Amnesty International details Iran's coordinated crackdown on protests

Ahmad Vahidi: Ahmad Vahidi served as Iran's interior minister during the 2022 protests, also holding the role of supreme leader’s deputy commander-in-chief for police affairs. The news highlights how he chaired the State Security Council and transmitted binding resolutions that coordinated security operations across provinces. Ali Abdollahi: Ali Abdollahi is chief of Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff. The news references his September 2022 order calling for a firm response to protests, which was disseminated through police command structures. Ebrahim Raisi: Ebrahim Raisi was president of Iran in 2022-2023 and chaired the Supreme National Security Council. The report notes a letter from Vahidi to Raisi documenting funding decisions for security operations during the uprising. Hassan Karami: Hassan Karami commanded the Special Cohorts of Iran's police force nationally in 2022. Amnesty identifies his unit's deployment for dispersing protests that exceeded local police capacity as part of the coordinated lethal response. Iran Government: The Iranian government encompasses the executive, security, and intelligence apparatus responsible for national policy and domestic order. In this news, it is central to the coordinated repression of the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom protests through institutions like the Supreme National Security Council and State Security Council that issued binding instructions to security forces. Majid Mir Ahmadi: Majid Mir Ahmadi was deputy interior minister in 2022 and signed cover letters transmitting State Security Council resolutions to senior officials. The report cites these documents as evidence of top-down instructions requiring implementation and reporting during the protests. Amnesty International: Amnesty International is a global human rights organization that investigates abuses and advocates for accountability. In this news, it published a detailed report using leaked orders, official documents, and appointment records to demonstrate how Iran's senior authorities directed the 2022 crackdown through a clear chain of command. • Amnesty’s September 2026 investigation characterizes the crackdown as crimes against humanity committed between September and December 2022. • The Supreme National Security Council, State Security Council, and provincial and county councils allegedly devised and transmitted state policy. • The IRGC and Police Command of the Islamic Republic of Iran led lethal protest dispersals, supported by Basij units and plain-clothes agents. • Amnesty mapped command structures and identified 87 officials for potential criminal investigations under superior-responsibility principles. • The investigation documented killings, torture, sexual violence, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, and persecution of victims’ families. • Amnesty reported evidence concerning 377 protesters and bystanders killed, including at least 56 children.