One month after the nationwide protests swept across Iran in late December 2025, the government’s violent crackdown continues unabated. In an interview with El Pais,U.N. Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, Mai Sato, confirmed in mid-February 2026 that arbitrary arrests, heavy security presence in the streets, and the searching of bystanders’ cell phones “are still happening.” While the regime’s National Security Council claims a death toll of 3,117—categorizing 690 of the victims as “terrorists” according to the Foreign Minister—Sato noted that the actual figure is likely much higher than the official count, emphasizing the unprecedented scale of a protest movement that has reached every province and mobilized ordinary citizens.

The Scale of the Slaughter and State Extortion

The scale of the arrests remains heavily disputed. Official statements from mid-January cited roughly 3,000 detentions, but the real figures are much higher. Sato highlighted extensive reports of forced disappearances, sexual abuse, and torture in detention centers, which in some cases has led to death. Furthermore, a nationwide extortion campaign is being........

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