Warning: this story contains graphic content which some readers might find distressing.
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 69 people labeled as John or Jane Doe. Only 28 had clear identifiable names amongst this tragic documentation.
Labels on over 100 victims recorded their date of death as January 9, marking one of the deadliest nights for protesters. Street clashes and protests erupted following calls for nationwide demonstrations against the Islamic Republic.
The leaked images provide a distressing glimpse into the thousands believed to have lost their lives due to violence from Iranian state forces.
BBC Verify has confirmed that many families have been struggling to identify their loved ones amidst the chaos and devastation of the crackdown. One eyewitness described the overwhelming sights and sounds of grief as families attempted to identify the victims.
The true number of fatalities remains uncertain, with estimates suggesting that the toll could be in the thousands, amidst continued internet blackouts that have hampered communications and reporting on the ground.
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 69 people labeled as John or Jane Doe. Only 28 had clear identifiable names amongst this tragic documentation.
Labels on over 100 victims recorded their date of death as January 9, marking one of the deadliest nights for protesters. Street clashes and protests erupted following calls for nationwide demonstrations against the Islamic Republic.
The leaked images provide a distressing glimpse into the thousands believed to have lost their lives due to violence from Iranian state forces.
BBC Verify has confirmed that many families have been struggling to identify their loved ones amidst the chaos and devastation of the crackdown. One eyewitness described the overwhelming sights and sounds of grief as families attempted to identify the victims.
The true number of fatalities remains uncertain, with estimates suggesting that the toll could be in the thousands, amidst continued internet blackouts that have hampered communications and reporting on the ground.
