Matin Hosseini, Eye-Injured Protester, Sentenced to 31 Months in Prison

The criminal court of Boukan sentenced Matin Hosseini, an eye-injured protester from the November 2019 protests, to 31 months in prison. Branch 101 of the Boukan Criminal Court in West Azerbaijan Province had previously summoned him to appear in court on May 17. The charges against this eye-injured protester include 'inciting or provoking people to war and killing each other with the intent to disrupt national security' and 'propaganda against the regime.' Matin Hosseini had also been summoned by Branch 1 of the Boukan Revolutionary Court on April 19 for the charge of 'propaganda against the regime.' According to HRANA, the news agency of human rights activists in Iran, this protester was arrested by government forces at his family home on January 23, 2024, and was released from Boukan prison a month later on bail. Matin Hosseini was shot in the eye during the nationwide protests in November 2019, resulting in the loss of vision in one eye. According to a member of the prosecution committee of the People's International Court for the November 2019 protests, between November 24 and 27, more than 70 people underwent surgery in one of Iran's specialized eye hospitals due to pellet gun injuries to the eye. The 2019 protests began on Friday, November 15, following the sudden announcement of a gasoline price hike in various cities across Iran and faced severe repression from government forces. Reuters described the repression of the November 2019 protests as 'the bloodiest crackdown on protesters since the Islamic Revolution in 1979,' reporting a death toll of 1,500.