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Jamileh Shafiei, a 66-year-old mother and grandmother from Arak, was killed on January 9, 2026, during an uprising in Iran. Witnesses reported that she bravely placed herself between security forces and young protesters, acting as a human shield to protect children she did not know. Her last words were reportedly, “Hit me instead of the children.”
Following her death, her family faced significant intimidation and censorship. Her burial was rushed, and her daughter was unable to view her mother's face due to the severe gunshot wound. Her 70-year-old husband was later photographed alone in their home, visibly devastated and weeping over the loss of his wife, who was described as the heart of their family. Jamileh Shafiei was killed while protecting Iran’s children, not herself.