Many Arrested, 16 Killed by the End of the 5th Day of the Protests in Iran

HRANA News Agency – The mass-protests which began on December 28, 2017, continued on the fifth day in various cities of Iran. At least 21 cities in Iran were the scene of popular protests on December 28, 2017. Although the major protests were held peacefully but some reports were also received from the conflicts between the police forces and protesters that led to the arrest and wounding of citizens. So far, government sources have confirmed 16 deaths, at least two of whom were the Basij or Corps forces, as well as the arrest of about 450 people. HRANA estimates a much higher number especially with regard to the detainees.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran (HRANA), the rallies which have begun on the pretext of economic and administrative corruption, continued in many Iranian cities on the fifth day of the protests.

On the fifth day of the massive protests, various cities of Iran including Yazd, Tehran, Sanandaj, Karaj, Kangavar, Kermanshah, Shadegan, Masjed Soleiman, Nahavand, Rasht, Tabriz, Ardebil, Zanjan, Shahin Shahr, Ghahdarijan, Dehdasht, Najaf Abad, Khomeini Shahr, Bandar-e Mahshahr, Takestan and Bushehr witnessed the presence of protesters.

Protest rallies were drawn to violence in some cities and an unspecified number of citizens were also arrested.

The protests continue as the government tries to filter the social networks and messengers, including Instagram, WhatsApp and Telegram, to control the situation on December 31, 2017.

The videos of protests show that protests continued until midnight in some cities.

The authorities have confirmed the deaths of about 16 people on the fifth day of the protests in many Iranian cities.

Mashaala Nemati, Governor of Dorud confirmed in a conversation with ILNA that at least 4 people had been killed in the city and 6 others had been injured on December 31, 2017 and January 1, 2018.

In addition, Iran News Network reported that six people were killed in Tuyserkan in Hamadan province and three in Shahin Shahr in Isfahan province on January 1, 2018.

In addition, Hedayatullah Khademi, representative of Izeh in Islamic Consultative Assembly, also said in an interview with Ensaf News that two people were killed in the gatherings in Izeh at the night of December 31, 2017.

RAJA News claimed that two Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces were killed by shooting in Najaf Abad. The website previously referred to the dead as Basij forces. Some domestic news agencies claimed that a police officer was killed in Najaf Abad.

By calculating these statistics, according to official statistics, the number of killed in recent gatherings has reached to at least 16 people.

On the other hand, the slogans were not limited to economic demands and protesters chanted slogans against the Iranian regime, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on January 1, 2018.

The reports indicated the hundreds of arrests along with killed. However, senior officials of the country have so far remained silent regarding the news.

Mizan Online News Agency reported the arrest of 25 protesters in Pardis, the prosecutor of Pardis said to Mizan that they would confront with “any unlawful gathering.”

The Police Chief of Robat Karim said in an interview with Mehr News Agency that 3 women and 4 men of protest leaders were arrested in Parand on December 31, 2017.

The Deputy Governor of the West Azarbaijan also told Tasnim News Agency that 10 protesters were arrested in Urmia.

The judiciary and security authorities have not provided comprehensive statistics of the detainees. However, Shargh Daily wrote, the governor of Markazi Province has announced the arrest of 100 people in Arak.

The political Deputy Governor of Ardebil said in an interview with ISNA that most of the arrestees in protest of Ardabil were released by obtaining the commitment on December 31, 2017, and January 1, 2018.

According to RAJA News, the media close to the security agencies, a number of protesters were also arrested in Isfahan, but there is no detailed information on the detainees.

HRANA reported that the security forces had arrested 4 students following the joint meeting of the four members of the students’ union of Tehran University with the university president regarding the pursuit of the freedom of detained students who have been arrested during recent protests.

The security forces had arrested the four students, who were present at the joint meeting on behalf of students’ union, after the end of the meeting and moved them to an unknown location on January 1, 2018.

Leila Hosseinzadeh is one of these students.

Finally, Fars News Agency announced the arrest of three leaders in the protests of Hamedan.

On December 31, 2017, the deputy security police of Tehran governorate told Ilna about the arrest of 200 people in the gatherings in the central regions of Tehran on December 30, 2017, that about 200 people, who had the intention of engaging and destroying the properties, were arrested in Enghelab and Valiasr district on December 30, 2017. He added that these people were under the authority of the judiciary while others were released by ruth. There were also several arrested students who were released; some of the students’ families were in front of the university.

Ali Asghar Naserbakht also said that the total number of “leaders who were arrested in the illegal gathering on December 30, 2017, was about 40.”

Also, HRANA’s reporters were informed that at least 4 people were arrested by security forces in Dehdasht on December 31, 2017. Bahman Tafazoli Nasab and Behnam Ghaedi are two of them.

The Police Chief of Robat Karim also informed the arrest of a person named (R. E) who released the call for the protest rally on Instagram.

Alireza Radfar, Deputy Governor of the West Azarbaijan also said on December 31, 2017, that ten people, who intended to stimulate people, were arrested in this province.

On the other hand, Jawad Karimi Ghoddoosi, the MP from Mashhad and Kalat told Alef’s reporter about the arrest of several people protesting to the economic situation in Mashhad. Even so, officials have already reported the arrest of 52 people during the Mashhad protests.

Golestan Province Broadcasting reported that about 40 of the leaders and main elements were arrested in gathering in Gorgan on December 30, 2017, that two of 2 detainees had come from Tehran to Golestan province.

In addition, at least 80 people were arrested and 4 were wounded on December 30, 2017, in the aftermath of violent attack and beatings of protesters by security forces in Arak. However, on December 30, 2017, following the continuation of protests, Ali Aghazadeh, Governor of Markazi Province said that 100 people had been arrested during recent unrests, that is unclear whether it was about protests on December 30, 2017, or the provision of large-scale statistics from the last few days in the area.

HRANA reported on December 29, 2017 that at least three students from Zahedan, Amin Rezai, Omid Arsalan Pejman and Yasin Mirzai were arrested by the police following the protests in Zahedan.

Since December 29, 2017, people in many cities have gathered in Iran to protest against the bad economic situation. Security agents used tear gas and water cannon against protesters.

The following video report is a summary of 38 videos of mass-protests in various cities on January 1, 2018, which have been verified by HRANA.

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