Kurdistan Human Rights Network

Thousands of protesters have been killed and many more injured by the Islamic Republic’s repressive forces since the protests erupted across Iran on 28 December 2025.

Due to an ongoing internet shutdown and restrictions on international phone calls, exact casualty figures remain unavailable. However, limited footage received from inside Iran points to widespread and unprecedented killings.

Interviews conducted by the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) with informed sources and eyewitnesses indicate that at least 150 Kurdish citizens have been killed in various cities after being shot by military and security forces. The identities of 53 of these individuals have been confirmed, while efforts to identify others continue.

Sources inside Iran, along with relatives of some of those killed who live abroad or have recently left the country, told KHRN that security agencies have demanded payments ranging from seven billion to 10 billion rials in exchange for handing over the bodies of certain killed individuals.

In at least four cases, families were forced to accept falsified causes of death, such as “fall from height”, instead of gunshot wounds. Other families reported being pressured to describe their children as members of the Basij or to claim they were killed by protesters.

Relatives of killed protesters living outside Iran have also reported receiving threats from security agencies following the publication of reports about the killings. These threats were delivered through social media messages sent both to them and to their family members inside the country.

KHRN investigations indicate that the overwhelming majority of those killed died as a result of live ammunition fired by forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). In one case, an individual was arrested during the protests and later their family was informed of their death. Another reported case concerns a Kurdish activist from Sanandaj, residing in Marivan, who was allegedly killed after publishing an open letter addressed to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. KHRN has so far been unable to independently verify this claim.

KHRN has also received the names of several other individuals reportedly killed during the protests but is refraining from publishing these details until confirmation is obtained from informed sources.

According to multiple sources, the deadliest day of the crackdown was 8 January in Kermanshah. At least two informed sources reported that a minimum of 70 bodies of protesters were transferred to Taleghani Hospital. These individuals were reportedly killed by IRGC gunfire in neighbourhoods including Darreh Drezh, Nowbahar, Elahieh, Bolvar and Rashidi, as well as several other areas.

Evidence gathered by KHRN further indicates that more than 1,500 Kurdish citizens have been arrested in various cities across the country during the protests. While KHRN has documented the identities of more than 260 detainees, no reliable information is yet available regarding many others.

Serious concern has been raised over the fate of detainees who were injured at the time of arrest. Relatives in several cities reported that injured protesters were detained after being taken to medical centres, with no subsequent information about their whereabouts. In some cases, families removed injured relatives from hospitals out of fear of arrest.

This report continues with the names and details of those killed and the circumstances of their deaths, as well as a list of protest-related detainees whose cases have been confirmed by KHRN.

Amir-Hesam Khodayari-Fard, a 22-year-old Yarsani citizen from Kuhdasht, was killed on 31 December 2025 after being shot by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces during the protests in the city. The IRGC issued a statement describing him as a member of its Basij force, but his father rejected this claim during his funeral on 2 January 2026, stating that his son had been killed by security forces. His family removed the banner placed by the IRGC in front of their house, and mourners present at the ceremony expelled IRGC forces from the burial site.

Ahad Ebrahimpour Abdoli, a 34-year-old worker from Nurabad-e Delfan, was killed on 1 January 2026 during the protests on Azadi Boulevard in the city, after being shot in the chest by IRGC forces. Security forces transferred his body to Ibn-e Sina Hospital in Nurabad and summoned his family, pressuring them not to inform the media or hold a funeral ceremony. On 3 January, his body was handed over to the family, and the funeral was attended by a large crowd.

Ali Azizi, from Harsin, was killed on 2 January 2026 after being shot by IRGC’s Basij forces during the protests in the city. State-affiliated media also attempted, as in previous cases, to present him as a Basij member and to attribute his death to the protesters, but eyewitnesses stated that he had been among the protesters and died as a result of gunfire by security forces. According to people close to Azizi, his father, under pressure and threats from IRGC forces, was forced to publish a video on the matter. The funeral was also held two days later, on 4 January, in a government-managed ceremony under IRGC control.

