Mojtaba Esmailpour

Mojtaba Esmailpour passed away on January 9 in the city of Babolsar due to a gunshot wound to the head. Mr. Esmailpour was a resident of Rudbast village, a small village with a traditional and religious structure, located in the Babolsar district. He was a design engineer and artist, and reportedly, he played the main role in supporting his family's living expenses. His father is disabled, and his mother makes a living through rural work.

The report indicates that the village and his family are heavily influenced by forces affiliated with security institutions, including the Revolutionary Guard and Basij. Some close relatives and neighbors, echoing the government's narrative, have claimed that he was killed by people in the street and not by government forces. Meanwhile, informed sources report that his immediate family is under pressure to remain silent and align with the official government narrative.

It has also been reported that a fortieth-day memorial ceremony was not held for him, and his funeral was conducted in a restricted setting with a significant presence of Basij forces, preventing a free and independent mourning for him.

*Translated on 2026-04-26*