Danial Sabzikar and Reza Barani killed by direct gunfire in Qazvin and Karaj

Hengaw – Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Two Lor men, Danial Sabzikar and Reza Barani, both originally from Ramhormoz County in Khuzestan Province, were killed during recent protests in the cities of Qazvin and Karaj after being shot directly by Iranian government forces.

According to information received by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Barani, 32, a resident of Karaj, was killed during protests on the evening of Thursday, January 8, 2026, after being shot by government forces in the city.

A knowledgeable source told Hengaw that Barani was killed by direct fire from a military weapon, with the bullet striking his head. The severity of the injuries was such that they proved immediately fatal.

The source added that Barani had moved from Ramhormoz to Karaj following his father’s death to support his family. He worked as a barber and clothing seller, providing for himself and his mother, and had been forced into work from a young age.

In a separate incident on the same day, Sabzikar, 28, also from Ramhormoz County, was killed by direct gunfire from Iranian government forces during protests in Qazvin.

According to information obtained by Hengaw, Sabzikar was shot in the chest. He worked as an automotive electrical mechanic and had moved to Qazvin several months earlier to earn a living.