Mohsen Arbabi
Mohsen Arbabi was killed because he was present during anti-government protests in Karaj in January 2026, when Iranian security forces used lethal force against civilians.
Mohsen Arbabi was fatally shot in the head with live ammunition fired by Iranian forces during protests in Karaj on January 9, 2026. Human-rights sources report that authorities later pressured his family to misrepresent the circumstances of his death, which the family refused.
Biography
Mohsen Arbabi was a 20-year-old Baloch laborer from Gasht, in the central district of Saravan County, who had traveled to Karaj for work. During the January 2026 protests, he was shot and killed by Iranian security forces. His death, later documented by human-rights organizations, became one of several civilian killings in Karaj during the crackdown.
Mohsen Arbabi was born and raised in Gasht, a city in Saravan County, and belonged to Iran’s Baloch minority. Seeking work, he moved to Karaj as a laborer. On January 9, 2026, during widespread anti-government protests in the city, he was shot in the head with live ammunition by Iranian security forces and killed.
Sources reported that his family located his body after an extensive search at Alborz Hospital in Karaj. Authorities reportedly demanded a large sum of money for the release of his body and pressured the family to falsely state that he was affiliated with the Basij militia. The family rejected this claim, stating he had gone to Karaj solely to work. His body was eventually returned and buried on January 13, 2026, in his hometown of Gasht.
Additional Information
Sources & References
Hengaw identifies five more people killed during protests in Karaj1 hengaw.net Open source
Mohsen Arbabi, 20 years old, a young laborer with his whole life ahead of him, lost his life during the protests in Karaj. A single act of violence ended his dreams and silenced a heart that only wanted to live.2 facebook.com Open source