Timeline of brutal & bloody crackdown of Iran protests
November 2019 Killings
Thursday, Nov 14, 2019
While there has been rumors about gas price hike, government announces there has been no official decision yet.
Nov 15, 2019 Morning
Early in the morning, less than 24hrs later, government announces the gas price increased 200% and rationed. It meant 1000toman gas will be 3000toman overnight.
Nov 15, before noon
Ahvaz: People gather in some areas and chant "Turn off your car, zealous Ahvazi", encouraging others not to use gas pumps. Oppressing forces clash with protesters in Kian Pars Sq. Mashhad: People turn off their cars in the middle of Vakil Abad Blvd, chanting "Rouhani, shame on you, leave our country alone". 190 other cities including Tehran, Behbahan, Sirjan, and Omidiyeh join the protests.
Fri Nov 15, afternoon
Omidiyeh: Protesters blocked off the road to Borozjan. Mashhad: People chant "Shame on dictator, leave our country alone" and oppressive forces fire tear gas. Behbahanis chant "Gas is more expensive, poor is poorer" and set fire on a Bank Melli branch. Sirjan: The crowd grows, a gas pump is set on fire and one person is killed by oppressive forces.
Nov 15, night
The protests are intensified in Tehran's Quds Complex. People begin chanting anti-regime slogans. ICT ministry disrupts mobile internet in Mashhad, Omidiyeh, Behbahan, Ahvaz.
Saturday Nov 16
Crowds grow, especially in Tehran and its western towns including Quds, Shahriyar, and Islamshahr. They chant, "Oil money is lost, it's used for Palestine", "Death to inflation", "Don't be afraid, we're all together", "Mullahs must get lost". The gas price became the spark people were waiting for to aim at the regime, showing they were tired of regime's corruption, oppression and crimes.
Protesters in East
Tehran: Imam Ali Highway is blocked by protesters, police fires tear gas and clashes with people. Shahriyar: Symbol of Khomeini's ring in town's square is set on fire, oppressing forces start shooting at protesters.
Shiraz & Isfahan
Protesters turn off their cars causing traffic, chanting "Not Gaza, nor Lebanon, I die for Iran". Isfahan&Kerman: Several gas pumps are set on fire. Protests and clashes spread quickly to Bandar Abbas, Mahshahr, Gachsaran, Khoramshahr, Babol, Birjand, Shooshtar, Andimeshk and Qom.
More Cities
Arak, Tabriz, Boushehr, Oroumiyeh, Kermanshah, Marivan, Rasht, Sar Pole Zahab, Saghez, Garmsar, Saari, Gorgan, Yasouj, Dehdasht, Jiroft, Ramhormuz, Javanrood, Pasargad, Damavand, Sanandaj, Bandar Rig, Yazd, Neishabour, Chabahar, Ahar, Roudehen, Zahedan, Qazvin, Hamedan Khoram Abad join the protests. A few banks are set on fire in Tehran, Andisheh, Islamshahr, Behbahan, Saveh Rd, and Robat Karim. A clergy school is burning in Isfahan.
Six o'clock
in the afternoon, internet is disrupted in many areas, Netblocks announces the disruption began from Mashhad on Fri and leads to complete shutdown. Iranian officials say it's due to security issues and it's unknown when it'll be reconnected. US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, repeats his speech from 18months ago: "I have a message for Iranian people; US hears your voice. US supports you. We are on your side."
Expediency Discernment Council
denies knowing about gas price change. Sirjan officials confirm the death of a protester. A few governors ask for delay in gas price hike and some representatives show worries about violent oppression and spread of protests. Many reporters say they're under pressure to cover the news. Attorney General warns the protesters and call them thugs.
Despite internet shutdown
Protesters and Iranians residing outside the country report violent crushing of the protesters by security forces on social media especially in Tehran, Ma'ali Abad, Shiraz, Tabriz, and Behbahan. Witnesses talk about injured protesters and gun shots could be heard in videos.
Tehran, Shiraz & Isfahan
schools are closed for two consecutive days. Saveh Rd is the scene of violent clashes between people and oppressing forces. Two witnesses confirm killing of a protester in Behbahan. Witnesses report Behbahan hospitals on alert due to the violent clashes. A Kurd activist confirm the killing of a protester in Marivan. In the meantime, some Kurdish sources report more deaths in Marivan.
Zeynabiyeh:
Protests in Isfahan are heightened, protesters burn tires. Clashes between people and security forces. Shahin Shahr and Ghahdrijan join the protests. They chant "Sorry Syed Ali[Supreme Leader], You have to get up[from your throne]", "Syed Ali shame on you, leave our country alone", "Revolution was a grave mistake of ours", "Not Gaza, nor Lebanon, I'll die for Iran."
Golshahr:
One protester killed by oppressors. One protester killed by local police in Ma'ali Abad Shiraz. Rouhullah Nazari Fathabad, 37yo, killed by oppressors shooting his head in Sirjan. Many are injured in Sirjan, forcing officials to transfer most injured to Kerman hospitals.
Death toll
increases quickly. Despite people's wrath, the Interior Minister warns protesters they could be arrested through studying the footage taken by cameras around the cities and among people.
Sunday, Nov 17
Protests continue in more than 100 cities across the country & more than 1000 people have been arrested. 40 arrested in Yazd. A protester's death is confirmed in Shahriyar. A police officer kills 2 IRGC commanders in Shiraz while they were ordering killing of protesters. The officer was killed as well.
Death toll
has increased to tens of protesters. In some cities, witnesses report direct shots fired at protesters. Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of Supreme National Security Council, in his meeting with parliament representatives doesn't mention the number of killed. Shariyar: 60-70 people have been injured, but officials say it's not known how many are protesters or oppressing forces.
Sadeqiyeh:
Clashes between oppressing forces and protesters intensifies, protests continue in every alley and street of this area. Tehran Bazaar joins people. Isfahan's Metro and Bazaar are virtually closed. Students at University of Tehran join the protests by chanting: "Death to dictator", "Reformist, hardliner, it's over", "They made Islam as steps, made people miserable", "People became beggers, Agha [referring to Khamenei] became God", and "Gas is more expensive, Supreme Leader is more audacious".
Domestic Media
are officially banned from reporting protests' news. Khamenei calls protesters foreign agents and thugs. White House condemns the violent oppression and killing of protesters.
Monday, Nov 18
Protests spread through the city, on the way to Mahshahr Petrochemical plant calshes heightens, officials use heavy weaponry like tanks and machine guns. In Jarahi Sq clashes, oppresors use machine guns and DShK. Protesters run towards a reed bed but still guns are fired upon them. It's known as the most gruesome November killing where at least 23, and according to some 100 innocent protesters were killed.
Protests Continue
in more than 100 cities. Confirmed death toll rises to 62, more than 100 injured in fear of getting arrested refuse going to hospital. Isfahan Metro is closed for the second day. Shiraz universities are closed for 2 days. Clashes intesify in Yazdanshahr, where a deputy is killed. IRGC threatens protesters in a statement.
Alborz's IRGC
arrest 150 charged with "disruptors of security". Banks, government offices and gas pumps are destroyed in a coordinated fashion in different cities. In some areas, officers in special clothes begin vandalizing public properties. Basij commander accuse protesters of being thugs.
180 arrested
in Khuzestan, and IRGC arrests 2 in Shiraz, calling them "duped leaders and agents of the enemy". Sepide Qoliyan, an activist out on bail is arrested again in the protests. Several students of University of Tehran are also arrested. Kermanshah chief prosecutor calls the protesters "seditious".
16 bodies
of killed protesters are transferred to Kermanshah hospital. They were shot in the head. About 100 injured are admitted as well. Khamenei's banner is set on fire in Isfahan. Tehransar is scene of intensified clashes between oppresors and protesters.
Rouhani's Spokesman
announces internet will be back on in provinces with no security issues in the next couple of days. ICT minister (known as Young Interrogator) makes it official, saying there is no disruption, internet is down by orders of National Security Council.
Tuesday, Nov 19
In some areas of Tehran, the oppressing forces are prepared with special equipment. 30 are arrested in Zanjan, some more in Jam, Boushehr. In Quds city, south of Tehran, protesters are shot. Footage of people being shot in Kermanshah is shared.
Amnesty International
announces at least 304 were killed in the first 5 days. In its statement they said based on verified videos, witness reports and information collected by human rights activists, "oppressing forces are consistantly and illegally" killing protesters while the protests are "peaceful".
UN worries
about protesters' lives. Various international organizations express their concern over internet shutdown. Amnesty Internation is "mortified" over the high number of killings, injuries and arrests, and worries about "bloodbath" behind internet shutdown and media vacuum.
Islamic Republic
enters a new territory of brutality for a regime with four decades of experience in merciless killings. They tried to erase the problem by cutting off the internet. There were several minors aged 13-15 and 400 women among killed protesters. Amnesty and media report more than 4000 injured in protests.
Many Protesters
were arrested at the hospitals even though they were injured, and taken to jails. Many of them are still in unsafe and unknown conditions. Some of the protesters are temporarily free after paying hefty bails till their court dates. Victims' families had to pay huge amounts of money to receive their loved ones' bodies and were under unbelievable pressure by security forces for burials.
Families are told
not to tell media the victims were protesters, instead say they were passing by and got shot by thugs. Many of the families were forced by security forces to say those in front of IRIB cameras. Names and fate of many of the detainees who are accused of being the protests' leaders are still unknown.
Detainees:
Tortured and are forced to confess to crimes they hadn't committed. IRIB reporters help the security forces in the process. On Dec 23, 2019 Reuters publishes a special report, saying 1500 were killed and 7000 were arrested. Reuters quotes 3 credible sources close to IR Supreme Leader and a fourth person who is a regime's official:
Khamenei
on the night of Sun Nov 17, in a meeting with high ranking officials, while was angry because protesters have burned his banner and a statue of Rohullah Khomeini, clearly has ordered protests need firm reaction and warned the officials if the protests are not stopped, he would held them accountable for the consequences. Reuters' sources said the people in the meeting agreed protesters wanted to topple the IR regime, because the majority of them were demanding the return of Reza Pahlavi.
New York Times
writes IRGC massacred 40-100 protesters in Mahshahr. France 24 published a documentary of the killings showing direct shootings and killings of protesters. After 3 months from November protests, arresting of activists, protesters, reporters, and students identified in videos and security cameras in the cities, continues.
Islamic Republic
doesn't issue the killing stats and continues to deny what Reuters and human rights activists have reported. The names and fate of many of the victims and detainees are still unknown.