Iran’s recent wave of civil unrest has resulted in a tragic loss of young lives, with emerging artists, athletes, and students numbering among those killed by security forces during nationwide demonstrations. According to documentation compiled by international human rights organizations, victims included a promising fashion designer, a teenage football prospect, and a champion bodybuilder—all shot during protests initially sparked by economic grievances.
Verified reports from Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) indicate security personnel employed lethal force against demonstrators, with many fatalities resulting from close-range gunshot wounds. Director Mamood Amiry Moghaddam confirmed the organization has documented 648 protest-related killings, including nine minors and six women, though the actual death toll is feared to be significantly higher.
The victims represented Iran’s diverse ethnic and regional backgrounds. Rubina Aminian, 23, a textile and fashion design student at Tehran’s prestigious Shariati College, drew inspiration from her Kurdish heritage and Baluch cultural influences. She was fatally shot in the head from behind while participating in demonstrations on January 8. Her family faced official obstruction when attempting to reclaim her body and were prohibited from holding traditional mourning ceremonies.
Seventeen-year-old Rebin Moradi, a Kurdish football talent participating in Tehran’s premier youth league with Saipa Club, was killed by security forces on January 7. Despite confirmation of his death, his family has been denied access to his remains for proper burial.
Mehdi Zatparvar, 39, a respected sports physiologist and former national weightlifting champion from Gilan province, was shot dead during protests on January 9. Simultaneously, Erfan Faraji from Rey had just celebrated his eighteenth birthday before being killed during demonstrations, his body eventually identified among dozens held at the Kahrizak morgue.
Iranian authorities have attributed casualties to confrontations with “rioters” and blamed foreign instigators for transforming economic protests into sustained unrest. Official statements acknowledge dozens of security force members died during the clashes, though independent verification remains challenging amid restricted media access and official transparency.