Iranian athlete loses sight amid protests

ISTANBUL (AA) – Iranian athlete Kowsar Khoshnoudi-Kia reportedly lost sight in her eye amid months-long protests in the country over the death of a young woman in police custody.

Khoshnoudi-Kia, a member of the Iranian women’s archery national team, said on her social media account that she was “shot by the police while demonstrating in her hometown of Kermanshah on Dec. 9.”

Reports emerged that the athlete had lost sight in her left eye.

Iran has been rocked by mass protests since September following the death of a 22-year-old woman, Mahsa Amini, in police custody.

Thousands of people have been detained, according to human rights groups, while Iranian authorities said over 200 people have died in the unrest.

* Ikram Imane Kouachi contributed to this report