Wounded protesters die due to infection in the absence of medical care

Wounded protesters die due to infection in the absence of medical care

Published by on February 3, 2020

International Liberty Association: Wounded Iranian protesters have lost their lives due to infection of their wounds in the absence of medical treatment at hospitals. At least two protesters wounded in the November 2019 uprising in Iran, have been announced dead.

Amir Ojani, father of four, had been wounded by security forces during Iran protests in November 2019. He lost his life due to infection.

He had been shot in the leg in Tehran’s Aryashahr suburb on November 19 but did not refer to a hospital to avoid being arrested.

After a few days, as Amir’s condition got dire, his family took him to several hospitals in Tehran, including Firouzgar Hospital.

But all hospitals avoided admission because of his gunshot wound. Medical staff told the family that the authorities ordered them not to accept people with gunshot wounds.

Eventually a private hospital admitted Mr Ojani but his wound got infected and he finally lost his life on January 10, 2020.

In yet another case, Reza Abbassi who had been shot and wounded two months ago in Isfahan during the November protests, lost his life three weeks ago due to infection of his wounds.

Mr. Abbassi came from Arab Famour village near Kazerun in the southern Fars Province and was buried there without any ceremonies and in the presence of watchful security agents.

At least 4,000 persons were wounded by live ammunition or pellet guns during the protests in November 2019 against sudden hike in fuel prices. Many of the wounded protesters were abducted from hospitals in the provinces of Tehran, Shiraz, Alborz, Khuzestan, etc. and taken to unknown locations without completing their treatment.

In some instances, security forces took wounded protesters to hospital but did not allow the hospital staff to register their identities and file their case. They even went into the operation room and took away the patient after the bullets were removed.

In some cities, including Sirjan, Islamshahr, and Shahriar, many of the wounded Iranian protesters did not go to hospital despite being shot. They were treated at home with limited wherewithal. Some of them have lost their lives due to infection caused by failure to remove the bullets from their bodies.

In many parts of the country, however, some physicians and medical students have volunteered to treat the wounded.

ILA: The security forces cracked down on nationwide protests that erupted on 16 November after the government tripled the price of gasoline. At least 1,500 protesters were killed, around 4,000 were wounded and injured and 12,000 were detained.


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