Overview
- A widely shared photo shows a pile of shoes outside Rasht’s bazaar, circulated by journalist Arash Sigarchi and other activists.
- Iran Human Rights says those inside had surrendered before forces ignited the market and fired on people trying to flee, and it released footage of the charred site.
- Authorities cut most internet access on Jan. 8, a blackout that rights groups say coincided with a surge in lethal force and now hinders independent verification.
- Death tolls vary widely and remain unconfirmed, with activists citing thousands of casualties and some medical tallies far higher than what groups have verified.
- Despite restrictions, new clips and testimony continue to surface, while some commentators liken the shoe image to Holocaust museum displays and Iranian officials denounce protesters as traitors.