IRAN - Mojtaba Ghorbani and Bahram Zahedi

IRAN - Mojtaba Ghorbani and Bahram Zahedi killed during the protests

January 8, 2026:

January 8, 2026 - IRAN. Mojtaba Ghorbani and Bahram Zahedi killed during the protests

Two Gilak civilians, identified as Mojtaba Ghorbani and Bahram Zahedi, both residents of Rasht in Gilan Province, were shot dead by Iran government forces during popular protests in the city.

According to information received by Hengaw, Bahram Zahedi, 42, and Mojtaba Ghorbani, 33, both residents of Rasht, were killed after being directly shot by state forces on the evening of Thursday, January 8, 2026, during the protests.

A member of Zahedi’s family confirmed the news to Hengaw, stating that Bahram Zahedi—who was married and the father of two children—was killed at around 9:00 p.m. in the Lakaan Gate area of Rasht during the protests, after being struck by live ammunition and pellet gun fire fired by state forces.

On the same night, Mojtaba Ghorbani, 33, was also killed by gunfire from state forces. His body has not been handed over to his family.

The popular protests on Thursday, 8 January 2026, which took place simultaneously in several cities across Iran, were also marked by a large public presence in Rasht. These protests were met with severe repression, violence, and the direct use of live ammunition against protesters by Iran government forces.

Field reports confirm that the Thursday gatherings in Gilan Province were met with violent crackdowns, including the use of live ammunition and pellet weapons against protesters.

With the identification of these two civilians, the number of victims whose identities have been verified by Hengaw in connection with the recent events in Gilan Province has risen to five.

https://hengaw.net/en/news/2026/01/article-73