume of injured patients, placing immense strain on medical facilities. The severity of the crisis was such that equipment and stretchers from other hospitals were reportedly used to hospitalize and manage the influx of patients.
The continued documentation of such injuries on multiple days of the protests shows that “eye injury” is not merely a collateral consequence, but rather a recurring pattern of violence that constitutes a significant part of the on-the-ground reality of the 1404 protests and must be documented independently in final reports.
Pressure on Medical Staff and the Minister’s Expression of Thanks
Reports indicate an escalation of security pressure on medical staff and the transformation of medical centers into sites of heightened tension. Field accounts suggest that security forces have, in some cases, entered sensitive hospital wards, even intensive care units (ICUs), with this presence accompanied by threats of arrest and the creation of an atmosphere of fear that has interfered with the treatment of the wounded. As a result, some reports describe efforts by medical staff to hide injured protesters or take emergency measures to prevent their arrest.
At the same time, reports have also been published about the arrest of doctors and paramedics for treating protesters, an issue that directly targets the principle of medical neutrality and the right of the injured to access care. In one instance, the arrest of at least several doctors, as well as the detention of a volunteer paramedic, has been reported; the latter is said to have turned their home into a place of refuge and treatment for the wounded.
However, the health minister has thanked medical staff for saving the lives of thousands of injured people. This “official appreciation” stands in contrast to “security pressure,” in a situation where doctors and nurses, on the one hand, carry out their humanitarian mission of providing care, and on the other, face threats, arrest, or security restrictions.
Position of Iran’s Judiciary and Parliament: Threats of Property Confiscation and Announcement of Damages
On the twenty-ninth day of the protests, official statements by the government continue to emphasize the intensification of judicial and security measures. As an example, the head of the judiciary explicitly stated that no leniency should be shown toward individuals whom the authorities claim have “taken up arms”, a stance that effectively paves the way for harsher punishment, the issuance of heavy sentences, and a reduced likelihood of fair judicial proceedings.
At the legislative and governmental levels as well, there is talk of threats and punishment. The government spokesperson has spoken of the possibility of full confiscation of the property of individuals accused of “encouraging or cooperating” with the protests, noting that even such support could be framed as a serious criminal charge. Along with direct street-level repression and arrests, such threats function as a broader tool of social intimidation and economic pressure on the protesters and their families.
Meanwhile, Iran’s parliament has pursued a path of “political confrontation” in response to international developments, particularly resolutions issued by external bodies. Reports indicate that Iran’s parliament has condemned resolutions issued against the suppression of protesters and has sought to portray the protests as “riots” and “damage to public property.” By simultaneously highlighting financial losses, this policy aims to bolster the legitimacy of repression through portraying the situation as a “security crisis.”
In this vein, various figures regarding financial damages have been announced. For example, reports have cited damages amounting to 1,200 billion tomans in a single province, including harm to banks, public facilities, and even reported damage to emergency vehicles. In official media discourse, such figures are often used to reinforce the authorities’ narrative justifying harsh measures, while at the same time numerous reports of killings, severe injuries, eye trauma, and mass arrests remain unaddressed, with no clear accountability presented regarding the actions of suppressive forces.
Alongside these positions, the propaganda environment has also shown signs of escalating tension and securitization, including the display of symbolic messages in public spaces and the amplification of scenarios involving external confrontation. Taken together, these trends indicate that on the twenty-ninth day of the protests, the ruling establishment has sought to entrench the path of repression and raise the cost of protest for society through a combination of judicial threats, economic pressure, security-driven narrative construction, and the emphasis on financial damages.
Summary
The twenty-ninth day of the nationwide protests unfolded amid HRANA’s cumulative statistics showing a significant increase in fatalities, arrests, and cases of severe injury. At the same time, the continued disruption and shutdown of the internet remained a primary tool for controlling and suppressing the flow of information and restricting public communications, severely hindering the documentation of human rights violations, the monitoring of detainees’ conditions, and the transmission of on-the-ground accounts.
