UN 'alarmed' by reports of 'significant' death toll in Iran protests

GENEVA — The UN rights office says that it is “alarmed” by reports that live ammunition was used against protesters in Iran and had caused a significant number of deaths across the country.

“We are especially alarmed that the use of live ammunition has allegedly caused a significant number of deaths across the country,” United Nations human rights office spokesman Rupert Colville tells reporters.

He adds that while casualty details were hard to verify, in part because of an internet shutdown in place since Saturday, Iranian media and “a number other sources” suggest that “dozens of people may have been killed” during the demonstrations.

— AFP

Iranian protesters gather around a fire during a demonstration against an increase in gasoline prices in the capital Tehran, on November 16, 2019. (AFP)

UN ‘alarmed’ by reports of ‘significant’ death toll in Iran protests

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