Recent reports indicate that Iranian authorities have been using hospitals and medical professionals as part of their crackdown on widespread antigovernmental protests. Protestors fear seeking medical help at hospitals due to the risk of arrest by security forces, leading many to seek clandestine treatment from trusted doctors. Medical professionals who assist wounded protestors have also become targets, with some facing arrest, violence, and even the threat of execution. Human rights groups and international observers have condemned these actions, describing them as a violation of medical ethics and basic human rights.