Killing of Kian Pirfalak
Kian Pirfalak (Persian: کیان پیرفلک; 11 June 2013 – 16 November 2022) was a nine-year-old Iranian boy who was killed in Izeh during the crackdown on the Mahsa Amini protests. He was shot by government security forces while sitting in his parents' vehicle during the attack on Izeh market. His father, Meysam Pirfalak, was critically injured in the assault and was hospitalized.
Kian Pirfalak | |
|---|---|
The Pirfalik family holding a portrait of Kian | |
| Born | 11 June 2013 |
| Died | 16 November 2022 (aged 9) |
| Cause of death | Shooting by security forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran |
| Resting place | Parchestan-e Gurui, Central District, Izeh County |
| Nationality | Iranian |
| Known for | One of the youngest victims of the crackdown on the Mahsa Amini protests |
Pirfalak's mother and other family members who witnessed the incident blame the attack on Iranian security forces. Islamic Republic news agencies, including IRNA, initially blamed Pirfalak's death on ISIS terrorists, circulating a statement attributed to the group claiming responsibility for the shooting. BBC Monitoring, however, investigated the statement and concluded that it was fake.
Pirfalak's death sparked nationwide outrage against the government and its use of extreme lethal force against protestors. He is thought to be the youngest victim of the government suppression of protests in the wake of the death of Mahsa Amini.
In 2023, the Supreme Court of the Islamic Republic of Iran issued a death sentence for Abbas Mujahed Kurkur after he was tortured in prison and they obtain a forced confession.