Faces of Courage: Identifying the Victims of Iran's Protest Crackdown

Tue Feb 10 2026 01:29:49 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Over 200 Iranians have been identified as victims of a severe crackdown on protests, revealing heartbreaking stories of loss and resilience amidst the turmoil.

Following the recent protests in Iran, BBC News Persian has documented the identities of more than 200 individuals killed during the government’s crackdown. Eyewitness accounts, social media investigations, and verified footage bring life to their stories, stressing the human cost of the ongoing unrest. Among those lost are a young couple and countless others, fueling global concern for human rights in Iran. The project aims to uncover more names and stories as verification continues.

BBC News Persian has verified the identities of over 200 victims amid the violent crackdown following protests in Iran. Through meticulous research on social media and eyewitness accounts, this journalistic endeavor compiles a comprehensive list of those unfortunately lost to the brutal government response.

Since the protests began, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has reported at least 6,872 deaths, including more than 150 children. The Iranian government acknowledges around 3,000 fatalities but attributes some to security forces.

Among the documented victims are Mansoureh Heydari and Behrouz Mansouri, a couple who were shot while protesting. Their tragic story is emblematic of the loss felt across the nation, leaving two young children behind.

The ongoing project aims to retain focus on personal stories and faces affected by this unrest, creating a powerful visual narrative. Additionally, limitations such as government-imposed internet blackouts have complicated efforts to gather information.

The special interactive 'face wall' launched by BBC News Persian allows viewers to engage with the stories of these victims directly, emphasizing the human side of devastating statistics.