Iran arrested at least 6,000 people since war began: Rights group

The United States and Israel’s war with Iran triggered a massive repression campaign, with Iranian authorities arbitrarily arresting at least 6,000 people since Feb. 28, a new human rights report said.

Among those arrested on a whim were protesters, journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders, dissidents, and members of ethnic and religious minorities, a report from Amnesty International, published on Thursday, said. The arbitrary arrest campaign was accompanied by the acceleration of “grossly unfair judicial proceedings, politically motivated executions, harsh prison sentences, and asset confiscations,” the group claimed.

The group also documented a confirmed 39 executions since the war began, often after expedited prosecutions ordered from senior judicial officials.

Amnesty International Senior Director of Research, Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns Erika Guevara Rosas said the Iranian government was “exploiting the crisis” to boost its repression apparatus.

HOW IRAN TRANSFORMED FROM AN ISLAMIC REPUBLIC TO A MILITARY DICTATORSHIP

“To maintain their grip on power, the