Two women among five killed in Kermanshah protest crackdown
Hengaw – Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Five Kurdish residents were killed during protests across Kermanshah Province, including two women. Those killed are Mohammad Mehdi Badri, Melika Dastyab, Hassan Fallahi, and Elham Zeinali in Kermanshah (Kermashan), as well as Reza Darvishi in Islam Abad-e Gharb (Shabad), based on information obtained by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights.
Hassan Fallahi, a follower of the Yarsan faith from the village of Sarailan-e Tuh-e Khaki in Kermanshah County, was shot from behind with live ammunition by Iranian government forces during protests in the Elahiyeh township of Kermanshah on the evening of January 9, 2026.
Fallahi’s family was prevented from burying him in the city of Kermanshah, and they were forced to lay him to rest in their ancestral village of Sarailan-e Tuh-e Khaki. His funeral was held on January 11, 2026, amid a heavy security presence, during which mourners chanted anti-government slogans.
Melika Dastyab, 21, a follower of the Yarsan faith from Kerend-e Gharb, the administrative center of Dalahu County, was killed after being shot by Iranian government forces during protests in Shahrak-e Moallem in Kermanshah on the evening of January 8, 2026.
Dastyab’s body was buried in her hometown following a funeral attended by a large crowd, according to a video received by Hengaw.
Mohammad Mehdi Badri, a resident of Kermanshah, was killed after being shot by Iranian government forces during protests on Taq-e Bostan Boulevard on January 8, 2026.
Elham Zeinali, a supervisor at Imam Ali Hospital in Kermanshah, was shot from behind with live ammunition by Iranian government forces on January 8, 2026. Sources said she sustained severe injuries to her lower back, abdomen, and uterus, and was transferred to hospital where she underwent major surgery but later died from the extent of her wounds. Her body was laid to rest on January 13, 2026, at Bagh-e Ferdows cemetery in Kermanshah.
Zeinali was described as well-regarded in her workplace and community. She was also the primary caregiver for her elderly mother.
Reza Darvishi, a 27-year-old resident of Islam Abad-e Gharb, was killed by Iranian government forces during protests in the city on January 8, 2026. Hengaw has learned that he was first critically wounded by pellet gun fire near Imam Hossein Mosque before security forces shot him in the heart with a Kalashnikov rifle while he was lying on the ground. His funeral was held on January 10, 2026, in the village of Tajar Karam-Panahabad.
