Amid intense protests this week in Iran, the number of people killed by security forces during the protest movement since mid-September has risen to 402.

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) announced in its latest report that from September 16 until Friday, November 18, at least 402 protestors have been killed, of which at least 58 were minors.

While the Islamic Republic has not provided accurate figures of those detained in the recent protests, the watchdog went on to say that at least 16,813 protesters have been arrested including 524 students.

Among the detainees are dozens of journalists, artists, filmmakers and other public figures.

Almost 150 Iranian cities have been the scene of anti-government demonstrations, it underlined.

This report also states that at least 140 universities have been the scene of student protests during this period.

In its previous report on Thursday, the group put the number at 381, showing that at least 21 people were killed just in 24 hours.

The Oslo-based Iran Human Rights Organization said on Wednesday at least 342 people including 43 children and 26 women have been killed by security forces in the ongoing nationwide protests.

Protesters have been killed in 23 provinces, with the most reported in Sistan and Baluchestan, Tehran, Mazandaran, Kordestan and Gilan respectively, says IHR.