A/HRC/43/61 and social rights. Efforts to exercise civil and political rights, including protests and social mobilization calling for an improvement in the economic situation in the country, have led to widespread protests. Between 15 and 21 November 2019, protests spread across 29 of the country’s 31 provinces, with as many as 200,000 participants. 2 The protests began after the Government announced on 15 November that, effective immediately, the price of a litre of petrol would increase by 50 per cent and that each car would be entitled to a monthly ration of 60 litres, with additional purchases costing 200 per cent more. 3 The protests appeared to reflect widespread discontent with the economic situation, which has posed significant challenges for Iranians and which is the result of mismanagement and corruption as well as sanctions imposed by the United States. 6. The authorities reacted strongly to the protests, warning that decisive action would be taken if the unrest continued, and reportedly deployed a heavy police presence in major cities to deter protesters. 4 The Special Rapporteur is alarmed at the reported deaths and injuries of protesters caused by the Iranian security forces. According to credible reports, at least 304 people, including 12 children, are confirmed to have died; unconfirmed reports indicate that the total number of deaths is over 400. 5 In the days following the demonstrations, footage and reports emerged of brutal tactics employed by the security forces, including the use of live ammunition against unarmed individuals. 6 A member of the Iranian parliament’s Commission on National Security and Foreign Policy stated on 25 November that more than 7,000 people had been arrested during the protests.7 Detainees have reportedly been held in overcrowded conditions, without access to lawyers and in some cases have been subjected to torture and ill-treatment and pressured into making forced confessions.8 The Special Rapporteur is disturbed by reports that detainees are also being denied medical treatment, including for injuries caused by the excessive use of force by the security forces, and that some detainees are being held incommunicado or are being subjected to enforced disappearance. There are particular concerns that journalists and their families specifically have been threatened and arrested to prevent them from reporting on protests.9 Journalists have been strictly ordered not to criticize the government response to the protests and the relatives of journalists working for Farsi-language news outlets based outside of the Islamic Republic of Iran are being put under pressure by the authorities, including by being summoned for interrogation in an attempt to intimidate and silence news reporting by their relatives. 7. The Special Rapporteur is deeply concerned about the Government’s excessive use of force during the protests in November 2019 in provinces with a majority population of ethnic minorities. According to reports, some of those provinces have the highest numbers of deaths, with 84 and 52 people being killed in Khuzestan and Kermanshah Provinces respectively. Dozens of activists from ethnic minorities, including Kurds and AzerbaijaniTurks, were reportedly summoned or arrested following the protests. The Special Rapporteur has also received reports that officials have increased arrests of Baha’is 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-protests/iran-says-200000-took-to-streets-in-anti-governmentprotests-idUSKBN1Y11PE. www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-50444429. www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-gasoline-protests/irans-guards-warn-of-decisive-action-if-unrestcontinues-idUSKBN1XS1BU; www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-gasoline-protests/more-than-100protestors-killed-in-iran-during-unrest-amnesty-international-idUSKBN1XT0X7. www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2019/12/iran-thousands-arbitrarily-detained-and-at-risk-of-torturein-chilling-post-protest-crackdown/. www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-50562584; www.hrw.org/news/2019/11/27/iran-deliberatecoverup-brutal-crackdown. www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-protests/iran-says-200000-took-part-in-anti-government-demoslawmaker-says-7000-held-idUSKBN1Y11PE. www.iranhr.net/en/articles/4020. https://iranhumanrights.org/2019/11/we-know-where-you-live-iran-goes-after-foreign-basedreporters/; https://iranhumanrights.org/2019/11/iranian-government-dictated-to-local-media-how-tocover-protests-new-documents-reveal/. 3