A referee and a student are among hundreds of people reportedly killed during massive anti-government protests in Iran. Coach Amir Mohammad Koohkan, 26, was hit by live ammunition on 3 January during protests in the town of Neyriz, his friend told BBC Persian. Everyone knew him for his kindness, they said, adding his family is grieving and angry because he was killed by the regime. Five days later, student Rubina Aminian, 23, was shot from behind during a protest in Tehran, according to human rights groups. She fought for things she knew were right, her uncle told CNN. Nearly 500 protesters and 48 security personnel have been killed in two weeks of protests, according to a US-based rights group. Sources in Iran have told the BBC the death toll is likely higher than reported. Demonstrations began on 28 December over the economy in the capital Tehran and have spread to 186 cities and all 31 provinces, according to the Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA). The protests have grown into the largest in years, with calls for an end to the Islamic Republic and rule of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The protests led to a government crackdown, with at least 10,600 people reportedly arrested and 496 protesters killed, according to HRANA. Medical staff in Iran have described hospitals overwhelmed with dead and injured patients. BBC Persian verified that 70 bodies were brought to Poursina Hospital in Rasht city on 9 January, and the BBC counted 180 body bags in footage from one morgue near Tehran thought to have been filmed on the same night. The BBC and most other international news organizations are unable to report from inside Iran, and the Iranian government has imposed an internet shutdown since Thursday, making obtaining and verifying information difficult. Also killed was Aminian, a Kurdish student who was shot from behind while taking part in a protest on Thursday, according to three rights groups. The BBC has been unable to independently verify the circumstances of her death. The 23-year-old, whose first name has also been spelled Robina or Roubina, was studying textile and fashion at Shariati Technical and Vocational College in Tehran, IHRNGO said. She was a strong girl, a courageous girl, and she was not someone you could control and make decisions for, her uncle told CNN. Overall, she was a girl who was alive, who lived. Iranian leader Khamenei has called anti-government protesters troublemakers, while US President Donald Trump has threatened to intervene and said the US military is considering very strong options.\
Tragedy Strikes as Iran Protests Claim Lives of Referee and Student
Tragedy Strikes as Iran Protests Claim Lives of Referee and Student
The ongoing protests in Iran have turned deadly, with reports indicating that hundreds, including a beloved sports coach and a young student, have been killed as tensions rise against the government.
The anti-government protests in Iran have spiraled into violence, resulting in the tragic deaths of individuals such as Amir Mohammad Koohkan, a coach known for his kindness, and Rubina Aminian, a brave student. Reports suggest that nearly 500 protesters have died in the past two weeks as demonstrations spread across the nation, with calls for an end to the Islamic Republic. The Iranian regime's crackdown has led to widespread outrage and condemnation.
