Father searches mortuary for missing son in aftermath of Iran's January crackdown
A new Manoto documentary shows Esmail Shokri combing through hundreds of bodies at Kahrizak Forensics Centre, hoping to find his son killed in the January protests.
Manoto’s newly released documentary, "This Is Our Story," presents harrowing footage of Esmail Shokri searching for his son, Sepehr, among the dead at Kahrizak Forensics Centre near Tehran. Over a twelve-minute segment, Shokri moves from body to body, repeatedly pleading for his missing son while describing the mutilated remains of other victims. The film draws on a massive archive of more than 10,000 videos recorded by citizens who risked their lives to document the January protests, during which doctors estimate tens of thousands were killed.
By publishing the series on YouTube, Manoto seeks to create a lasting public record of the crackdown that was concealed by an internet blackout ordered by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The documentary also highlights the broader repression, including arrests, executions and threats faced by families of the dead. Its release aims to draw international attention to the scale of the violence and the ongoing intimidation of mourners in Iran.
Why it matters
It provides visual evidence of Iran's mass killings and the regime's suppression of mourning families.
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