Reza Kadivarian and Rasoul Kadivarian, two Yarsani brothers from Kermanshah, were wounded on 3 January on Artesh Street, in the Jafarabad neighbourhood of the city during the protests, after being shot with live ammunition by armed security forces. Rasoul died after being transferred to Taleghani Hospital, and Reza was admitted to the hospital’s intensive care unit in a coma. On the afternoon of 4 January 2026, Reza also died due to the severity of his injuries. The bodies of the two citizens were buried in the public cemetery of Kermanshah under the presence of security forces. According to initial information, Rasoul was 17 years old and Reza 20 years old at the time of their deaths, and both were workers. However, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has so far not been able to independently verify the exact ages of the two brothers.

Reza Ghanbari, a 16-year-old child labourer from Kermanshah, was killed during the protests on Artesh Street in the Jafarabad neighbourhood of the city on 3 January 2026, after IRGC forces opened fire on protesters, striking him with live ammunition in the back and side. Officers present at the scene took the child’s blood-soaked body away with them and, after informing the family, pressured and threatened them to declare their son a member of the Basij and to attribute his death to protesters. The family refused to comply. Ghanbari’s funeral was held on 5 January 2026 in the village of Jabbarabad-e Sofla, in the Bilavar district of Kermanshah County, and was attended by a large crowd, amid pressure from security forces.

Latif Karimi, Reza Azimzadeh and Mehdi Emamipour, three residents of Malekshahi, were killed on 3 January 2026 during the protests in the city after IRGC forces stationed at a Basij base opened fire with live ammunition. On the same day, the IRGC issued a statement claiming that one of its members, Latif Karimi, had been killed by protesters. However, Karimi’s relatives and eyewitnesses rejected the claim, saying that video footage of the shooting shows him among the protesters and being carried to an ambulance by members of the public after he was shot. They also said that although Karimi was a retired military employee, he had taken part in the protests. The funeral of the three men was held on 4 January 2026 and was attended by a large crowd, with anti-government slogans chanted.

Fares (Mohsen) Agha-Mohammadi, from Malekshahi, was shot in the head on 3 January 2026 during the protests in the city. He was transferred to the intensive care unit of Khomeini Hospital in Ilam and was admitted with a low level of consciousness. On the afternoon of 5 January 2026, after three days in hospital, he passed away due to the severity of his injuries. His funeral was held on the same day, with anti-government slogans being chanted.

Mohammadreza Karami, a boxer, was seriously wounded by live ammunition fired by IRGC forces during the protests in the city of Malekshahi on 3 January 2026 and was transferred to the intensive care unit of Khomeini Hospital in Ilam. After four days in hospital, he died on 5 January due to the severity of his injuries. It is reported that Karami was 16 years old, but the KHRN has so far not been able to verify his exact age. His funeral was held on 5 January and was attended by a large crowd chanting anti-government slogans.

Morteza Jahanbakhsh, Rouhollah Setareh-Moshtari, Mehdi Vali-Doust and Mehdi Ghorban-Doust, all from Chenaran in Razavi Khorasan Province, were killed after being shot with live ammunition by security forces during protests in the city. State-run media confirmed that five people were killed during the unrest but provided no details about their identities. There has so far been no information on whether their bodies have been released or whether funerals have been held.

Roubina Aminian, a 22-year-old student at Shariati Technical College in Tehran from Marivan, was shot dead after being hit in the head by security forces during protests in Tehran on 8 January. Security bodies initially prevented her family from receiving her body, but they later managed to remove it secretly from hospital. The family had planned to bury her in Kermanshah, but were blocked by a heavy security presence outside their home and the authorities’ refusal to issue a death certificate. Her body was eventually taken to a village near Marivan and buried there, without the family being allowed to hold any public mourning ceremonies in either Kermanshah or Marivan.

Sajjad Feyzi, a young man from Kermanshah, was killed by IRGC gunfire during protests in the city on 8 January. There has been no information on the release of his body or his funeral.

Mohammad Jafari, a young man from Kermanshah, was killed by IRGC gunfire during protests in the city on 8 January. There has been no information on the release of his body or his funeral.

Erfan Jameh-Shourani, a young man from Kermanshah, was killed by IRGC gunfire during protests in the city on 8 January. There has been no information on the release of his body or his funeral.

Borhan Asadi, from the village of Yengejeh in Salmas, was killed by gunfire from security forces during protests in Tehran. His family received his body and hold a funeral in Salmas.

