Iran’s judiciary has warned that authorities will show no leniency toward what it described as “rioters,” while maintaining that citizens have the right to peaceful demonstrations, the head of the judiciary said on Monday, following more than a week of nationwide protests.

Fresh deadly clashes between protesters and security forces were reported over the weekend, according to rights groups and local media, as demonstrations initially triggered by rising living costs entered a second week.

At least 12 people, including members of the security forces, have been killed since the unrest began with a shopkeepers’ strike in Tehran on December 28, based on figures from official reports.

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said protests featuring slogans critical of Iran’s clerical leadership were reported in Tehran, the southern city of Shiraz, and several western regions where the movement has been most concentrated.