Nazanin Esmikhani

Their life

Nazanin Esmikhani was a 17-year-old Iranian teenager who became one of the many young civilians killed during the wave of nationwide protests that erupted in January 2026 against the Iranian government. She was in the city of Qazvin on January 8, 2026, when she was shot in the head by a live round fired by security forces confronting the crowd. Esmikhani’s death came amid one of the deadliest crackdowns in recent Iranian history, highlighting the vulnerability of even the youngest protesters in the face of state violence.

Nazanin Esmikhani was a 17-year-old girl from Iran whose life tragically ended during the nationwide protests that swept the country in early 2026. Like many others in her generation, she took part in demonstrations expressing widespread frustration over political repression, economic hardship, and calls for greater freedoms. On January 8, 2026, Esmikhani was in the city of Qazvin, participating in a protest outside government facilities when security forces responded with live ammunition. She was hit directly in the forehead by a bullet and died from her injuries. Following her death, her body was returned to her hometown and buried in the village of Hesar Kharvan. Her killing has become part of the broader narrative of youth casualties in the movement, underscoring the severe risks faced by young protesters confronting armed state forces.

How they died

Nazanin Esmikhani was killed during nationwide anti-government protests in Iran when security forces reportedly opened fire on demonstrators. She was struck by live ammunition to the head while participating in a protest in the city of Qazvin.

Nazanin Esmikhani was killed when security forces reportedly fired live rounds at protesters during a demonstration in Qazvin on January 8, 2026. A bullet struck her directly in the forehead, causing fatal injuries. The use of live ammunition by state forces against unarmed demonstrators has been widely reported throughout the protests, resulting in numerous civilian deaths, including many minors.

Why we remember them

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

References & sources