Cartoon by Romina Zabihian 

Medical Evidence Shows Intent to Kill or Maim Protesters in Rasht

IranWire: Records from Two Rasht Hospitals, January 8 and 9; Shots to the Head and Vital Organs

Medical documents from two hospitals in the city of Rasht, the capital of Gilal province, which have been obtained by IranWire, show that the security and military agents of the Islamic Republic targeted protesters in their vital organs with both live ammunition and pellet guns, such that many of these protesters faced life-threatening risks and permanent injuries. These documents show that during the protests of January 8, 9, and 10 of this year, 307 injured protesters were treated in just these two hospitals in Rasht, among whom 64 individuals lost their lives.

Rasht is known for its progressive social climate and has historically been a major center for dissent. During the protests, Gilan province saw some of the most intense clashes. The city's geography—narrow alleys and dense central squares—often leads to "trap" scenarios where security forces can fire on trapped crowds from short distances.

The city of Rasht was one of the hubs of the protests in January protests that, based on statistics published so far, are considered among the "bloodiest" in contemporary Iranian history. While little evidence of the killing and suppression of protesters has been published from various Iranian cities, the files from these two hospitals indicate the severe suppression of protesters using lethal weapons.

During these days, in only two hospitals in this city, a total of 64 protesters lost their lives due to what was recorded as "gunshot wounds," among whom the names of 12 women and 52 men can be seen. The highest number of protesters who lost their lives in these two hospitals were admitted on January 9 and 10—26 and 23 individuals respectively. Twelve admitted casualties also passed away on January 8.

When the Heads of Protesters are Targeted

Radiograph (X-ray) images of the protesters show that human faces have been turned into targets for shooting. In several files, the faces and heads of the injured are filled with dozens of metal pellets; pellets that have become lodged in the soft tissue of the face, around the eyes, nose, jaw, and even near the skull. This pattern is inconsistent with scattered or accidental firing and is more characteristic of direct fire from close range at human faces.

In the radiographs of three of the injured protesters, it can be seen that there are approximately 100 pellets each in the head, face, and neck areas. The number of pellets, along with their wide dispersion, small and uniform size, and the penetration of some pellets into the skull and deep facial tissues, matches the characteristics of Birdshot cartridges. According to the case information of these patients, the injured individuals whose X-rays were published as numbers 1 and 2 lost their lives after a few days >>>