Security
Iranian authorities turn healthcare into a weapon against protesters
Islamic Republic Regime's authorities are restricting medical care for injured demonstrators, using hospitals as instruments of fear to suppress dissent.
![A vehicle burns during protests in Tehran on January 8, 2026. The nationwide protests began in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar in late December over worsening economic conditions, then spread to universities and other cities. [Khoshiran/AFP]](/gc3/images/2026/02/13/54519-afp__20260110__mei--370_237.webp)
By Pishtaz |
During the January 2026 protests, Islamic Republic's security agencies issued orders preventing private hospitals from treating injured demonstrators.
According to IranWire, private hospital administrators were warned on January 10 they were "not authorized to admit individuals injured during the protests."
They have been instructed to transfer them to state‑run hospitals or face legal consequences.
This policy funnels wounded protesters into facilities controlled by security forces, where the risk of arrest is high.
Sources told IranWire that state hospitals were collecting personal details of injured individuals, eliminating any safe space for treatment.
By restricting healthcare, the Islamic regime weaponizes a fundamental service into a mechanism of control, punishing those who seek help while deterring others from care.
Deliberate targeting of protesters
Evidence indicates that Iranian security forces intentionally inflicted severe injuries on demonstrators, often targeting critical areas such as the eyes.
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International reported widespread use of metal pellets fired from shotguns, causing grievous head and eye wounds.
A Guardian summary of medical reports described hospitals overwhelmed with patients shot in the head and eyes, some resulting in permanent blindness.
Security forces reportedly entered hospital wards and arrested injured protesters while they were seeking medical treatment.
These attacks inflict lasting physical harm while symbolizing the Islamic regime’s calculated brutality, using maiming as a tool of intimidation.
This manipulation not only endangers public health but makes seeking treatment synonymous with risking arrest.
Doctors forced to work in fear
As hospitals become securitized, healthcare professionals struggle between their ethical duty and the Islamic regime's repression.
Security forces have raided hospitals seeking records of wounded protesters and arresting individuals directly from medical facilities.
Medical staff cited by Reuters reported that Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) personnel and police searched hospital rooms for injured demonstrators to arrest them.
The resulting climate of fear has driven doctors to discharge patients quickly or provide care outside official facilities.
Some physicians reportedly treat wounded protesters in private clinics or patients' homes to avoid detection.
Recent reports indicate dozens of healthcare workers have been detained or threatened for treating protesters, with some forced to use clandestine methods to continue care.
Attacking both protesters and medical professionals illustrates the Islamic Republic regime's disregard for human rights and the sanctity of life.
These tactics reflect a deliberate, calculated cruelty designed to maintain power while suppressing fundamental freedoms, including the right to health and safety.