Erfan Zamani

Erfan Zamani(August 18, 1999 – November 4, 2022)

Erfan Zamani was born on August 18, 1999. He was from Siahkal and experienced a difficult childhood; when he was three years old, his father left the family. He then moved with his mother from Tehran back to their ancestral hometown. From an early age, Erfan began working to support himself and his family, taking on various jobs such as cabinet-making and construction work, while continuing his education as a student. He also had a strong علاقه in football.
During the 2022 protests in Iran, Erfan traveled to Lahijan to take part in demonstrations. His last social media activity, about 11 hours before the incident, reflected his support for the protests.
On the evening of November 3, 2022, amid unrest in the city of Lahijan and the presence of security forces, Erfan Zamani was shot at close range in the Shaarbaf neighborhood. According to eyewitnesses, the गोली struck him from behind, damaging his side and kidneys. In those critical moments, while wounded, he reportedly said: “Guys, I’ve been shot… I won’t die, just…”
Although the distance between the location of the incident and Shafa Hospital was short, security forces reportedly prevented people from helping him. Witnesses state that officers threatened bystanders and fired warning shots into the air, blocking any attempt to take him to the hospital. They remained standing over him as he lay bleeding, delaying medical assistance—an action that likely contributed significantly to his death.
Eventually, Erfan was transported to the hospital, but resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, and the 23-year-old lost his life.
After his death, his body was taken from the hospital under security supervision and handed over to his family on the condition that the burial be carried out quietly and without public attention. He was buried on November 4, 2022, in Barfjan shrine in Siahkal, with only close relatives allowed to attend.
Despite these restrictions, in the following days, people in Lahijan honored his memory by covering the place where he was killed with flowers and lighting candles. Informally, locals began referring to the site as “Erfan Intersection.”
On November 7, 2022, during the third-day memorial ceremony, security forces reportedly attacked attendees in Siahkal and dispersed them using tear gas.
The life and death of Erfan Zamani reflect the fate of many young individuals who lost their lives during the 2022 protests in Iran. Eyewitness accounts and available evidence suggest that the manner of his killing and the obstruction of medical aid raise serious legal and humanitarian concerns, which remain part of ongoing discussions about accountability and justice.
Alongside this account, the situation of his mother, Somayeh Ebrahimipour, must also be acknowledged—a mother who, after years of raising her son alone, now faces a profound and overwhelming loss, one that is difficult to fully express in words.