"It appears that AP is relying on numbers from the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), a U.S.-based organization that aggregates arrest data through activist networks under conditions of severe information blackouts inside Iran. While HRANA’s work may be valuable, its figures have not been verified by a reliable third-party."
Dear CBC and AP editorial newsroom,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) to express my concern regarding CBC News’ republication of the Associated Press wire article titled “As U.S. ships move toward Mideast, Iranian general warns his force has ‘finger on the trigger,’”published on January 25, 2026.
While there is no dispute that Iranian authorities have carried out a harsh crackdown on protesters following recent unrest, I am concerned about the article’s claim that “more than 40,000” people have been arrested.
Currently figures on the ground in Iran are contested as there is not sufficient qualification, verification, or transparency regarding these numbers.
It appears that AP is relying on numbers from the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), a U.S.-based organization that aggregates arrest data through activist networks under conditions of severe information blackouts inside Iran. While HRANA’s work may be valuable, its figures have not been verified by a reliable third-party.
Other credible sources such as Amnesty International, the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran. They all state that arrests have possibly reached in the “thousands” or “tens of thousands.” Amnesty and the Special Rapporteur further acknowledge that verification is not currently possible due to censorship, internet shutdowns, and state control over information flows.
On January 23, the Special Rapporteur on Iran issued the following statement:
The death toll remains contested due to the shutdown, enabling authorities to control information flow. Authorities have reported over 3,000 deaths including security forces, while some civil society estimates go up to tens of thousands, though these figures cannot be verified. The staggering discrepancy demonstrates how the shutdown has obscured the true scale of events.
Due to this lack of verification, presenting the figure of “more than 40,000” without explaining its contested nature risks conveying a level of certainty around numbers that cannot be verified at this time.
CBC’s own Journalistic Standards and Practices emphasize the importance of accuracy, transparency, and appropriate attribution, especially when relying on third-party or activist-generated data.
To be clear, my concern is not that CBC or the AP reported on mass arrests in Iran, nor that they cited civil society estimates. Rather, it is that the article attempts to provide specific numbers for currently unverifiable claims and leaves readers with the impression that the figure is an established fact rather than a disputed estimate.
I respectfully urge CBC News and AP to review this article and consider revising it to clearly identify the specific source (or sources) of the arrest figures presented and include a line indicating the limitations of those estimates due to the internet blackout and lack of an independent investigation from a reliable third party.
I await your response
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Media Analyst
