Across the gyms of northern and northeastern Tehran, 24-year-old Saba Negahban—affectionately known to her friends, family, and students as "Venus"—was a symbol of vitality, discipline, and self-determination. Born in 2001 and raised as the cherished only child of her family, Saba discovered her passion for bodybuilding and athletic training at the age of 19. In a country where women's bodies and public presence are relentlessly policed by the state, she carved out a space of strength, coaching young women to build physical confidence and resilience.
To those who trained alongside her, Venus was more than an athlete; she was a force of warmth and unwavering encouragement who believed that every woman deserved to live freely and without fear.
On the night of Friday, January 9, 2026, she carried that conviction into the streets of Tehran.
The Night of January 9 on Andarzgoo Boulevard
As nationwide protests against state repression intensified across Iran in January 2026, Saba joined demonstrators in Tehran's Gheytarieh neighborhood alongside her friends and family members. By 11:00 p.m., crowds had gathered along Andarzgoo Boulevard, raising their voices in peaceful chants for freedom and human dignity.
Without warning, regime security forces opened direct live fire on the unarmed crowd. Amid the chaos and gunfire, Saba was struck in the back by a bullet and collapsed onto the street.
What followed revealed the calculated brutality of the crackdown. As security units advanced to clear the wounded protesters, an officer walked directly up to Saba as she lay injured and defenseless on the ground, aimed his weapon, and shot her at point-blank range in the throat—taking her life instantly.
A Generation's Unbroken Spirit
At just 24 years old, Saba Negahban was her parents' only child—their entire world extinguished in a single night of state terror. Yet the regime's attempt to silence Venus through point-blank violence has instead etched her name alongside Iran's fallen trailblazers of freedom, including Setayesh Shafiei, Setareh Rafiei, and Sahar Bayat.
Saba spent her life teaching others how to stand strong. Today, carrying forward her name and demanding justice for her killers is the duty of every conscience that refuses to look away.
WHAT YOU CAN DO ON :
Donate any amount and remember her name: Saba (Venus) Negahban.
Defend the right to life: Demand international criminal accountability for the security forces executing wounded protesters in Iran.
Stand with Iran’s silenced women: Use the hashtag #SabaNegahban to call for global attention and justice.
Let no young woman be executed for demanding her freedom.
