A young fashion student has been shot dead at close range during anti-government protests in Iran, according to human rights monitors, as the regime's violent crackdown escalates.
A Life Cut Short by 'Violent Repression'
Rubina Aminian, a 23-year-old textile and fashion design student, was killed on 8 January 2026 in the nation's capital, Tehran. The Norway-based organisation Iran Human Rights reported that she was shot from behind after leaving Shariati College and joining protest gatherings. The bullet struck her in the head.
Sources close to her family provided the details of her killing. The group described Ms Aminian as "a young woman full of joy for life and passionate about fashion and clothing design, whose dreams were buried by the violent repression of the Islamic Republic."
A Family's Harrowing Ordeal
In a deeply distressing sequence of events, Ms Aminian's family travelled from their home in Kermanshah to Tehran to identify their daughter. Iran Human Rights stated they had to search "among the bodies of hundreds of young people."
Upon returning to Kermanshah to bury their daughter, the family found their home surrounded by intelligence forces. This intimidation forced them to conduct her burial by the side of a road.
Mounting Death Toll and International Tensions
Ms Aminian's death is part of a sweeping crackdown on protests that began last week over the collapsing Iranian economy and have since spread nationwide. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) believes she is one of more than 500 people killed so far in the unrest.
Iranian authorities have issued stark warnings, stating that demonstrators who cause property damage face the death penalty. The military has blamed foreign "enemies" for fuelling the protests.
The situation has drawn international condemnation and threats. Former US President Donald Trump warned the regime that America would "hit them hard" if protesters were killed, and is reportedly considering options for action.
In a defiant response to mounting pressure, Tehran stated on Sunday 11 January it was prepared to launch preemptive strikes. Parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said, "In the event of an attack on Iran, both the occupied territory and all American military centres, bases and ships in the region will be our legitimate targets."
