Omidreza Yousefian

Omidreza Yousefian, a 33-year-old painter and decorator from Kazeroon in Fars Province, was killed on 19 May 2018, during the town’s intense protests.

Born in 1985, Omidreza became one of the victims of the regime’s violent crackdown on demonstrators protesting the government’s plans to divide Kazeroon, sparking widespread anger and resistance beginning on 16 May 2018.

As tensions escalated in Kazeroon, authorities responded to the protests with heavy force. Security forces reportedly stationed snipers atop buildings in the town’s central courtyard, firing live ammunition into crowds of unarmed citizens. Omidreza was among the first to be targeted by these gunmen. By the end of the initial protest on 16 May, at least four young men: Omidreza, Mehdi (Hadi) Jahtap, Ali Mohammadian Azad, and Reza (Behnam) Azdari, were shot and killed on the spot.

Initially, the Islamic Regime refused to release the bodies of those killed, attempting to deter further demonstrations. However, under mounting pressure from a defiant public, authorities eventually returned the bodies to their families. Omidreza was buried in Behesht-e Zahra Cemetery in Kazeroon, with his funeral held amid a tense, militarised atmosphere as the regime deployed heavy security to intimidate mourners and prevent any further expression of dissent.

This tragedy in Kazeroon is another example of how the Islamic Regime has historically met peaceful calls for justice with violence. Yet, the voices of those seeking freedom and an end to oppression persist. In honouring Omidreza and all who have lost their lives for freedom and democracy, the people of Iran continue their determined march toward a just and liberated future.