Golaleh (Maryam) Mahmoudi Aza
Golaleh died from direct gunshot wounds inflicted by Iranian government security forces trying to suppress the protests.
According to human rights organizations monitoring the unrest, security forces including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated units responded to peaceful demonstrations with live ammunition. Golaleh was shot at close range during these clashes — part of a pattern of lethal force that has been widely criticized by international rights groups. The use of live ammunition against unarmed protesters is considered a gross violation of human rights and has been documented in multiple similar cases across Tehran and other Iranian cities in early January 2026
Biography
Golaleh (Maryam) Mahmoudi Azar was a 26-year-old Kurdish woman originally from Mahabad in Iran’s Kurdistan region. She had been living in Tehran with her husband — who comes from Paveh in Kermanshah Province. On the evening of 8 January 2026, Golaleh participated in protests in the capital against the Iranian government’s crackdown. During the demonstrations, she was fatally shot by security forces. After her death, her body was returned to Mahabad for burial under tight security and enforced silence, with local authorities closely supervising funeral arrangements.
Golaleh grew up in Mahabad, a Kurdish city in northwestern Iran known for its vibrant cultural identity. In her mid-20s, she moved to Tehran with her husband, pursuing work and life in Iran’s capital. Like many young Iranians, she became involved in widespread anti-government demonstrations that swept the country in early 2026, driven by public frustration over political repression and economic hardship. Although details of her personal life beyond these basics remain limited in public reports, Golaleh’s death has been highlighted by multiple human rights organizations as emblematic of the heavy toll the protests have taken on unarmed civilians. Her funeral in Mahabad was conducted under strict restrictions imposed by security forces, and authorities reportedly attempted to control public expression of grief
Additional Information
Sources & References
Five Kurdish people, including two women, killed in Tehran protests1 hengaw.net Open source
Since late December 2025 Iranian state security forces have engaged in massacres of dissidents during the 2025–2026 Iranian protests2 en.wikipedia.org Open source