Four more protesters are shot dead by security forces in Malekshahi County, Ilam province, Iran

Four more protesters are shot dead by security forces in Malekshahi County, Ilam province, Iran.

By Andrew McBride1 min read

Image not availableNot all original photographs have been retained in the digital archive.

At least four protesters were killed in Malekshahi County, Ilam Province, Iran, on January 3, 2026, after Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces opened live fire on demonstrators. The victims, identified as Mehdi Emamipour, Reza Azimzadeh, Farez Aghamohammadi, and Mohammad Moghaddasi, were shot during midday demonstrations.

Hengaw Organization for Human Rights reported that more than 40 people were injured in the incident, with many transported to Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ilam due to severe wounds. The group also received unverified reports of two additional fatalities, which remain under review.

Iran Human Rights and Hengaw both attributed the violence to security forces, with no evidence provided by the government to substantiate claims that demonstrators carried firearms or grenades. The protests, initially driven by economic grievances, have included calls against Iran’s theocratic regime.