Iranian protesters left blind after security forces shoot them in face
Society of Ophthalmologists in country says it has seen many patients with eye injuries caused by pellets, paintballs and similar objects
A growing number of Iranian anti-government protesters are losing their eyesight due to injuries caused by security forces firing shotguns and paintballs at their heads, according to a local medical group.
The Society of Ophthalmologists of Iran is so alarmed that its members have written an open letter to their president Dr Mahmood Jabarvand.
“During the recent protests, many patients have arrived at health centres with eye injuries caused by the impact of shotgun pellets, paintballs and similar objects. Unfortunately in many cases the extent of the injuries has led to the loss of sight in one or both eyes,” the letter read.
The surgeons urged Dr Jabarvand to “raise this matter with the relevant authorities to warn them about the grave and irreparable eye injuries of our citizens”.
One Iranian Twitter user said she had lost her right eye while attending a protest in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas.
“The last thing my right eye saw was the riot police shooting at my face while smiling at me,” said Ghazal Ranjkish, 19.
“Everyone used to say that I have beautiful eyes.”
As the nationwide protest movement entered its third month on Saturday, the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called the demonstrators “ignorant mercenaries who are the fingertips of the enemy’s great plan against Iran”.
The protests, which began on 16 September 2022 following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police, have shown little sign of abating, despite over 400 people being killed, according to estimates by human rights groups.
Ebrahim Raisi, Iran’s president, on Thursday praised the security forces for their role in responding to protests. Visiting a riot police base in Tehran he told the personnel: “You have done a shining job in dealing with those who are disturbing the security of the people”.
Iranian officials have portrayed the demonstrations, which started over mandatory hijab laws and have since spread to calls for the downfall of the regime, as a western-orchestrated conspiracy.
“I say it without any shadow of doubt that the current events have been designed by the US, Israel and their followers”, Ayatollah Khamenei told a group of Basij militiamen, a volunteer paramilitary which has been deployed to quell dissent.
Over 18,000 people have been arrested during the ongoing protests, according to estimates by rights groups. The hardline judiciary has sentenced at least six protesters to death.