Amir Mohammad Koohkan

Their life

Amir Mohammad Koohkan was a 26-year-old Iranian futsal (indoor soccer) coach and football referee from Neyriz in Fars Province. Known locally for his kindness and community involvement, he became one of the early named victims of the nationwide anti-government protests in January 2026. Koohkan was killed by live ammunition while participating in demonstrations, drawing attention to the human cost of Iran’s security forces’ crackdown.

Amir Mohammad Koohkan grew up in Neyriz, a city in southwestern Iran, where he became deeply involved in sports, particularly indoor soccer (futsal). He worked as a futsal coach, mentoring young players, and also served as a football referee, roles that made him well-known and respected in his community. Friends described him as kind, compassionate, and someone who cared about people’s well-being. When widespread protests erupted across Iran in late December 2025 and early 2026, Koohkan joined the demonstrations in his hometown of Neyriz, reflecting both his personal convictions and solidarity with broader calls for economic justice and political reform. His death during the protests became widely cited in international reporting as emblematic of the many young Iranians killed in the unrest.

How they died

He was Killed by live ammunition.

According to testimony shared with BBC Persian by a friend, Amir Mohammad Koohkan was shot with live ammunition by security forces or regime-aligned forces during a protest in Neyriz on 3 January 2026. The friend, speaking about the incident and its aftermath, said Koohkan’s family is both grieving his loss and angry that he was killed “by the regime.”

A plea from the family

Koohkan’s friend and sources relayed that his family is grieving and angry about his death, specifically because he was killed “by the regime.” There are no direct quoted pleas from family members published in the available reports, but the friend’s account underscores the family’s sorrow and outrage at the circumstances of his death.

Why we remember them

This record exists so that Amir Mohammad Koohkan, and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources