Identities of Two Kurdish Protesters Killed in Mashhad and Esfarayen Confirmed

Hengaw – Monday, January 19, 2026

The identities of two Kurdish protesters who were killed during recent demonstrations in Esfarayen and Mashhad have been confirmed one week after their deaths. Jalil Milanouyi and Hossein Zabihzadeh were killed by direct gunfire from Iranian government forces.

According to information received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Jalil Milanouyi, a Kurdish resident of Esfarayen in North Khorasan, was shot dead by government forces during public protests in the city on the evening of Thursday, January 8, 2026.

On the same night, Hossein Zabihzadeh, 41, was killed during protests in the Noudeh neighborhood of Mashhad after being targeted by government forces. Hengaw has learned that he was shot in the head with a military-grade weapon.

With these two cases, Hengaw has now verified and published the identities of at least seven Kurdish protesters killed during demonstrations in Khorasan Razavi and North Khorasan.