Robina Aminian, 23, a Tehran fashion student, was reportedly shot dead while protesting, according to human rights groups and her family. Rights organizations say at least 420 people, including eight children, have been killed in 15 days of nationwide anti-government demonstrations. Families report delayed returns of bodies and forced burials, while an unprecedented multi-day internet blackout limits independent verification. Demonstrations have spread to more than 180 cities, and protesters risk execution under “moharebeh” charges.
Student, Bodybuilder and Father of Three Among Those Killed As Iran Crackdown Raises Death Toll Above 420
Mehdi Zatparvar, Robina Aminian, Ebrahim Yousef were reportedly killed during anti-government protests in Iran this week, according to relatives and human rights groups. - Social Media
Robina Aminian, 23, a fashion student in Tehran, was among those shot dead during anti-government protests this week, human rights groups and family members told CNN.
According to Norway-based rights groups and relatives, Aminian left Tehran Shariati Technical University to join a demonstration and was killed by gunfire at the rally. Her Instagram showed her wearing traditional Kurdish garments and expressing a love of fashion and culture.
“She was a strong girl, a courageous girl, and she was not someone you could control and make decisions for. She fought for things she knew were right and fought hard,” said her uncle, Nezar Minouei. “She was thirsty for freedom, thirsty for women’s rights.”
Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) provided CNN with a tally showing at least 420 protesters killed over the past 15 days, including eight children. The figure comes amid reports of a forceful security response to demonstrations that have spread to more than 180 cities across every province.
Family members described harrowing scenes when they travelled from Kermanshah to collect Aminian’s body. Her father reportedly found her remains stored alongside many other young people—mostly aged 18–22—and said that "almost all of them had been shot in the head and neck," according to her uncle. The family also said authorities initially refused to release the body and later compelled them to bury her without a funeral ceremony.
Former bodybuilding champion Mehdi Zatparvar was reportedly killed at a protest on Friday, the Norway-based human rights organization Hengaw said. - Social Media/Mehdi Zatparvar
Other reported victims include Ebrahim Yousifi, a 42-year-old hospital worker and father of three, who was reportedly shot in the head in Kermanshah, and Mehdi Zatparvar, a 39-year-old former World Classic Bodybuilding champion and coach who was reported killed during protests in Rasht (Hengaw).
Witnesses inside Iran described security forces using lethal force. Two people in Tehran, speaking anonymously for safety, said they saw security forces firing and killing “many people.” Another eyewitness described seeing “bodies piled up on each other” in a hospital.
The unfolding crisis has been compounded by a prolonged nationwide internet blackout. Experts and family members say the disruption is unprecedented in scale and has severely limited independent verification, communication with relatives, and reporting from affected regions.
Protesters also face legal risks: some may be charged with "moharebeh"—commonly translated as "waging war against God"—a charge that can carry the death penalty for acts such as vandalism. Rights groups warn this heightens the peril for demonstrators across the country.
CNN has not independently verified all reports because of the communications blackout and has sought comment from Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Reports here are attributed to Hengaw, the Iran Human Rights NGO (IHRNGO), Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA), family members and local eyewitnesses.
Help us improve.
