Hengaw identifies five more people killed during protests in Karaj

Hengaw – Thursday, January 22, 2026

Five civilians, including one Baloch man, were killed during anti-government protests in Karaj after being shot directly by Iranian forces. The victims are Mohsen Arbabi, Amin Heidari, Ali Moradi, Amir Mohsen Allahyari, and Ashkan Alipour, based on information obtained by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights.

Amir Mohsen Allahyari, a 29-year-old resident of Fardis, Karaj, was killed after being shot by Iranian forces during protests in the city on January 9, 2026. According to his death certificate and burial permit, copies of which have been reviewed by Hengaw, the cause of death was listed as “gunshot wound to the torso.” His body was handed over to his family on January 11 and was subsequently buried.

Mohsen Arbabi, a 20-year-old Baloch man from the city of Gasht in the central district of Saravan County who was living in Karaj for work, was killed during protests in the city after being shot in the head with live ammunition by Iranian forces on January 9, 2026. Sources said his family identified his body after an extensive search at Alborz Hospital in Karaj. Authorities demanded a sum of around one billion tomans for the release of his body and pressured the family to state that he was a member of the Basij militia. The family rejected the claim, saying he had gone to Karaj solely to work as a laborer. His body was eventually buried on January 13 in his hometown of Gasht.

Amin Heidari, a 32-year-old resident of Karaj, was killed during the same protests after being shot by Iranian forces in the Azimiyeh area of the city. A relative told Hengaw that the family received his body and held his burial.

Ali Moradi, a 42-year-old resident of the Sarjub Hesar area of Karaj, was also killed after being shot by Iranian forces during protests on January 8, 2026. 

According to informed sources, Moradi’s wife was seven months pregnant at the time of his death, and after 14 years of marriage, he was about to become a father for the first time.

Ashkan Alipour, a resident of Fardis, Karaj, was killed on the same day after being shot directly by Iranian forces during protests in the city. Sources said Alipour was a talented barista who had shared videos on his Instagram account showcasing his professional skills and techniques at work.