UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk. Photo: Collected

GENEVA, Jan 13, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The United Nations rights chief said Tuesday 
he was "horrified" by the mounting violence directed at protesters across 
Iran, amid reports that hundreds have been killed.

Successive nights of mass protests nationwide since Thursday have posed one 
of the biggest challenges to the clerical leadership since the 1979 Islamic 
revolution ousted the shah.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk urged Tehran to halt all 
forms of violence and repression against peaceful protesters, and to restore 
full access to the internet and phone services.

"The killing of peaceful demonstrators must stop, and the labelling of 
protesters as 'terrorists' to justify violence against them is unacceptable," 
Turk said in a statement.

While broad sections of Iranian society have taken to the streets demanding 
fundamental changes in how the country is run, "the authorities' reaction is 
to inflict brutal force", he said.

"This cycle of horrific violence cannot continue. The Iranian people and 
their demands for fairness, equality and justice must be heard," the UN 
rights chief said.

Turk said all killings, violence against protesters and other rights 
violations must be investigated in line with international human rights norms 
and standards -- and those responsible held to account.

He warned that several hospitals were reportedly overwhelmed by the number of 
casualties, including children.

"It also extremely worrying to see public statements by some judicial 
officials indicating the possibility of the death penalty being used against 
protesters through expedited judicial proceedings," he added.

Some reports indicated that members of the security forces have also been 
killed, he said.

Iranian authorities insisted they have regained control, but rights groups 
accuse the government of using live fire against protesters and masking the 
scale of the crackdown with an internet blackout.

The Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR) said it had confirmed 648 people 
killed during the protests, including nine minors, and thousands more 
injuries, but warned the death toll was likely much higher -- "according to 
some estimates more than 6,000".

Turk's office does not have a presence in Iran but said it was receiving 
reliable information from sources on the ground. Its information so far 
points to hundreds killed, but it is unable to give a precise, verified 
figure.

US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened Iran with military 
intervention, announced Monday a 25-percent tariff on any country doing 
business with Iran.

"Iranians have the right to demonstrate peacefully. Their grievances need to 
be heard and addressed, and not instrumentalised by anyone," Turk added.