Blinded Kurdish Protestor Sentenced to a Year in Prison

The Islamic Republic judiciary has sentenced Hossein Hosseinpour, a Kurdish protester who lost an eye during the 2022 protests, to a year in prison.

He was convicted by the Revolutionary Court of Shiraz for "propaganda activities against the Islamic Republic," according to a report from the Hengaw human rights website.

Hosseinpour was struck in the right eye by a shotgun pellet during nationwide protests in Mahabad in October 2022. He has since undergone four surgeries for his injury.

Hosseinpour is among hundreds of protesters who sustained severe eye injuries after being hit by pellets, paintball bullets or other projectiles used by security forces amid a bloody crackdown on months of mainly peaceful demonstrations sparked by the September 2022 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in police custody. 

He was arrested by intelligence agents in September 2023. Following interrogation at the Soroush detention center in Shiraz, he was transferred to Adel Abad prison in the city. 

Many eye injury victims have reported being denied medical care. 

More than 520 people were killed by security forces during demonstrations sparked by Amini's death and over 20,000 people were unlawfully detained, activists say. 

Following biased trials, the judiciary has handed down stiff sentences, including the death penalty, to protesters.