Iran International details January crackdown with snipers deployed against protesters

Fuad Ghadimi: Fuad Ghadimi was among those killed during the September 2022 protests in Divandarreh, Kordestan province. Authorities compelled his father to deliver false statements on state television under threat of withholding the body and endangering other family members. His case forms part of the documented pattern of narrative control by officials. Mehran Samak: Mehran Samak was shot in Bandar Anzali after honking his car horn in solidarity with celebrations over Iran's World Cup defeat to the United States. His case underwent an initial conviction that was later overturned and returned for further review. Minoo Majidi: Minoo Majidi was killed in Kermanshah on September 20, 2022, with a forensic expert noting 167 pellets in her body. No written report was provided to the family despite the details shared verbally. Her case reflects broader denial of documentation to victims' relatives. Ebrahim Ahmadi: Ebrahim Ahmadi is the brother of Fereshteh Ahmadi, killed in Mahabad in October 2022. He was held in solitary confinement for 28 days by Revolutionary Guards intelligence agents who offered incentives to blame opposition groups for her death. He refused the demands despite the pressure. Ardalan Ghasemi: Ardalan Ghasemi was shot in Kermanshah while writing slogans on a wall in November 2022. Hospital officials pressured his family against filing complaints by displaying another decomposed body as a warning. He was released to the family only after they signed a statement attributing his death to car theft. Ismail Golanbar: Ismail Golanbar was killed during the protests in Javanrud, Kermanshah province. Revolutionary Guards took possession of his body and returned it only after the family agreed to a burial outside the town at their regional base. The case highlights tactics to control funeral arrangements. Zanyar Abubakri: Zanyar Abubakri was killed in Mahabad, with his funeral on October 27, 2022, drawing hundreds of mourners. Security forces fired assault rifles, birdshot, and tear gas at participants carrying his body. The violence at the event exceeded levels seen during initial protests. Habibollah Fathi: Habibollah Fathi was killed by a live round to the head in November 2022. An initial death certificate listed the cause as unknown, while a revised version cited heart disease after family requests for correction. The alterations illustrate efforts to obscure the true circumstances of deaths. Hooman Abdollahi: Hooman Abdollahi was shot in the heart in Sanandaj on December 7, 2022. The coroner provided only a verbal cause of death, with no written report or burial certificate issued to the family. Police seized the ambulance carrying his body before a nighttime burial with no witnesses allowed. Sepehr Beiranvand: Sepehr Beiranvand was killed in Khorramabad during the protests. His case followed a pattern where an initial conviction was overturned and the matter sent back for review, similar to other instances of reduced accountability for security agents. Iran International: Iran International is a Persian-language news outlet specializing in coverage of Iranian domestic affairs and government actions. It published an investigation detailing the deployment of snipers by security forces on rooftops during the January crackdown in Semnan. The report draws on evidence of systematic tactics used against protesters east of Tehran. Shahriar Mohammadi: Shahriar Mohammadi was killed in Bukan on November 18, 2022. His brother attempted to shield the body from seizure by agents, resulting in beatings, kicks to the body, and being shot in the leg with birdshot at close range. The incident underscores intimidation directed at mourners. Mohammad Jamehbozorg: Mohammad Jamehbozorg was shot in the face in Malard after agents raided his home where he had sheltered protesters. A court initially sentenced the agent to death, but the charge was reduced following intervention by Revolutionary Guards commanders and the local Friday prayer leader, resulting in a three-year prison term. Amnesty International: Amnesty International is an international human rights organization that investigates and reports on state violence and abuses globally. It released a detailed account of killings during Iran's 2022-2023 protests along with subsequent campaigns targeting victims' families across multiple provinces. The findings illustrate coordinated efforts by various Iranian institutions to suppress information and enforce false narratives. Media Investigation: Iran International has continued to expose specific security force deployments and tactics used in provincial crackdowns on protests. Institutional Involvement: Multiple Iranian state bodies including intelligence agencies, Revolutionary Guards, and local officials have participated in coordinated efforts to control narratives around deaths. Human Rights Documentation: Amnesty International reports reveal consistent nationwide patterns of silencing families and altering official records following protester deaths.