Sam Afshari

Sam Afshari was a 17-year-old Azerbaijani (Turkish-speaking) teenager from Zanjan who lived in the Azimiyeh area of Karaj. His father, Parviz Afshari, lives in Germany. Family and investigators describe Sam as gifted in computer science, a competitive swimming champion, and fluent in several languages; he had planned to join his father in Germany later in 2026.

Before leaving home to protest, Sam messaged his father on 7 January 2026: “Dad, don’t tell mom anything. I’m going to fight for my rights. Iran is in danger. Please don’t tell my mother.” Near Taleghani Square in Karaj he was wounded. Neighbors tried to bring him indoors for help, but security forces dragged him away while he was still alive, according to his father’s testimony to the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center (IHRDC).

When the family recovered his body, forensic analysis cited by IHRDC Executive Director Shahin Milani indicated a gunshot that entered through the back of the head and exited through the face, distinct from the earlier protest wound. Investigators say the evidence is consistent with killing after arrest; accounts differ on whether the fatal shot occurred at a medical facility or during transport. Sam’s case has been cited among minors killed during the January 2026 crackdown.