Robina Aminian Killed During Jan. 8 Tehran Protest Robina Aminian, a 23‑year‑old Kurdish fashion‑design student, was shot in the back of the head near the Shariati Technical and Vocational College for Girls on Jan. 8 when Iranian security forces opened fire on protesters; video and eyewitnesses show rifles and shotguns used by the agents [1][2]. The bullet strike was confirmed by friends and by the Norway‑based Iran Human Rights network, which cited multiple witness accounts [1]. Iranian state media has not released an official autopsy, and independent verification remains impossible due to communications restrictions [1].

Family Retrieved and Buried Aminian Without Official Ceremony Amina Norei traveled from Kermanshah to Tehran after learning her daughter had been shot, spending seven hours combing through body bags in overcrowded morgues before locating the corpse [1][2]. Authorities initially refused to release the body, forcing the family to take it themselves and bury Aminian in an unmarked roadside grave without a funeral [1][2]. The burial was performed by relatives to avoid potential state demands for payment or documentation claiming the deceased were security personnel [1].

Morgues Overflow and Families Pressured to Pay for Bodies Hospitals and mortuary facilities across Iran are filled with trucks, freight containers, and warehouses stacked with bodies, leaving relatives to search through chaotic piles for loved ones [1]. The Center for Human Rights in Iran reports that families are routinely asked to pay fees to retrieve remains, sometimes signing false papers that label the dead as security forces [1]. State television counters that mortuary services are free, a claim disputed by Amnesty International’s observations of the dire conditions [1].

Broader Death Toll and Other High‑Profile Victims Human‑rights monitors tally more than 490 protesters killed in the first 15 days of the uprising, including eight children, underscoring the scale of the crackdown [2]. Among the dead are Ebrahim Yousifi, a 42‑year‑old hospital worker and father of three shot in Kermanshah, and Mehdi Zatparvar, a former World Classic Bodybuilding champion killed in Rasht [2]. Additional victims identified in Azna include Shayan Asadollahi, Reza Moradi Abdolvand, and Ahmadreza Amani, highlighting the geographic spread of lethal force [2].

Internet Blackout Hinders Communication for Families Since Thursday, Iran has imposed an unprecedented nationwide internet shutdown, cutting off families from contacting detained relatives and from sharing information about the deaths [2]. Experts note the blackout is the most extensive in the country’s recent history, complicating verification of casualty numbers and hindering humanitarian assistance [2].