Amnesty International's investigation traces the protest killings in Iran to 87 individuals it holds responsible. As the fourth anniversary of Amini's death in police custody approaches, the report has renewed attention on Iranian authorities and calls for accountability.
Mahsa Amini, a young woman detained by Iran's Morality Police for allegedly wearing her burka incorrectly, died in custody. Her death sparked protests across the country and drew international attention to Iran's human rights record and its security forces' actions. Amnesty International's September 2026 report states that at least 377 protesters and bystanders, including 56 children, were killed in the ensuing crackdown. Outlets such as The Guardian and CBC have independently confirmed these figures.
Of the 87 individuals identified by Amnesty International, 62 are security commanders and 25 are officials from the Ministry of Interior; 10 are at the national level and 77 at the regional or local level.
In Spain, journalist Marta García Aller interviewed Esteban Beltrán, director of Amnesty International in Spain, about the findings. Amnesty describes its investigation as exhaustive, saying it aimed to clarify responsibility and seek justice in a case that still resonates far beyond Iran. The report also documents systematic torture and sexual violence against protesters and detainees, carried out through a coordinated chain of command.
Identifying these 87 individuals advances efforts to seek justice for those killed in the protests after Amini's death. Amnesty International stresses the need for transparency and accountability in cases of state violence, especially when law enforcement actions result in deaths. The list includes senior figures such as Ali Khamenei, Mohammad Bagheri, Ahmad Vahidi and Majid Mir-Ahmadi, illustrating the breadth of responsibility across Iran's leadership.
The report does not trigger immediate legal action against those named, but it increases pressure on Iranian authorities and highlights human rights groups' continuing work to document abuses. Amnesty International has called on the United Nations to establish an international criminal justice mechanism for Iran, arguing that current domestic and international options are inadequate. Mahsa Amini's case remains a symbol of the risks faced by women and activists in Iran, as international scrutiny continues. Amnesty International links the protest crackdown to Amini's death in September 2022 and the subsequent 'Woman, Life, Freedom' movement. It describes the repression as one of the most thoroughly documented episodes of violence in Iran in recent years, and says those responsible are likely to remain unpunished without an external justice mechanism.
