138 People Sustaining Eye Injuries During Iran Protests Identified

A human rights organization has revealed the identities of scores of individuals who sustained eye injuries when Iranian security forces fired shotguns at protesters.

Iran Human Rights Organization (IHR) emphasized in its Friday report that regime's security forces and plainclothes agents fired at the eyes of protesters, especially women, in a "systematic and deliberate" manner, with a very high degree of precision.

The IHR researchers confirmed 138 cases of eye injuries, with 43 individuals choosing to provide evidence of their injuries anonymously. The remaining 95 cases, including 8 children under 18, are documented in the report.

To put this in perspective, children account for 5% of eye injuries.

The data by the Norway-based organization shows that women comprised a significant 28% of those with eye injuries.

Last February, the IHR also disclosed the identities of 22 individuals who had lost vision in one or both eyes due to the systematic shooting by government agents.

The human rights group, through the publication of a new report, confirmed its previous assessment, stating that the shooting by regime forces at the eyes of protesters began from the very first days of the protests in September last year and continued extensively in various cities across Iran until November 21.

The majority of eye injuries resulted from pellets (metal and plastic), causing vision loss in one or both eyes. Other projectiles like paintball guns and teargas cartridges were also used.

More than 500 civilians were killed by security forces and thousands injured during the anti-regime demonstrations last year and early in 2023.