Eye injuries during 2022 Iranian protests

Conservative estimates reported by ophthalmologists in November 2022 stated there had been 580 confirmed cases of significant eye injuries during the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom protests triggered by the dead-in-custody of Mahsa "Jina" Amini.

[7][10][11][12] Abolfazl Amirataie, a 16 year old boy who had joined protests on 22 September 2022 was shot directly in the head at close range with a tear gas canister, causing catastrophic damage to one side of his skull and brain.

[10] Amnesty International conducted a review of the abuse of KIPs and found examples across 30 different countries of undue injury suffered by protesters at the hands of riot police.

[16] The definition includes:"Other inhumane acts of a similar character intentionally causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or to mental or physical health."

[20][21][22][23] Families of murdered protesters who have made attempts to seek justice via the court system inside of Iran have been repeatedly threatened or detained in retaliation for their efforts.

[37] On 18 March 2024 the FFM reported on its findings to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner For Human Rights (OHCHR) at the fifty-fifth session of the General Assembly.

According to reports by the High Council for Human Rights of the Islamic Republic of Iran, protesters caused widespread damage to private property and public and religious places.

A witness, who lost the sight in one eye, recalled a member of the security forces directing a paintball gun loaded with rubber bullets to the head from 1 m away.

[39] "In addition to causing severe physical pain and mental suffering and devastation, the Mission notes the deterrent and chilling effect that injuries, in particular blindings, have on protesters.

An expert opinion on the physical impact of ammunition such as birdshot and less-lethal weapons commissioned by the Mission highlighted irreversible injures and disabilities that could result from their use.

In relation to kinetic impact projectiles specifically, the report highlighted bruising and lacerations of the skin, contusions and fractures of bone and muscle, internal bleeding, liver, heart, and kidney penetration, which could lead to organ failure or death, and neurovascular injuries.

The report further stated that metal pellets, which are typically hunting rounds, are “indisputably lethal at close range” and have the ballistic capacity to penetrate some organs, including the eyes causing blindness."

Mohammad Azad (Persian: محمد ازاد), 46 years old at the time of injury, was attending a protest in Tehran in November 2022 when his right eye was severely injured and subsequently enucleated.

[43] Despite his injuries from 2019 and their continued impacts, witnesses state that Erfan attended the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom protests and had even provided comfort and direction to those who had been injured on the streets at the time.

[47][48] Seyed Javad Mousavi (Persian: سید جواد موسوی), a father, was 39 years old when he was shot directly in the face, causing damage to both eyes.

[50] A special report by citizen journalism news site IranWire highlighted multiple case studies of people who had suffered eye injuries.

[5] Mannani had been attending a protest in Sari on 20 September 2022 when he was shot multiple times with a pellet gun resulting in irreparable damage to both eyes and rendering him completely blind.

[5] Sehat is one of the first recorded cases of eye injury, he was shot with a pellet gun near the salon where he worked in the birthplace of Mahsa "Jina" Amini just a day after her death, in Saqqez on 17 September 2022.

[5][61] He sought refuge in an alley where he was cornered by three policemen and shot multiple times with pellet guns, causing irreparable damage to his left eye.

[5][49] Babayi had become trapped inside of a mall in Isfahan with her father and others on 26 October 2022 (the 40th day ceremony after the death of Mahsa "Jina" Amini),[58][59] when riot police had closed off entrances.

[5][49] Khoshnoudi was attending a protest with her father on 9 December 2022 in the city of Kermanshah when she was shot at with a pellet gun causing irreparable damage to her left eye.

[5] Nachirvan had been in the city of Mahsa "Jina" Amini's birthplace, Saqqez, on 17 September 2022 when he was shot with a pellet gun, causing irreparable damage to his right eye.

[5][84] Pouryaghma was on his motorbike on Valiasr Street in Tehran when he was shot directly in the face by paintball gun, causing significant damage and loss of sight in his left eye.

[5] Sufi had been attending a protest on 26 October 2022 (the 40th day ceremony after the death of Mahsa "Jina" Amini) in Bukan when was shot with a pellet gun, causing irreparable damage to his right eye.

[5][95][96] Tavakolian was at a protest with her 10 year old twins in Mashhad on 20 September 2022 when she was shot in the face by a pellet gun, causing irreparable damage to her right eye.

[49] Zand was attending a protest in Tehran on 26 October 2022 (the 40th day ceremony after the death of Mahsa "Jina" Amini) when she was hit in the right eye with a paintball bullet.

[2][87] Once outside of the country, Saman gave an interview with the New York Times, which published a story on 19 November 2022 that brought international attention to the practice of direct shooting in the faces of protesters.

[3] The formation of the group also served another purpose, to unite the individual stories in an attempt to draw global attention to the number of people impacted and their lives before and after losing their eye/s.

[117] Velayati faces charges of "rebellion", "activities and effective efforts to advance the goals of groups that have launched an armed uprising against the Islamic government" and "disruption of public ordeal.

[120] Kosar Eftekhari who had posted photos to her Instagram page in public without mandatory hijab had been handed a sentence of almost five years in prison and forced to flee the country.