List of Iranian artists killed during state crackdowns

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The following is a list of Iranian artists, musicians, actors, filmmakers, photographers, and cultural workers reported by human rights organizations and news outlets to have been killed during the 2026 Iranian protest crackdown.

Background

Nationwide protests erupted across Iran on 8 January 2026 following a series of political and economic grievances, rapidly spreading to dozens of cities across the country.[1]Iranian authorities responded with a large-scale security crackdown involving the deployment of police forces, Basij militia units, and other state security institutions.[2] During this period, the Iranian government has perpetrated widespread massacres of civilians to suppress public dissent nationwide.[3][4]

Human rights organizations reported widespread use of lethal force against demonstrators, mass arrests, enforced disappearances, internet shutdowns, and restrictions on journalists and independent monitors.[5][6][7] As of 25 January 2026, the total death toll estimates ranged from 6,488 people to upwards of ~36,500 people.[8][9][10][11] Amnesty International described the events as "the deadliest period of repression by the Iranian authorities in decades".[2]

During the crackdown, a number of Iranian artists and cultural workers were reported killed in different parts of the country, including musicians, actors, filmmakers, photographers, theatre practitioners, and writers.[12] Several international organizations, including Artists at Risk Connection and Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, documented the deaths of artists as part of broader efforts to record civilian casualties during the protests.[13][14]

The scale of the killings remains disputed. Iranian state media reported 3,117 deaths during the protests,[1] while the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported thousands of confirmed civilian deaths and additional cases under investigation.[15] Reporting and documentation efforts were complicated by nationwide internet restrictions and limitations imposed on journalists and independent observers.[16]

Partial list

The following is a partial list of Iranian artists and cultural workers reported killed during the 2026 Iranian protest crackdown.

Name Profession Age Date of death Location Reference
Soroush Soleimani Hip Hop Artist 28 4 January 2026 Hafshejan [17]
Mahan Qadami Rapper 23 4 January 2026 Eslamshahr [18]
Ahmad Abbasi Theatre director and actor 8 January 2026 Tehran [19][20][21]
Mohadiseh Shahbazi Multidisciplinary Artist 20 8 January 2026 Tehran [22]
Amirhossein Malekshahi Singer and Musician 28 8 January 2026 Tehran [23][24]
Rubina Aminian Textile Designer 23 8 January 2026 Tehran [25][26][27]
Yaghoub Dalir Singer and Musician 47 8 January 2026 Astaneh-ye Ashrafiyeh [24][28]
Mehdi Salahshour Sculptor 50 8 January 2026 Mashhad [29][30][31][32]
Hossein Tehranchi Musician 31 8 January 2026 Narmak, Tehran [33][34]
Yaser Modir Rousta Musician 8 January 2026 Karaj [35]
Foad Safaei Singer 24 8 January 2026 Karaj [36]
Melika Dastyab Kurdish Musician 21 8 January 2026 Kermanshah [37][38][39]
Pouya Faragerdi Musician 37 8 January 2026 Majidiieh, Tehran [40][41][42][43]
Aria Honarmand Rapper 27 8 January 2026 Naziabad, Tehran [44][45]
Ghazal Aghaei Lindi Photographer 28 9 January 2026 Tehran [46][47][48]
Reyhaneh Yousefi Actress 28 9 January 2026 Tehran [49][50]
Abolfazl Yaghmouri Rapper 17 9 January 2026 Karaj [51][52]
Babak Jamali Singer 9 January 2026 Arak [53]
Javad Ganji Filmmaker 39 9 January 2026 Sadeghiyeh, Tehran [54][55][56][57][58]
Sahba Rashtian Visual artist 23 15 January 2026 Isfahan [59][60]
Shokoufeh Abdi Photographer 18 January 2026 Arak [61][62]
Sanam Pour Babayi Violinist 26 18 January 2026 Lahijan
Amir Ali Zarei Musician 35 18 January 2026 Tehran [63][64]
Shabnam Ferdowsi Puppet maker and graphic artist 37 18 January 2026 Tehran [65][66]
Zohreh Shamaizadeh Script Supervisor and Actress (unclear) January 2026 (unknown)

Repression of artistic expression

Human rights organizations and advocacy groups have documented increasing restrictions on artistic expression in Iran in the years preceding the 2026 protest crackdown. Following the outbreak of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in 2022, several reports described intensified censorship, surveillance, arrests, work bans, and prosecutions targeting artists, musicians, filmmakers, and cultural workers.[67]

According to a 2024 report published by the Artistic Freedom Initiative and Voices Unbound, Iranian authorities increased efforts to control artistic production and public expression through legal prosecution, online monitoring, and restrictions imposed on cultural figures accused of supporting protest movements.[68]

The report documented cases involving visual artists, musicians, filmmakers, photographers, and performers prosecuted under laws relating to national security, propaganda, and public morality.[69]

References

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  2. "What happened at the protests in Iran?". Amnesty International. 28 January 2026.
  3. Azimi, Roxana. "Iranian artists exiled in France voice distress over massacres". lemonde.fr.
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  7. "At least 3117 people killed during Iran protests, state media report". Al Jazeera.
  8. Kay Armin Serjoie, Roxana Saberi, and Fatemeh Jamalpour. "Iran Protest Death Toll Could Top 30,000: Local Officials". TIME. Archived from the original on 2026-01-25. Retrieved 2026-05-12.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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  14. "Hengaw verifies identity of four additional children killed by security forces". Hengaw Organization for Human Rights. 14 January 2026.
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  29. "Sculptor Mehdi Salahshour shot dead during protests in Mashhad". Hengaw (hengaw.net). October 22, 1404.
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  61. "Shokoufeh Abdi, originaire de Shazand". February 3, 2026.
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