Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, on Friday (December 6th) condemned "the serious violence" committed by Iranian security forces during anti-government demonstrations that began on November 15th. According to OHCHR, the repression of the movement killed at least 208 people, including 13 women and 12 children.

"At least 7,000 people have reportedly been arrested in 28 of the 31 provinces of Iran since the start of the demonstrations that broke out on November 15," a spokesman for the High Commission, Rupert Colville, told reporters at a press conference. Geneva.

High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet "is extremely concerned about their conditions of detention, the physical treatment inflicted on them and the violations of their right to due process and the possibility that a significant number of them be charged with offenses punishable by the death penalty, "he added.

"I urge the authorities to immediately release all the demonstrators who were arbitrarily deprived of their liberty," Michelle Bachelet said in a statement.

A possible number of killed "twice as high"

"There is also information, which we have not yet been able to verify, suggesting that the number of killed would be twice as high," noted Rupert Colville. The day before, the US envoy to Iran had advanced the figure of a thousand deaths, but this record was "not certain, because the regime blocks information."

The protest broke out on November 15 when the announcement of a sharp rise in the price of gasoline, in the midst of the economic crisis aggravated by US sanctions, and affected a hundred cities. The authorities, who blocked the Internet during the demonstrations, said they quickly brought order.

Amnesty International has also estimated that at least 208 people have been killed by Iranian security forces, while saying that the "real toll" of this "horrific killing" was "likely to be greater".

Tehran, who described the figures provided by "hostile groups" as "absolute lies", however, admitted for the first time this week that protesters had been killed by the police. A figure that comes down to five deaths, according to the Iranian authorities: four members of the police killed by "rioters" and a civilian.

Shots "in the backs of unarmed protesters who were fleeing"

"Authenticated video footage shows that serious violence has been committed against protesters, including members of the security services who opened fire on the roof of a Ministry of Justice building in a town and for some years. helicopters in another, "laments Michelle Bachelet in a statement.

"We also received images showing that the police fired on the back of unarmed protesters who were fleeing and deliberately targeted the head and vital organs, in other cases", continues she considers the situation "extremely worrying".

The movement, which began on November 15 after rising fuel prices, quickly took a political turn and spread to a hundred localities.

With AFP and Reuters