Disturbing reports have surfaced from Iran, where eyewitnesses allege that police are deliberately targeting protestors’ eyes. The country is in turmoil, particularly in Tehran, experiencing its most significant wave of protests against the Islamic Republic in over three years. Heightened by a severe economic crisis, tensions peaked as the Iranian rial hit a record low against the US dollar in late December.
Shop owners in Tehran’s central bazaar initiated protests on December 28, triggering widespread demonstrations that quickly spread beyond the capital. Tragically, the death toll is reported to have surpassed 500 as authorities resort to violent methods to suppress the ongoing unrest.
Amid an internet blackout, Amnesty International raised concerns about concealing severe human rights abuses committed to quash the protests. Despite the blackout, harrowing accounts continue to emerge, shedding light on the grim fate of protestors.
A firsthand witness, 25-year-old artist Maryam, described the situation as police targeting protestors’ eyes and using motorbikes to confront crowds. In another interview, a resident of northeast Tehran detailed the devastating eye injuries and high casualties in local hospitals.
Opposition groups in the UK shared stories of officers shooting protesters, overwhelming hospitals with casualties. Human Rights Activists News Agency reported at least 500 deaths and 10,000 arrests, mostly from gunfire at close range.
Global condemnation poured in for the Iranian police’s actions, with France, Germany, and the UK jointly denouncing the violence and calling for the protection of citizens’ rights to expression and peaceful assembly.
The situation in Iran has sparked international outrage, with calls for restraint and respect for fundamental rights in the face of escalating violence.