Identities of 257 Kurdish protesters killed during the December protests confirmed

Hengaw – Friday, February 6, 2026

The Hengaw Organization for Human Rights has so far verified the identities of 257 Kurdish civilians who were killed by Iranian government forces during the December protests. Among the identified victims are at least 19 women and 20 minors.

Detailed individual profiles of each of the Kurdish victims, along with other protest victims, will be published soon in the December Protests Victims Database.

Statistical summary of the 257 identified Kurdish victims

 • At least 20 minors were killed

 • At least 19 women were killed

 • At least 29 followers of the Yarsan faith were killed

 • At least 10 university students were killed

 • At least 5 medical professionals (doctors, nurses, and dentists) were killed

 • At least 2 engineers and 1 teacher were killed

Key statistical notes

 • Victims were recorded across 67 different cities

 • The highest number of killings by location occurred in Kermanshah Province, with 89 cases

 • The highest number of victims by place of origin were from Kermanshah Province, with 145 individuals

 • At least 224 people were killed over just two days — January 8 and 9

Breakdown by province where victims were killed

 • Kermanshah (Kermashan) Province: 89

 • Tehran Province: 70

 • Alborz Province: 32

 • Razavi Khorasan Province: 16

 • Ilam Province: 13

 • North Khorasan Province: 10

 • Qazvin Province: 5

 • Kurdistan (Sanandaj), Gilan, and Lorestan Provinces: 4 each

 • Isfahan, Markazi, Hormozgan, and Hamedan Provinces: 2 each

 • Mazandaran and Khuzestan Provinces: 1 each

Breakdown by victims’ province of origin

 • Kermanshah Province: 145

 • Ilam Province: 22

 • Kurdistan Province: 20

 • Razavi Khorasan Province: 19

 • North Khorasan Province: 13

 • West Azerbaijan (Urmia) Province: 9

 • Hamedan Province: 9

 • Lorestan Province: 7

 • Qazvin Province: 5

 • Gilan Province: 4

 • Tehran Province: 3

 • Alborz Province: 1

The protests began on December 28, 2025, following strikes by traders and shopkeepers in Tehran protesting the sharp rise in the US dollar exchange rate, and rapidly spread across the country. Government forces responded with lethal force and opened fire on protesters in the streets.

According to data recorded by Hengaw’s Statistics and Documentation Center, the identities of 1,250 protesters killed by government forces across Iran during these protests have so far been verified. Hengaw continues to update and verify this list on a daily basis.