Dozens of people are feared to have been killed in Iran as the result of protests, according to the UN human rights office.
The protests, focusing on a sharp rise in petrol prices, have been happening since last Friday and have turned violent, with live ammunition thought to have been fired. The internet in Iran has also been largely shutdown this week.
The Iranian government has claimed those protesting on the streets were “rioters”.
Amnesty International has said it had received reports that at least 106 protestors had died. In a tweet on Monday, Amnesty International said;
We’re horrified at reports that dozens of protesters have been killed in #Iran, hundreds injured & over 1000 arrested since Friday. We’re alarmed that authorities have shut down the internet to create an information blackout of their brutal crackdown. We’re investigating.
A rise of 50% in petrol prices was announced by the government last week and also a limit on the amount of fuel drivers could use each month. The economy in Iran has been struggling, partly as a result of US sanctions on the country.
The Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has claimed victory over the protests according to state media, however, the internet shutdown is still largely in effect. The exact details of the shutdown are unknown, but it is thought the shutdown may have been to stop news about the exact force of the protests spreading outside of Iran, sparking international concern
