The Iranian regime's repression reaches hospitals

BeirutThe massive protests that shook Iran In early January, they not only left thousands of victims in the streets, but also opened a new front within hospitals. Since then, doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers have become direct targets of the security forces, accused of treating wounded protesters or refusing to cooperate with intelligence services, as documented by Iranian and international media and human rights organizations.

The scene filmed in Kahrizak, in southern Tehran—bodies lined up in front of a morgue—became one of the symbols of the repression after circulating on social media. But away from the cameras, the pressure has shifted to healthcare facilities, where authorities are trying to identify the wounded and reconstruct protest networks using medical records and hospital logs.

In Tehran, a doctor using the pseudonym Sanam explained to French media how security agents raided her home in the early hours of the morning after she refused to hand over information about injured protesters treated at her hospital. According to her account, she was threatened with death if she did not cooperate within a few days. Since then, she has left her home for fear of being arrested.

This case is part of a broader pattern. The Iranian reformist daily Shargh It reported the arrest of at least 25 doctors and nurses after the demonstrations. Meanwhile, the NGO Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has documented a crackdown of exceptional proportions: more than 6,300 confirmed deaths and at least 17,000 cases still under investigation, something that This could raise the total death toll to over 23,000.The impact of this offensive is also reflected in the behavior of patients. According to HRANA and IranWire, numerous wounded left hospitals before completing treatment for fear of arrest. In other cases, doctors chose to register patients under false identities or treated them outside of healthcare facilities. Institutional pressure is being exerted systematically. Doctors who participated in interventions with the wounded were summoned by internal intelligence services and threatened with professional sanctions, according to reports. Shargh and international media such as The GuardianIn the northeast of the country, a retired doctor called in to bolster services during the protests was warned that his contract would not be renewed unless he underwent a "security validation." In another province, a doctor was arrested on January 9 for transporting basic medical supplies. The case was documented by HRANA and confirmed by Reuters. He was jailed for ten days before being released on bail, accused of playing a leading role in the protests. Among those arrested is Hossein Babak Zarabian, an infectious disease specialist, detained in Isfahan on January 13. According to activists and colleagues quoted by international media, the location of his detention is unknown. On February 1, the public prosecutor's office indicated that the charges against him were "serious." In Ardabil, dermatologist Ameneh Soleimani was also arrested, a case confirmed by SharghAccording to these sources, the family received threats for preventing the dissemination of the arrest.

Arrests and intimidation

In response to these allegations, Iranian authorities are maintaining a defensive stance. On January 31, the president of the Iranian Medical Association, Mohamed Raisszadeh, acknowledged legal proceedings against 17 doctors but asserted that the arrests "are not related to medical practice." Ahmad Nejatian, president of the National Nurses Organization, adopted a similar position. These statements contrast sharply with the stance of professional groups. In a statement released on January 27, the group Metges i Drets (Doctors and Rights) denounced the "criminalization of medical practice" and warned of a climate of "judicial fear" in hospitals. This concern has spread beyond Iran's borders. On January 29, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) expressed concern about reports of arrests and intimidation of healthcare workers and called for the release of those detained. Meanwhile, the raids continue. In several clinics in Tehran, security forces confiscated CCTV recordings, according to doctors who spoke to international media. The message conveyed to staff has been explicit: the wounded can be treated, but their identities must be reported to the authorities. Some doctors have been released on bail in recent days, but the sums demanded fuel fears of severe sentences. Caught between the duty to heal and the pressure to cooperate, Iranian hospitals have become a new battleground for repression.