A scene from protests in Tehran in October
A human rights group says security forces have killed at least 224 people in Iran’s antigovernment protests ignited by death of a 22-year-old woman in custody of hijab police last month.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said Friday that at least 29 minors were among the casualties.
The group added that at least 24 government agents, including from the Revolutionary Guards, paramilitary Basij forces and police, have also been killed during the unrest.
According to HRANA, about 6,000 people are estimated to have been detained, among whom over 670 people have been identified. About 170 of the detainees are students, it added.
Also, HRANA reported that over 420 city and university protest gatherings have been held in 112 cities and 70 universities during the last four weeks, while the protest rallies show no sign of abating in the boldest challenge to Iran's clerical regime since the Islamic revolution of 1979.
Young activists in Iran have formed a protest organizing group that seems to represent a new opposition force, successfully issuing calls for demonstrations nationwide.
The group calling itself Tehran Youth (Javanan-e Tehran) mobilized thousands of protesters in several towns and cities on Saturday and Wednesday through social media at a time of serious internet disruptions.
In their latest statement, Tehran Youth have called on people in Tehran and other cities to gather after midday Saturday “in all places where mercenaries and repression forces are not present” to chant “Down with the Dictator”.