According to reports received from human rights sources, on the evening of January 7, 2026, during public protests near the Seh-Rah Sazman area in Bandar Abbas, at least two citizens were killed by direct gunfire from the Islamic Republic’s security forces.
One of the deceased has been identified as Khaled Molaei, a Sunni student from the village of Hermood, in the Baghrastan Desert region of Fars Province, and a resident of Bandar Abbas. He was the son of Abdulhamid Molaei, a well-known Sunni activist in southern Iran. According to reports, Khaled Molaei’s body has not yet been handed over to his family, as the Bandar Abbas Forensic Medicine Organization has refused its release.
The second victim is Mohammad Mohammadi, a resident of Bandar Abbas, who was also killed by direct gunfire from security forces during the protests.
Meanwhile, some unverified reports indicate that up to four people may have been killed in Bandar Abbas, although the identities of the other victims have not yet been officially confirmed. Investigations into these incidents are ongoing. These events are part of the widespread crackdown on the January 2026 protests in various cities across Iran.
