09 February 2026 :

February 8, 2026 - IRAN. Victim Accounts: Habib Khoobipour, a 47-year-old civil activist killed by live ammunition

Arsalan Khoobipour has shared with Iran Human Rights details of the killing of his brother, Habib Khoobipour, a 47-year-old protester, during the Isfahan protests.

Habib Khoobipour, a mathematics graduate and civil activist, was killed on the evening of 8 January 2026 during anti-government protests in the city of Isfahan, after being shot with live ammunition by Islamic Republic security forces. According to his family, like other protesters, he was unarmed and participating peacefully in the protests.

Arsalan Khoobipour, who lives outside Iran, told Iran Human Rights that in previous years his brother had been expelled from university due to his civil activism. He was also arrested and tortured during the 2009 protests (commonly referred to as the Green Movement), which resulted in serious physical consequences. Nevertheless, the family emphasise that Habib “consciously chose the path of civil activism and never retreated from his positions”.

The victim’s brother added: “In the days leading up to the protests, I was in contact with my brother via social media. I knew that he and his friends were active in the protests, and for that reason I was extremely worried. On the day of the incident, communications were cut off, and given my understanding of the situation, I suspected that something serious had happened.”

Referring to how he received the news, Arsalan Khoobipour said that he learned of Habib’s killing from his wife and only after the burial ceremony had already taken place. “The ceremony,” he added, “was held without informing family members who live outside the country.”

The victim’s brother continued: “Habib disappeared after taking part in the protests. During the family’s initial follow-ups, security institutions gave no clear response. Eventually, one of his friends informed the family that he had witnessed Habib being struck by a live bullet. After repeated follow-ups, the responsible authorities confirmed his killing.”

According to the death certificate of Habib Khoobipour, issued by the Isfahan branch of the National Organization for Civil Registration, the cause of death is recorded as “injury caused by contact with a hard or sharp object”.

Arsalan Khoobipour said that security institutions made the handover of his brother’s body conditional on the family accepting the claim that Habib had been a member of the Basij (paramilitary branch of the IRGC)—a claim the family strongly rejected.

“Ultimately, with the intervention of intermediaries,” he continued, “Habib’s body was handed over to the family. The family were also asked to pay a sum of money in exchange for the body, which—given their difficult economic circumstances—was accompanied by significant pressure and bargaining.”

Habib Khoobipour was buried on Wednesday, 14 January 2026, in his hometown of Bahmai, in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province.

https://iranhr.net/en/articles/8593/