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Iranian State Media Airs Record Number of Forced Confessions as Protests Intensify
In a darkened room, handcuffed individuals with blurred faces confess to crimes against the Iranian state while dramatic music plays in the background. These confession videos, broadcast on Iranian state television, represent what human rights activists call a troubling escalation in the government’s response to recent nationwide protests.
Since demonstrations began on December 28, Iranian state media has aired at least 97 confession videos from protesters, many expressing remorse for their alleged actions, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA). The confessions often include references to Israel or the United States, supporting the Iranian government’s narrative that foreign enemies are orchestrating the unrest.
“These rights violations compound on top of each other and lead to horrible outcomes. This is a pattern that’s been implemented by the regime time and time again,” said Skylar Thompson, HRANA’s deputy director.
The sheer volume of confession videos is unprecedented for such a short period. By comparison, a major study by Justice for Iran and the International Federation for Human Rights documented approximately 350 forced confessions on state media over an entire decade from 2010 to 2020.
Iranian officials have characterized the ongoing protests as “riots” orchestrated by the United States and Israel. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has claimed the violence must be foreign-influenced, arguing that Iranians would never set mosques on fire.
Human rights organizations, however, paint a different picture. According to testimony from former detainees, these confessions often follow psychological or physical torture and can lead to severe consequences, including death sentences. A 2014 UN Special Rapporteur report on Iran found that among interviewed detainees, 70% said coerced information or confessions were used in their hearings, with nearly half reporting trials lasting just minutes.
The European Parliament condemned Iran’s practice of forced confessions in January 2023, citing torture, intimidation, and threats against family members as common tactics used to extract them. The resolution specifically addressed abuses following the 2022 protests sparked by Mahsa Amini’s death in morality police custody.
During those protests, which resulted in over 500 deaths and 22,000 detentions, at least 37 televised confessions were broadcast from individuals facing death sentences, according to Iran Human Rights and Together Against the Death Penalty.
Iran’s execution rate has also raised international concern. The United Nations reported that Iran executed 975 people in 2024 – the highest number since 2015. While most executions are carried out for drug-related offenses or murder, security-related charges like espionage account for a smaller but significant portion.
Since the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June, Tehran has executed 12 people for alleged espionage. Most recently, Iran announced it had executed a man accused of spying for Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency in exchange for cryptocurrency, with state media reporting he had confessed to the charges.
The practice of televised confessions in Iran dates back to the aftermath of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, when the government broadcast confessions from suspected members of communist groups and other perceived enemies of the state. The tactic gained international attention in 2009 with the case of then-Newsweek correspondent Maziari Bahari, who was imprisoned for months and later directed a documentary titled “Forced Confessions.”
In the current protest movement, HRANA reports that 18,100 people have been arrested and more than 2,500 killed, predominantly protesters. The organization relies on a network of activists inside Iran to verify casualties, while the Iranian government has not released official figures.
Human rights organizations and Western governments continue to condemn Iran’s increasing use of capital punishment, particularly for political and espionage-related offenses. Critics emphasize that many convictions rely on coerced confessions obtained through torture, with trials often conducted behind closed doors and defendants denied access to independent legal representation.
As tensions persist both inside Iran and with regional powers, the international community remains concerned about the fate of those whose confessions are currently being broadcast to millions of Iranians through state-controlled media.
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10 Comments
This is a troubling escalation in Iran’s crackdown on protesters. Airing coerced confessions is a cynical attempt to delegitimize the opposition and justify the regime’s brutality. The international community must continue to call out these human rights abuses.
As a mining and commodities investor, I’m closely watching the situation in Iran. Political instability and human rights abuses often have downstream impacts on energy and resource markets. This bears close monitoring.
These forced confessions are a troubling sign that the Iranian government is growing increasingly desperate to maintain control. The protesters have clearly struck a nerve, and the regime is lashing out with brutality.
Absolutely. The sheer scale of these coerced confessions suggests the government is losing its grip. It’s a sign of weakness, not strength, and the international community must continue to pressure Iran to respect human rights.
As an investor in uranium and other critical minerals, I’m closely following the situation in Iran. Political turmoil can have significant impacts on global commodity markets, and this is a concerning development.
Forced confessions are a hallmark of authoritarian regimes seeking to quash dissent. The fact that Iran is resorting to this tactic in such a widespread manner is a disturbing indicator of the government’s desperation.
This is a deeply concerning situation. Forced confessions under torture are a serious human rights violation. The Iranian government must be held accountable for these abuses against its own citizens.
The sheer volume of these coerced confession videos is truly alarming. It reflects the regime’s desperation to suppress the ongoing protests through any means necessary, including blatant disregard for due process and human dignity.
Agreed. This tactic of broadcasting ‘confessions’ is a classic authoritarian move to delegitimize the protesters and justify the crackdown. The international community must condemn these actions in the strongest possible terms.
The use of forced confessions is a disturbing trend we’ve seen in other repressive regimes. Iran seems intent on silencing dissent through any means, even if it means trampling on the rule of law. This is very concerning.