Mohammad Zamani, a father of two from Eyvan-e Gharb in Ilam Province, was killed by gunfire from security forces during protests in Tehran on 8 January. His body was later handed over to his family for burial.

Salam Mirani, a father of two from Sarvabad in Kurdistan Province, was killed by gunfire from security forces during protests in Shahrak-e Qods (Qal‘eh Hassan-Khan) on 8 January. His body was returned to his family for burial.

Navid Salehi, 28, a radiology graduate and nurse at Farabi Hospital in Kermanshah, originally from Paveh and a resident of Kermanshah, was killed by IRGC gunfire during protests on 8 January 2026. His funeral was held on 11 January 2026 in the village of Mazidi in Paveh.

Bayat Sobhani, a 40-year-old father of two from the village of Shamshir in Paveh, was killed by IRGC gunfire in the Darreh Drezh neighbourhood of Kermanshah on 8 January. His funeral was held on 11 January in Shamshir.

Amirali Heydari, 17, from Kermanshah, was killed after being shot in the heart by IRGC forces during protests in the city on 8 January. When his family received his body at Taleghani Hospital in Kermanshah, they found that security forces had shattered his skull with a rifle butt at the time he was injured. His burial ceremony was held in Kermanshah on 10 January.

Diyar Pourchehrigh, 32, from the village of Patah Vir in Salmas, who worked as a Snapp driver in Tehran, fell into a coma after being shot by security forces during protests in the Punak area of Tehran. He died three days later in hospital due to the severity of his injuries. His family was able to receive his body after paying eight billion rials, and held his burial ceremony in Salmas.

Ebrahim Ahmadpourian, a father of two from Saqqez and a resident of Tehran, was shot and wounded by security forces during protests on 8 January and died the following day in hospital. There has been no information on the release of his body or his funeral.

Alireza Seydi, a 16-year-old child from Abdanan and a resident of Tehran, was killed by gunfire from security forces during protests on 8 January. His funeral was held on 11 January, with large crowds and anti-government slogans. During the ceremony, security forces opened direct live fire on those attending.

Holakou Eyvani, an athlete from Eslamabad-e Gharb, was killed by gunfire from security forces during protests on 8 January. His funeral has been held, though no precise time or location has been made public.

Yasin Mirzaei Ghaleh-Zanjiri, a Kurdish Yarsan citizen and a student in Italy, was killed by IRGC gunfire during protests on 8 January. He had travelled from Italy to Iran shortly before his death to visit his family. There has been no information on the release of his body or his funeral.

Mobin Feyli, a Kurdish citizen from Zarneh in Eyvan-e Gharb County, Ilam Province, was killed by IRGC gunfire during protests on 8 January. There has been no information on the release of his body or his funeral.

Diako Mohammadi, a 22-year-old Kurdish citizen from Salas-e Babajani in Kermanshah Province and a resident of Qeshm, was killed by gunfire from security forces during protests on 8 January. There has been no information on the release of his body or his funeral.

Ali Abbasi, an 18-year-old from Gilan-e Gharb, was shot dead by the Islamic Republic’s military and security forces during the crackdown on the protests in Tehran. His family were forced to pay 7 billion rials (nearly 5,000 USD) to receive his body, which was later buried in his hometown.

Hossein Shirkoul, a Kurdish man from Zarrinabad in Dehloran County, was shot dead by security forces during the protests in Isfahan on 9 January. His body was returned to his family after five days, and he was buried in Zarrinabad on 14 January.

Siavash Shirzad, from Bukan, was shot dead by security forces during the protests in Tehran on 8 January. After returning his body to the family, authorities blocked his burial in Bukan, forcing them to bury him in the village of Tazeh Ghaleh.

Erfan Alizadeh, a 24-year-old from Lumar in Ilam Province, was shot dead by security forces during the protests in Varamin, Tehran Province. No information has yet been obtained regarding the return of his body or funeral arrangements.

Rebin Moradi, a 17-year-old from Salas-e Babajani and a youth player for the Saipa football team, was shot dead by security forces during the protests in Tehran on 8 January. His father, Adel Moradi, said he was shot from close range from behind, according to a video released by state media when his body was returned. Although his body was returned to the family, no information has been provided about the time or place of his burial.

