Who was Rubina Aminian, Iranian student shot, buried on roadside
What's the story
Rubina Aminian, a 23-year-old Kurdish fashion student from Iran's Kurdistan Province, was killed during anti-government protests in Tehran. She was studying at Shariati Technical and Vocational College for Girls. She had left her university to join the protest in the capital when she was shot in the back of the head "from close range" on January 8. Her family had to identify her body among hundreds of victims and bury her by the roadside under security pressure.
Body identification
Family's harrowing experience in identifying Aminian's body
Sources close to Rubina's family told Iran Human Rights that Aminian's family traveled from Kermanshah to Tehran to identify her body among "the bodies of hundreds of young people." They were taken to a site near the college where dozens, and in some reports, hundreds of young people had been killed during protests. Initially, they weren't allowed to identify or take Aminian's body home. Eventually, they confirmed her identity and rushed back home amid security interference.
Forced burial
Family forced to bury Aminian roadside under security pressure
Upon returning to Kermanshah, Aminian's family found their home surrounded by intelligence forces. They were denied a public funeral or mourning ceremony. Under heavy security pressure, they buried her along the roadside between Kermanshah and Kamyaran in a shallow grave. Speaking to CNN, her uncle Nezar Minouei described her as "a strong girl, a courageous girl, and she was not someone you could control and make decisions for."
Friends
Aminian had planned to move to Milan
"She fought for things she knew were right and fought hard. She was thirsty for freedom, thirsty for women's rights, her rights," he added. Aminian had aspirations of moving to Milan to pursue a career in fashion. Her social media accounts featured her proudly wearing traditional Kurdish clothes, showing both her cultural identity and creative ambitions.
Protest crackdown
Aminian's death highlights brutal crackdown on Iranian protests
Her killing comes amid what rights groups call one of the deadliest crackdowns on protests in Iran in recent years. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) estimates at least 538 deaths and over 10,600 arrests. Multiple witnesses told rights organizations that security personnel opened fire into crowds and targeted demonstrators in the head and neck. The protests started over rising living costs but have turned into a nationwide movement against Iran's political system.