Iran: Documentary captures search for son amid January protest casualties

A new documentary titled ‘This Is Our Story,’ released by the opposition channel Manoto, documents the violence and chaos in Tehran during the January protests in Iran. The film utilizes over 10,000 pieces of citizen-recorded footage to highlight the actions of the Iranian regime, including reports of snipers targeting protesters and the use of armed forces in residential areas.

Central to the documentary is the story of Ismail Sokri, who is filmed searching through hundreds of bodies at the Kahrizak Forensic Center near Tehran. He is desperately looking for his 26-year-old son, Sepehr Sokri, who is among the estimated tens of thousands killed during the unrest. The footage captures Ismail’s grief as he examines the deceased, calling for the world to recognize these events as reality rather than fiction.

According to rescuers and medical professionals cited in the report, more than 30,000 people were killed between December 28 and January 9. The documentary alleges that the Iranian regime, under the orders of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, implemented internet shutdowns to conceal these actions and has since arrested thousands of protesters, many of whom face the death penalty.