The Buzz | Iran state TV says ‘rioters’ shot and killed amid protests

Iranian state television yesterday acknowledged security forces shot and killed what it described as “rioters” in multiple cities amid recent protests over the spike in government-set gasoline prices — the first time that authorities have offered any sort of accounting for the violence they used to put down the demonstrations.
Amnesty International believes the unrest and crackdown that followed, beginning in mid-November, killed at least 208 people. An Iranian judiciary official disputed the toll as “sheer lies,” without offering any evidence to support his position.
Iran shut down internet access amid the unrest, blocking those inside the country from sharing their videos and information. It also limited the outside world’s insight into the scale of the protests and the violence, though online videos have emerged purporting to show security forces shooting protesters.
The recent demonstrations over gasoline prices rapidly turned violent, faster than previous rallies.