Kurdish protester Foad Ghadimi shot dead by security forces

Iran-HRM – Foad Ghadimi was a 40-year-old father from Divandarreh in Kurdistan Province. Foad had two sons aged 16 and 9.

Foad was one of the first victims of the crackdown on nationwide protests in reaction to Mahsa Amini’s killing.

Foad Ghadimi was killed by gunshots fired at him by the state security forces. Two bullets had hit him, one in the hand and another in his stomach.

Foad Ghadimi was shot during the protests in Divandarreh on September 28, 2022, and later died on September 19, 2022, at Kowsar Sanandaj Hospital.

An informed source close to Ghadimi said that he was shot dead with a Kalashnikov bullet near the Revolutionary Guards’ base. Foad was then taken to the Khomeini hospital in Divandarreh and underwent 6 hours operation. Doctors removed one of his kidneys due to severe bleeding and his family was told that Foad would die by the time he reached Sanandaj hospital. Foad’s family insisted on his transfer and accepted any possible outcome. It was then that Foad was transferred to Sanandaj by a helicopter.

With several surgeries, he regained consciousness after 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 20, 2022. His father, brothers, wife, and eldest son, managed to talk to him in this short period. Foad had told one of his brothers to take care of his two sons and unfortunately passed away early next morning.

At 4 o’clock the hospital contacted his family to inform them that Foad’s body must be taken to the morgue. One of Foad Ghadimi’s brothers lost his power of speech after receiving the news of Foad’s passing and remained in shock till late afternoon. Foad’s brother was treated with sedation three times to ease his talking.

The cause of Foad’s death was registered “unknown” on his death certificate. Officials pressured his family to be interviewed with the state-run IRIB broadcasting. They wanted the family to say Foad’s death was not caused by gunshots, but the family refused.

Foad Ghadimi’s body was taken to the old cemetery of Divandarreh under the supervision of security forces just after midnight on September 22, 2022. Groups of security forces were present at the funeral ceremony as Foad was buried.

The security forces chose the place for burial and hurried the process.

Foad Ghadimi ran a laundry in Divandarreh and everyone in the city knew him for his humorous personality.

Foad Ghadimi was not the only victim at Divandarreh’s protests condemning the killing of Mahsa Amini. Mohsen Mohammadi was another victim in Divandarreh, who was shot and killed on September 19, 2022.Share