Two Iranian protesters partially blinded by security forces during the 2022 nationwide protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini have been detained by authorities for continuing to speak out against the Islamic republic's leadership.
Amir Shah-Valayati and Matin Hosseini were arrested on January 23, according to the human rights group HRANA.
Shah-Valayati, a hairdresser, lost an eye in Tehran's Narmak district soon after unrest spread across the nation following Amini's death in September 2022 while in police custody for an alleged head-scarf infraction.
He continued sharing protest content on social media and was detained again in May 2023, and then summoned and arrested once more, this time on January 23 at the Evin Courthouse. He is currently being held at Tehran's notorious Evin Prison. Human rights groups Hengaw and HRANA report that he faces several charges, including "propaganda against the system."
Similarly, Hosseini was arrested in Bukan after losing vision in one eye when wounded by a shotgun pellet. His recent social media activity, which included visiting and posting images of protest casualties' graves, preceded his arrest.
The Iranian judiciary has yet to comment on the arrests amid persistent tensions between the country's leadership and the treatment of injured demonstrators.
Rights groups have accused the Islamic nation's security forces of “intentionally targeting” the eyes and faces of protesters during the violent crackdown on demonstrations by security forces.
In an analysis published on September 22, the Norway-based Iran Human Rights group said it was able to verify 138 cases of eye injuries sustained during the monthslong, nationwide protests in Iran. Many of the victims lost vision in one eye, some in both.
The unrest, catalyzed by Amini's death, represents the most significant challenge to the Islamic government since the 1979 revolution. The government's response to the protests has been marked by a stringent crackdown, leading to over 500 fatalities, including 71 children, as claimed by rights groups.