Mehdi Zatparvar
He was killed by gunshot wounds inflicted by security forces during the protests
According to the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Mehdi Zatparvar was shot and killed by direct fire from Iranian government forces while taking part in protests in Rasht on 9 January 2026. Reports indicate that security forces used lethal force against demonstrators, and Zatparvar’s death was among several documented cases of protesters struck by live ammunition.
Biography
Mehdi Zatparvar was a 39-year-old Iranian bodybuilding champion, coach, and sports physiologist from Rasht, Gilan Province. A respected athletic figure and mentor, he became one of the well-known civilians killed during the nationwide protests in January 2026 after being shot by Iranian security forces while participating in demonstrations
Mehdi (Masoud) Zatparvar was a 39-year-old Gilak man from the northern city of Rasht, widely known as a two-time World Classic Bodybuilding champion and a seasoned bodybuilding coach with a master’s degree in sports physiology. He began training in weightlifting at a young age and earned national and international titles over the course of his athletic career. As a coach, he was highly respected and played a significant role in the development of fitness and bodybuilding in his region.
In early January 2026, widespread protests erupted across Iran over economic hardship and political repression. Zatparvar joined demonstrators in Rasht, where he used social media to express his support for the movement and call for Iranians’ rights to be recognized. On 9 January 2026, according to human rights monitors, he was shot and killed by Iranian government forces during the protests. His death was reported by the Norway-based Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, and later highlighted internationally amid diaspora family accounts of loss and grief.
Pleas of Surviving Relatives and Family if any
Relatives and friends documented in The Guardian express deep anguish and heartbreak over his killing, describing him as an inspiring figure and calling for global awareness of the regime’s violent repression of protesters. His friend and fellow athlete Akbar Sarbaz publicly lamented his death and emphasized Zatparvar’s courage and desire for rights and freedom shortly before he was killed. Families of victims are demanding recognition of their loved ones’ deaths and international attention to the suffering caused by the crackdown.
Additional Information
Sources & References
A student, a bodybuilder and a father of three among those killed during protests in Iran1 edition.cnn.com Open source
The world needs to know what’s happening’: families of protesters killed in Iran tell of heartbreak2 theguardian.com Open source
Mehdi Zatparvar, athlete from Rasht, killed by direct gunfire from Iranian forces3 hengaw.net Open source