Videos from the Kahrizak Forensic Medical Center, south of Tehran, show rows of body bags and packed temporary morgues as families frantically search for loved ones amid Iran’s crackdown on nationwide protests. HRANA and local activists estimate roughly 250 bodies at the facility; HRANA reports more than 500 protester deaths nationally and over 10,000 detentions. State media blames “rioters,” while rights groups and eyewitnesses point to deadly force by security personnel. An ongoing internet blackout limits independent verification of casualties.
Morgue Overflows Near Tehran as Families Search for Loved Ones Amid Iran’s Crackdown
Iranians screamed in anguish and cried in confusion as they gathered beside bodies shrouded in black bags in a makeshift morgue at the Kahrizak Forensic Medical Center and lying on the ground outside the facility south of Tehran.- Clipped From Video
At the Kahrizak Forensic Medical Center, south of Tehran, anguished relatives gathered beside rows of black body bags and bodies laid out on the ground, frantically trying to identify loved ones amid scenes captured by videos that have filtered through Iran’s internet blackout.
Footage obtained by news organizations shows warehouse-like rooms and open courtyards at the forensics facility where dozens — and by some counts hundreds — of bodies have been brought. Images circulated by the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) and video visible on screens at the site suggest roughly 250 bodies may be held at Kahrizak.
Additional clips show black body bags lined along walkways with people gathered nearby, some bodies resting on unpaved ground or just feet from parked cars as families search for remains. The activist group Mamlekate said so many bodies were arriving that they were being lined across the institute’s courtyard, and one video shows a warehouse converted into a temporary morgue with rows of bodies on the floor and metal tables.
Iranian security forces keep watch during a pro-government rally held in Tehran on Monday. - Getty Images
Iranian state-affiliated outlets acknowledged the scenes but framed many of the deceased as ordinary bystanders caught up in unrest and blamed fatalities on “rioters.” State media footage includes interviews with grieving relatives who said their loved ones were not protesters. In one clip, a man tearfully tells a reporter his relative — whom he described as pro-government — was struck on the head by a rock thrown from a building.
“The Iranian authorities are responsible for the deaths and injuries of bystanders at the protests,” said Michael Page, deputy director of Human Rights Watch’s Middle East and North Africa division.
Rights groups and eyewitnesses contest the government’s framing. Multiple eyewitness accounts collected by media outlets say security forces used live fire and other violent tactics against demonstrators. Two witnesses in Tehran told reporters that security personnel armed with military rifles killed “many people” on a single night, and others described the use of Tasers and other force against protesters.
Casualty figures remain contested and incomplete. HRANA reports more than 500 protesters killed nationwide, including nine minors, and over 10,000 detained since demonstrations began in late December. State-affiliated media, conversely, says more than 100 security personnel have been killed. International outlets including CNN say they cannot independently verify these tallies because of the government-imposed internet shutdown and restricted access for reporters.
Protesters gather in Tehran on January 8. - Getty Images
Iranian officials, including Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni and President Masoud Pezeshkian, have defended security forces and warned against joining what they call “rioters” or foreign-backed “mercenaries.” Iran’s attorney general has vowed harsh legal action against those labeled rioters, including the death penalty.
As Iran enters multiple days of an internet blackout, the limited video and witness accounts emerging from places such as Kahrizak offer a stark — but incomplete — window into the human cost of the government’s response to nationwide protests driven by worsening economic conditions and broader political grievances.
Reporters contributing to coverage include Jomana Karadsheh, Farida Elsebai and Avery Schmitz.
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