Behzad Hamrahi, a Blind Protester: The Islamic Republic Can Only Be Overthrown Through Our Unity

Behzad Hamrahi, a participant in the 'Women, Life, Freedom' protests who lost his left eye due to gunfire during the protests on November 15, 2022, in the Aryashahr area of Tehran, detailed this incident in an interview with Voice of America. Mr. Hamrahi told Manoochehr Pordel from the Persian section of Voice of America that on the night of the incident, he and a group of protesters, numbering about 20-30, had taken shelter inside the parking lot of a house when 'repressive forces' entered the parking lot and began hitting cars with batons and firing rubber and paintball bullets. He said, 'A young woman and I took cover behind a car. The other kids were also taking cover behind other cars. When the repressive forces came to arrest the young woman and take her away, they were cursing her in very vulgar terms, and I got into a scuffle with one of the repressive forces, and fortunately, the young woman was able to escape from them.' Mr. Hamrahi stated that during the struggle with the repressive forces, one of them grabbed his hands from behind, and another 'looked very closely into my eyes and shot a paintball bullet into my eye.' Behzad Hamrahi told Voice of America that after this shooting, he was beaten by the repressive forces but managed to escape from them. However, several hospitals in Tehran and Karaj refused to accept him, and ultimately, at Labafinejad Hospital, his left eye was removed. He, who has fled Iran, mentioned in part of his remarks to Voice of America that despite extensive advertising by clinics and charitable organizations regarding support for victims of the protests, he and those he knows have received no help or response. His message to the people of Iran is not to lose hope and to unite. He emphasized, 'Only and only through unity, unity, unity can we overthrow our common enemy, which is the Islamic Republic.' He urged the people of Iran not to despair and added, 'We will soon take back our Iran and witness a free and prosperous Iran.' During last year's nationwide protests, hundreds of protesters lost vision in one or both eyes due to rubber, plastic, or paintball bullets. Human rights organizations, including the Human Rights Organization, consider the shooting of protesters in the head and face by Iranian government agents to be systematic. The slogan 'I will kill, I will kill whoever killed my brother' was heard during the protests in Zahedan.