A UN official on Iran reported on Monday that protesters are being taken from hospitals and detained by Iranian security forces, a serious violation of the right to medical care under international law.
Special Rapporteur Mai Sato told Reuters that families are being forced to pay ransoms ranging from $5,000 to $7,000 to recover the bodies of their loved ones.
The anti-government protests, ongoing since December, have seen the bloodiest crackdown since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, drawing international condemnation. Iran has blocked internet access since January 8.
The US-based human rights group HRANA reports at least 5,937 deaths, including 214 security personnel, while official Iranian figures report 3,117 fatalities. Reuters has not independently verified these numbers.
Sato added that, while the exact death toll could not be confirmed, evidence suggests it is likely much higher. “There are numerous reports from hospital staff across multiple provinces indicating that security forces have raided hospitals,” she said, adding that families often find their loved ones removed from care the following day.
Medical staff in Tehran hospitals, including one nurse and two doctors, told Reuters that members of the Revolutionary Guard and police visited their wards, demanding patient information to locate and arrest those who had received treatment.
