Fayeq Mam-Qaderi

Fayeq Mam-Qaderi (November 9, 1983 – November 9, 2022)

Fayeq Mam-Qaderi, born in 1983 in Mahabad, was a father of two and the head of a family carrying significant responsibilities. In addition to supporting his wife, his 13-year-old son, Ajwan, and his 7-year-old daughter, Avan, he was also responsible for the care of his four sisters and the family of one of his brothers, who was imprisoned at the time.
On October 15, 2022, Fayeq received a phone call from his family informing him that members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intended to arrest his younger brother, Dena Mam-Qaderi. Accompanied by his friend, Masoud Farajzadeh, he set out toward his family home in his personal vehicle.
According to eyewitness accounts and sources close to the family, as their car approached the neighborhood, IRGC forces signaled them to stop. Before they had the opportunity to bring the vehicle to a halt or respond, the car was reportedly sprayed with gunfire.
According to these reports, Fayeq was struck by eight live rounds: two to the head, two to the back, two to the arms, and two to the legs. Masoud Farajzadeh was also seriously wounded after being hit by multiple bullets.
The same reports state that after the shooting, the two injured men were pulled from the vehicle. Following what witnesses described as a violent assault, they were allegedly transported from the scene in a municipal garbage truck. Fayeq was first taken to a hospital in Mahabad but, because of the severity of his injuries, was later transferred to Imam Khomeini Hospital in Urmia, where he remained in a coma.
That same night, Dena Mam-Qaderi was also reportedly wounded by direct gunfire from security forces before being arrested. He was later released on bail.
After spending twenty-five days in a coma, Fayeq Mam-Qaderi died on the evening of November 9, 2022, at Imam Khomeini Hospital in Urmia. He was 39 years old.
After his body was released to his family, it was transferred from Urmia to Mahabad. News of his death drew large numbers of residents into the streets to receive his body and participate in his funeral procession and burial. Many others gathered outside his family's home.
According to reports, mourners chanted political slogans during the funeral procession. In some neighborhoods of Mahabad, women reportedly used mosque loudspeakers to call on residents to join public gatherings.
At the same time, reports indicated that security authorities had pressured Fayeq's family to hold the funeral and burial at night and without a public gathering.
Following his death, a number of political figures and organizations issued statements in response. Among them was Maryam Rajavi, who released a message praising the public participation in Mahabad during Fayeq Mam-Qaderi's funeral.
As documented in published reports, the story of Fayeq Mam-Qaderi's life and death has become one of the many accounts associated with the nationwide protests that took place in Iran in 2022—a story of a man who bore responsibility for several families and who, during one of the most turbulent periods in the country's recent history, was reportedly shot, remained in a coma for twenty-five days, and ultimately lost his life.