A 23-year-old fashion student with dreams of moving to Milan was shot from behind at close range during protests in Iran — one of the hundreds of Iranians killed during the Islamic Republic’s brutal crackdown on anti-regime demonstrations.
Rubina Aminian is among the first of the slain victims to be identified from the anti-government uprising.
Aminian’s family was later tragically forced to pick through the bodies of dozens of young men and women — who, like her, had been shot in the head or neck — so they could retrieve her remains and give her a proper burial.
The harrowing details emerged as the death toll rose to at least 600 as of Monday and scores of bodies have only continued to pile up across the country since the protests got underway Dec. 28.
Here’s a look at some of the victims who have been identified so far:
Rubina Aminian
The 23-year-old was a textile and fashion design student at Shariati College in Tehran, according to the Norway-based Iran Human Rights non-profit.
Aminian, a young Kurdish woman, was gunned down after leaving her college classes to join the protests on Jan. 8.
After learning of her death, loved ones went to a location near the college to identify her body — but were confronted with the bodies of hundreds of young people killed during the uprising, the non-profit said.
“Most of the victims were young people between 18 and 22 years old, who had been shot at close range in the head and neck by government forces. At first, the family was not allowed to identify Rubina’s body, and later they were not permitted to take her body with them,” a source close to the family told the group.
“The family was forced to search among the bodies themselves to identify their daughter, and they undoubtedly saw many of the bodies of young people killed during the protests.”
Aminian had dreamed of one day moving to Milan to pursue a career in fashion, her relatives told CNN.
“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,” her uncle Nezar Minouei said.
“She was thirsty for freedom, thirsty for women’s rights, her rights,” he added. “Overall, she was a girl who was alive, who lived.”
Amir Mohammad Koohkan
The 26-year-old indoor soccer coach and referee was gunned down at a protest in the town of Neyriz on Jan. 3, according to loved ones.
“Everyone knew him for his kindness and good nature. The whole town loved him,” one friend told BBC Persian.
“The family are both grieving and angry. Grieving because they lost their son, angry because he was killed by the regime.”
“It was far too soon for him, really far too soon. He was so young,” the friend said.
Shayan Asadollahi
Shayan Asadollahi, a hairdresser and aspiring model, is said to have been killed on Jan. 1 in the city of Azna, IranWire reported.
The 28-year-old, who boasted more than 50,000 followers on Instagram, would frequently post videos of hairstyling techniques online.
Mehdi Zatparvar
The ex-bodybuilder and coach was killed in the city of Rasht on Jan. 9.
The 39-year-old, who was a two-time World Classic Bodybuilding champion, had a master’s degree in sports physiology.
“We only want our rights, the voice that has been stifled for 40 years must be shouted out,” he wrote on Instagram shortly before his demise.
Ahmadreza Amani
Ahmadreza Amani, 28, was studying to become a lawyer when he was gunned down by government forces on New Year’s Day.
He was an intern with the Yazd Bar Association at the time, IranWire said.
In the wake of his death, the government buried his body and only informed his family of his location in the aftermath.
