The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service
BBC World Service
Hear the voices at the heart of global stories. Where curious minds can uncover hidden truths and make sense of the world. The best of documentary storytelling from the BBC World Service. From China’s state-backed overseas spending, to on the road with Canada’s Sikh truckers, to the front line of the climate emergency, we go beyond the headlines. Each week we dive into the minds of the world’s most creative people, take personal journeys into spirituality and connect people from across the globe to share how news stories are shaping their lives.
Categories: Society & Culture
Listen to the last episode:
*** This episode contains scenes of violence and descriptions you may find upsetting *** Eyewitnesses from a city in Iran describe how armed forces loyal to the Islamic regime killed countless protesters in a lethal crackdown on demonstrations earlier this year. Seen through the eyes of people who were in Isfahan, this programme pieces together a snapshot of events from the 8-9 January. That is when huge numbers of people took to the streets to protest decades of oppression and call for an end to the Islamic Republic. Thousands of people across the country were killed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's armed forces. The regime blamed the bloodshed on what it called rioters and street terrorists backed by the country's enemies. The UN has called for an independent investigation. However, any prospect of clarity about what happened is at risk of being overshadowed by the current conflict engulfing Iran. The first waves of US and Israeli military strikes on Iran killed Ali Khamenei. There are reports of hundreds of civilian casualties too on a population that’s already paid a heavy human price for standing up to the regime.
Previous episodes
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5136 - Forty-eight hours in Isfahan Thu, 05 Mar 2026
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5135 - Namibia’s hydrogen superpower dream Wed, 04 Mar 2026
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5134 - Can Syria’s Kurds save their women’s revolution? Tue, 03 Mar 2026
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5133 - Kwan Pun Leung: The image creator of nature Mon, 02 Mar 2026
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5132 - Rewriting a revolution Sun, 01 Mar 2026
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5131 - Will Venezuela ditch Chavismo? Sat, 28 Feb 2026
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5130 - Living with Tourette syndrome Sat, 28 Feb 2026
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5129 - When music became a prayer Fri, 27 Feb 2026
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5128 - Ukraine’s defiance, four years on Thu, 26 Feb 2026
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5127 - Bonus: Lives Less Ordinary Wed, 25 Feb 2026
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5126 - Russia's Church in Texas Tue, 24 Feb 2026
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5125 - The Dream Makers Mon, 23 Feb 2026
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5124 - Jason Gilkison: Choreographer for Strictly Come Dancing Mon, 23 Feb 2026
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5123 - Ukraine after four years of war Sat, 21 Feb 2026
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5122 - Remembering Ukrainians who have lost their lives in the war Sat, 21 Feb 2026
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5121 - ‘Oasis of peace’ in wartime Fri, 20 Feb 2026
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5120 - Give me my child back Thu, 19 Feb 2026
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5119 - Alex Eala: The tennis star who could be a game-changer for the Philippines Wed, 18 Feb 2026
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5118 - Fixing Chile’s fashion graveyard Tue, 17 Feb 2026
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5117 - Bridgerton: Behind the scenes Mon, 16 Feb 2026
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5116 - Body image and weight loss drugs Sat, 14 Feb 2026
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5115 - The spy who loved to dance Fri, 13 Feb 2026
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5114 - Kirsty Coventry: Becoming president of the IOC Fri, 13 Feb 2026
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5113 - The Gaudí code Fri, 13 Feb 2026
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5112 - Kentucky’s Real People Radio Thu, 12 Feb 2026
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5111 - Trump and Greenland: How MAGA went Arctic Wed, 11 Feb 2026
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5110 - Loving, living and dying together in the Netherlands Tue, 10 Feb 2026
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5109 - New climbing video game Mon, 09 Feb 2026
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5108 - Super Bowl LX Sun, 08 Feb 2026
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5107 - China's Population 'Rhinoceros' Sat, 07 Feb 2026
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5106 - Returning to Gaza Sat, 07 Feb 2026
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5105 - Caught on camera: Exposing China’s spycam porn Fri, 06 Feb 2026
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5104 - Game of clones Thu, 05 Feb 2026
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5103 - From American Pastor to Whirling Dervish Wed, 04 Feb 2026
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5102 - India's sportswomen playing to be seen Tue, 03 Feb 2026
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5101 - Liberation Radio Mon, 02 Feb 2026
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5100 - Ukraine: Whose peace? Sun, 01 Feb 2026
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5099 - Archaeology and war Sat, 31 Jan 2026
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5098 - ICE in Minnesota Sat, 31 Jan 2026
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5097 - Jesus in a shop doorway Fri, 30 Jan 2026
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5096 - Hungary: The alternative to Orban Thu, 29 Jan 2026
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5095 - Shepherd's Eye In The Sky Wed, 28 Jan 2026
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5094 - Nigeria: Killings, land and cattle Tue, 27 Jan 2026
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5093 - Mrinalini Mukherjee: Hemp sculptures Mon, 26 Jan 2026
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5092 - US foreign policy in five doctrines Sun, 25 Jan 2026
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5091 - Protest in the age of the 'Kill Switch' Sat, 24 Jan 2026
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5090 - Living in Greenland Sat, 24 Jan 2026
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5089 - Daughters of thunder Fri, 23 Jan 2026
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5088 - Bonus: Introducing: The History Bureau Wed, 21 Jan 2026
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5087 - Greece: Rescuers on trial Tue, 20 Jan 2026