Human Rights Watch, an international human rights organization, has said that Iran's government is using deadly force against peaceful protesters.
According to Arab News, Human Rights Watch has exposed the government's brutal use of force against protesters in different cities of Iran through videos made by protesters and reporters, security officials and eyewitness interviews.
Shotguns and assault rifles have been widely used by Iran's government against protests that erupted after the death of 22-year-old Mehsa Amini in police custody late last month.
"Mass killing of protesters by security forces is fueling anger against a corrupt and authoritarian government."
A 35-year-old woman from Sanandaj, Iran, told Human Rights Watch that when we gathered to chant slogans, we were chased by security personnel on motorcycles.
He said, "When we started running in a street, the security forces started shelling and shooting us with tear gas." A man behind us was shot in the leg and fell. People dragged him to a nearby house.
"The man suffered a deep wound which was bleeding continuously."
Human Rights Watch has reviewed at least four videos in which Iranian security forces can be seen using shotguns against protesters.
An eyewitness said that the security personnel ran after a 13-year-old boy standing in the crowd. He was too young to resist. He was lying on the grass and trying to save his face.
"The security personnel dragged the boy to a street."
According to data from human rights organizations, 47 people have been killed by direct fire in the unrest that has resulted from the government's excessive use of force.
Human Rights Watch fears that the actual death toll is much higher than reported by Iran's state media.
