In the aftermath of the nationwide protests of January 2026 in Iran, the clerical regime turned hospitals into instruments of repression and killing: deliberately cutting off ventilators, blocking medical treatment for the wounded, abducting patients from hospital beds and even operating rooms, firing execution-style shots at injured protesters, and carrying out systematic crackdown on doctors and medical staff who sought to save lives, acts that constitute crimes against humanity and a flagrant violation of all ethical and legal standards.
Numerous reports from cities across Iran indicate that regime security forces, both during the protests and after their apparent subsidence, repeatedly raided hospitals. During these raids, doctors and nurses who had treated injured protesters were threatened, interrogated, or arrested, actions that constitute a clear violation of fundamental principles of medical ethics and international human rights standards.
At the same time, military forces and plainclothes agents have carried out systematic raids on the homes of doctors and nurses. These operations have often involved short- or long-term detentions, confiscation of personal belongings, and the deliberate creation of an atmosphere of fear and intimidation for their families.
One of the most alarming aspects of this repression has been the intensified monitoring and control of hospital CCTV systems.
According to informed sources, this measure is aimed at identifying medical staff who provided treatment to individuals injured during the protests.
State-Affiliated Newspaper Admits Arrest of Doctors
In a report dated February 2, 2026, the state-affiliated newspaper Shargh acknowledged the arrest and unknown status of at least 25 members of medical staff, including doctors and nurses. Among the names published by Shargh, at least seven female doctors were identified. The biographical details provided below have been compiled from social media sources and are not attributed to Shargh.
- Parisa Porkar, an ophthalmologist, was arrested in Qazvin along with her husband, Dr. Masoud Ebadi-Fard Azari, for treating injured protesters. Their whereabouts and condition remain unknown.
- Golnar Naraghi, an emergency medicine specialist at Hasheminejad Hospital, was arrested on January 8 and has been held in Qarchak Prison since January 29.
- Fatemeh Afshari (Tehran).
- Dr. Ghazal Omidi was arrested in Abdanan, in western border province of Ilam, for providing medical assistance to protesters. No information is available regarding her current status.
- Dr. Fariba Hosseini, a 37-year-old dentist, was arrested on January 2 after security forces raided her home in Shiraz due to her participation in protests. Her whereabouts remain unknown. Dr. Hosseini had previously been detained for writing protest slogans and participating in demonstrations.
- Dr. Ameneh Soleimani, a physician and director of a dermatology and hair clinic in Ardabil, was arrested by security forces for admitting and treating protesters injured in the city. Her current situation is unknown.
- Dr. Shamsi Abbasalizadeh, a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology and a faculty member at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, was arrested during the protests after being severely beaten by security forces. She was reportedly released last week, according to social media.
As noted above, the legal status and place of detention of many of these individuals remain unclear, while their families have been subjected to pressure and threats.
In addition to those named, several nurses and medical workers are among those killed during the nationwide protests of January 2026. These include Samin Rostami, a nurse and mother of two, and Parvin Azizi, whose names appear on the list compiled by the NCRI Women’s Committee.
The repression of medical personnel following the January 2026 protests is part of a broader, ongoing campaign of suppression against protesters across Iran, one that continues relentlessly through raids on homes and workplaces. The objective of this wave of repression is to instill fear throughout society and to prevent an eruption of public anger after thousands of Iranians lost their lives in the bloody crackdown and mass killing of protesters across the country.
