At least five Kurdish residents killed by Iranian forces during protests in Chenaran

Hengaw – Thursday, January 8, 2026 

At least five Kurdish residents have been killed by direct gunfire from Iranian government forces during popular protests in  Chenaran,  located in Razavi Khorasan Province. 

Hengaw  Organization for Human Rights, has  identified  the victims as Mehdi  Ghorbandoust, Mehdi  Validoost, Morteza Jahanbakhsh, Ruhollah Setareh  Moshtari, and Mohammadreza  Gorouhi. 

Hengaw  sources report that Mehdi  Validoost  and Morteza Jahanbakhsh, both from Ghazal-Kan village in Chenaran; Ruhollah Setareh  Moshtari, a 26-year-old from  Ghiassabad  village; and Mohammadreza  Gorouhi  were shot dead with Kalashnikov rifles on Khomeini Boulevard on the evening of Wednesday, January 7, 2026. 

Mehdi  Ghorbandoust, another protester who had been critically wounded by gunfire during the same night’s protests and transferred to intensive care while in a coma, died from his injuries on Thursday, January 8, 2026. 

Hengaw has also received reports of the killing of one  additional  individual, whose identity is still being verified. 

Based on videos and images obtained by  Hengaw,  all of  the victims were transported to hospital after being  shot, but  succumbed to their injuries despite medical efforts. 

According to informed sources, government forces  attempted  to secretly bury the body of Ruhollah Setareh  Moshtari  during the night; however, the attempt was prevented by  local residents. Sources added that he had become a father just one day before his killing. 

None of the bodies have been handed over to their families. Witnesses  stated  that during the protests in  Chenaran, Iranian government forces opened fire on demonstrators between 8:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. on Wednesday night.