The family of a young protester from Iran shared their harrowing experience of searching through piles of bodies to locate her after she was killed during the regime’s crackdown on demonstrations. Robina Aminian, a 23-year-old fashion student, was fatally shot on January 8 in Tehran. Her family had to navigate a crowded mortuary and face demands for bribes from authorities to retrieve her body.

Faced with obstacles, Robina’s mother journeyed from Kermanshah to Tehran, where they had to hastily leave with her body to avoid potential interference from guards. Escaping with the body, they drove 230 miles back to Kermanshah, only to find security forces surrounding their home. In a desperate move, they buried Robina in an unmarked grave by the roadside to prevent further complications.

Reports from the Centre for Human Rights in Iran revealed that intelligence forces have been extorting money from families in exchange for the return of protesters’ bodies, a tactic aimed at silencing dissent. Families have also been coerced into falsely declaring their deceased relatives as security force members to retrieve the bodies.

Despite denials by Iranian state television, activists estimate that over 3,090 individuals have died during the protests, which initially began over economic issues but evolved into a movement against the longstanding authoritarian regime. The government has not disclosed official casualty figures.

Robina’s family emphasized that she was not politically active and had joined a protest out of solidarity with other Iranians. Tragically, her aspirations for a promising future were cut short by the fatal incident. Relatives in Oslo expressed concern as they remain out of contact with family members in Iran since the incident.