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Home > Finance > UN rights office says hundreds killed in Iran protests

UN rights office says hundreds killed in Iran protests

Published by Global Banking and Finance Review

Posted on January 13, 2026

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Tags:Human Rights international organizations financial community social development

UN Human Rights Chief Condemns Violence Against Iran Protesters

UN Response to Iran's Ongoing Protests

By Emma Farge

GENEVA, Jan 13 (Reuters) - The U.N. human rights chief said on Tuesday that he was "horrified" by mounting violence by Iran's security forces against peaceful protesters, with the U.N. citing its own sources as saying that hundreds have been killed so far.

The Islamic Republic's clerical authorities are facing the biggest demonstrations since 2022 and on Sunday a rights group said that unrest has killed more than 500 people. An Iranian official indicated on Tuesday it was higher, at around 2,000.

Concerns Over Violence and Death Penalty

"This cycle of horrific violence cannot continue. The Iranian people and their demands for fairness, equality and justice must be heard," U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said in a statement read out by U.N. rights office spokesperson Jeremy Laurence.

International Reactions and Potential Interventions

Asked to comment on the scale of the killings, Laurence, citing the United Nations' sources in Iran, said: "The number that we're hearing is hundreds."

Turk also voiced concern that the death penalty might be used against thousands of protesters who have been arrested.

The unrest has prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to reissue threats to intervene militarily on behalf of Iran's protesters.

"There's concern that (the protests) have been instrumentalised, and they shouldn't be instrumentalised by anyone," said Laurence on a possible U.S. intervention.

(Reporting by Emma Farge, editing by Miranda Murray)

Frequently Asked Questions about UN rights office says hundreds killed in Iran protests

1What is human rights?

Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person in the world, from birth until death. They include the right to life and liberty, freedom of thought and expression, and equality before the law.

2What is the role of the United Nations?

The United Nations (UN) is an international organization founded in 1945. Its primary purpose is to promote peace, security, and cooperation among countries, and to address global issues such as human rights, development, and humanitarian aid.

3What is the death penalty?

The death penalty, also known as capital punishment, is a legal process where a person is executed by the state as a punishment for a crime. It is often applied in cases of severe offenses, such as murder.