According to information received by the Hana Human Rights Organization, Shaho Safari, a firefighter with the Sanandaj Municipality Fire Department, set himself on fire on the morning of Wednesday, November 12, 2025, in front of the department’s building.
According to the received information, Shaho Safari, 34 years old and father of two children, was a contract worker who had been employed for about four years on a temporary contract with the Sanandaj Fire Department. He self-immolated in protest over four months of unpaid wages and benefits in front of the fire department building.
As a result of the incident, he suffered approximately 30% burns on his hands, chest, neck, and shoulders, and is currently hospitalized in the burn and intensive care unit of Kosar Hospital in Sanandaj. Informed sources report that he is connected to a ventilator and that his overall condition is critical.
Family members and colleagues of the firefighter stated that they had repeatedly raised the issue of delayed wage payments with the relevant authorities, but no effective action was taken. The father of two now remains in a life-threatening condition, in a city where many workers and service employees suffer from job insecurity and wage delays.
According to his colleagues, about two months ago, Shaho Safari had previously attempted suicide in the yard of the Sanandaj Municipality, also in protest against delayed wage payments.