Ardeshir Zarei, a Kurdish Yarsan citizen from Dalahu living in Saveh, was shot dead by security forces during the protests in Saveh on 8 January. His burial ceremony was held on 17 January in a village in Kermanshah.

Keyvan Rezaei, a Kurdish Yarsan citizen from Kermanshah, was shot dead by IRGC forces during the protests in the city on 8 January. No information has been received regarding the return of his body or his burial.

Zahra Moradi, from Bukan, was shot dead by security forces during #IranProtests in Tehran on 8 January. No information has yet been obtained about the return of her body or funeral arrangements.

Golaleh Mahmoudi-Azar, from Mahabad, was shot dead by security forces during the protests in Tehran on 8 January. No information has been received about the handover of her body or her burial.

Amir-Ali Jalilian, a 65-year-old man from Eslamabad-e Gharb, was left in a coma after being shot multiple times in the head and body with pellets during protests on 8 January. He died in hospital on 14 January from the severity of his injuries.

Mohammad Seydi, from Sarpol-e Zahab and a resident of Karaj, was shot dead by security forces during the protests in Karaj on 9 January. No confirmed information has been obtained regarding the return of his body or his burial.

Pouya Rostami, from the village of Kolom (Kolah Kabud) in Ilam, was shot dead by IRGC forces during the protests in Ilam on 8 January. No confirmed information has been received about the return of his body or his burial.

Seyyed Milad Hosseini, a Kurdish Yarsan citizen, was shot dead by security forces during the Tehran protests on 8 January. No information has yet been obtained about the return of his body or funeral arrangements.

Saman Nazari, a 23-year-old Kurdish Yarsan citizen from Kermanshah, was shot dead by IRGC forces using live ammunition during protests in the Darreh Drezh neighbourhood on 8 January. His funeral was attended by a large crowd.

Saman Fatahi, a Kurdish Yarsan citizen from Kermanshah and a well-known taekwondo athlete, was shot in the head with live ammunition by IRGC forces during protests in the Sabouni neighbourhood on 8 January. His body was reportedly handed over to his family after the payment of seven billion rials, and he was buried on 11 January at the Ragheh Sarab Tiran cemetery in Kouzaran.

Shirzad Balaei, a father of two from Eslamabad-e Gharb, was shot dead by IRGC forces using live ammunition during protests in the city on 8 January. His funeral was held on 10 January at the Cheshmeh Khani Chekan Mansouri cemetery.

Fardin Fouladi, a father of two from Eslamabad-e Gharb, was shot dead by IRGC forces using live ammunition during protests in the city on 8 January. His funeral was held on 10 January at the Cheshmeh Khani Chekan Mansouri cemetery.

Arsalan Ghahremani, a 24-year-old from Divandarreh and a resident of Tehran, was shot dead by security forces during protests in Tehran on the evening of 9 January. No information has yet been obtained about the return of his body or funeral arrangements.

Amir Naderi, a 27-year-old from Eslamabad-e Gharb, was shot dead by IRGC forces using live ammunition during protests in the city on 8 January. No information has yet been published about the return of his body or funeral arrangements.

Omid Saedi, a 39-year-old from Sanandaj and a resident of Tehran, was shot dead by security forces during protests in the Tehranpars area on 8 January. No information has yet been obtained about the return of his body or funeral arrangements.

Kamran Akbari, a 45-year-old teacher from Eslamabad-e Gharb (Shabad) and a resident of Kermanshah, was shot dead by IRGC forces using live ammunition during protests in Kermanshah on 8 January. No information has yet been published about the return of his body or funeral arrangements.

Citizens killed after arrest

Soran Feyzizadeh, a Kurdish citizen from Saqqez and a resident of Bijar, was arrested after being severely beaten by security forces during protests in Bijar on 8 January. Due to his critical physical condition, he was transferred to a medical centre in Sanandaj, where he died after 24 hours of hospitalisation as a result of the severity of his injuries. It is reported that his body was secretly buried by security forces at the Aichi cemetery in Saqqez. An image published from the time of his hospitalisation shows clear signs of torture on his face and neck.

List of those detained: