Hundreds of photos revealing the faces of those killed during Iran's violent crackdown on anti-government protests have been leaked to BBC Verify.
The pictures, which are too graphic to show without blurring, reveal the bloodied, swollen and bruised faces of at least 326 victims - including 18 women. The images, displayed in a south Tehran mortuary, are one of the only ways families have been able to identify their dead loved ones.
Many of the victims were too disfigured to be identified, with labels indicating that 69 had been designated as John or Jane Doe. Only 28 had labels with visible names. On January 9, a particularly deadly night, over 100 victims were documented, highlighting the horrors faced by protesters amidst violent clashes with security forces, ignited by calls from exiled activists.
The leaked images provide a chilling glimpse into the thousands believed to have perished at the hands of the Iranian regime.
BBC Verify has chronicled the protests since late December and noted the significant challenges imposed by a near-total internet blackout. Current estimates suggest that over 4,000 people may have died as a result of the government's violent repression, underscoring the urgent need for accountability and recognition of the victims.
