The Karun Human Rights Organization condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the systematic killing and bloody suppression of protesters in Iran. Based on reports and documentation collected from field sources, victims’ families, medical personnel, and human rights activists, more than 12,000 protesting citizens have so far lost their lives, an alarming figure that indicates the commission of widespread crimes against defenceless civilians.
The direct use of military-grade weapons, pellet guns, targeted shootings of protesters, mass arrests, enforced disappearances, threats against families, and prolonged internet shutdowns constitute clear examples of grave and systematic violations of human rights, including the fundamental right to life.
Available evidence demonstrates that many victims were shot solely for participating in peaceful protests.
The Karun Human Rights Organization emphasizes that primary and direct responsibility for these killings lies with Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). By issuing orders to suppress protests, authorizing live fire against civilians, and deploying armed forces against unarmed citizens, these individuals have committed crimes against humanity. These acts are not isolated or accidental incidents; rather, they form part of a deliberate, organized, and premeditated policy aimed at silencing public dissent.
The Karun Human Rights Organization further stresses that, given their scale, continuity, organized nature, and the direct targeting of the civilian population, these acts meet all material and mental elements outlined in Article 7 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and therefore fully qualify as crimes against humanity. Criminal responsibility for these crimes, in accordance with the principle of command responsibility and hierarchical accountability, rests with Ali Khamenei and IRGC commanders, who, acting as principal decision-makers and instigators, either ordered the use of lethal force against unarmed civilians or, while aware of the commission of these crimes, failed to prevent them or hold perpetrators accountable.
The Karun Human Rights Organization calls upon the United Nations, the UN Human Rights Council, Special Rapporteurs, and all relevant international bodies to:
- Initiate immediate, independent, and international investigations into the killing of more than 12,000 protesters.
- Pursue legal accountability and impose targeted human rights sanctions against “Ali Khamenei” and IRGC commanders as the principal perpetrators and architects of these crimes.
- Utilize all available international judicial mechanisms to end the structural impunity enjoyed by those responsible.
In conclusion, the Karun Human Rights Organization declares its full solidarity with the families of those killed, the injured, and all protesters. It affirms that it will continue to pursue truth, justice, and criminal accountability until the planners, commanders, and perpetrators of these crimes are brought to trial.
