Hundreds of gunshot eye injuries found in one Iranian hospital amid brutal crackdown on protests
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- An ophthalmologist in Tehran has reported over 400 eye injuries caused by gunshots at a single hospital amid Iran’s violent crackdown on nationwide protests, with authorities allegedly targeting protesters' eyes and heads to cause permanent damage.
- The protests, sparked by a sudden currency devaluation on 28 December, have become Iran’s largest anti-government movement since 2009, leading to over 2,000 deaths and 16,700 arrests, with medical staff overwhelmed and working in war-like conditions.
- Iranian authorities cut off internet and mobile access to restrict communication and reportedly intensified their violent response, including the use of shotguns firing metal pellets aimed at vital organs, resulting in severe injuries and permanent disabilities among protesters.
- Despite government claims blaming
