Eyes for Freedom | Cheshm Baraye Azadi | چشم برای آزادی

The eyes of a revolution and the stories behind them
Our Stories

We have asked for people to share with us their stories, the way that they would like for them to be told.

فارسی

Matin Mannani

  • Matin, a young man with short, curly black hair and a well-groomed beard, sits on a vibrant turquoise couch, playing a classical acoustic guitar. He wears a black button-up shirt with the top few buttons undone, khaki shorts, and white sneakers. His eyes are covered by stylish brown-framed sunglasses, and he has a calm, focused expression as he strums the guitar. The setting is a cozy indoor space with a modern, minimalistic design. Behind him, a large green monstera plant sits in an orange pot on a yellow stool. A decorative dreamcatcher with wooden elements and hanging strings adorns the white wall in the background. The warm tones of the guitar, furniture, and decor contrast with the cool, clean ambiance of the room.
  • Matin, a young man with short, curly black hair and a well-groomed beard stands outdoors in a park-like setting during autumn. He is wearing a black oversized t-shirt with a large pocket on the left side, decorated with multiple silver eyelets, along with distressed black jeans featuring several ripped sections. He accessorizes with a silver chain necklace, a blue wristwatch, a black bracelet, and wooden-framed sunglasses with brown-tinted lenses. His expression is neutral as he gazes to the side. The background consists of tall, leafless trees with textured bark, fallen leaves on the ground, and a blurred view of houses and greenery in the distance.
  • A black and white portrait of Matin, a young man with short, curly hair and a well-groomed beard, sitting outdoors in a wooded area. He is wearing dark sunglasses with thick frames, a zipped-up black hoodie with the hood down, and a small logo on the left side of his chest. A silver hoop earring is visible on his left ear. His expression is serious and introspective as he looks downward, with his face partially shadowed. The blurred background consists of tall, leafless trees, creating a moody and contemplative atmosphere.
  • Matin, a young man with short, curly black hair and a well-groomed beard, stands on a gravel path lined with tall trees and lush greenery. He is wearing a beige oversized t-shirt featuring a black stencil-style graphic of a man and woman holding hands, with the words ‘FREE SPIRITS’ written underneath. He pairs the shirt with light blue denim jeans and white sneakers. He accessorizes with a silver chain necklace, a wristwatch, a bracelet, and round brown sunglasses with a thin frame. His posture is relaxed, with one hand on his shirt and the other resting on his pocket as he gazes off to the side. In the background, a few buildings are visible beyond the green landscape, adding depth to the serene outdoor setting.
  • Matin, a young man with short, curly black hair and a well-groomed beard, stands on a sandy beach with the ocean waves and a clear blue sky in the background. He is wearing an oversized short-sleeve shirt with horizontal black and white stripes, a small chest pocket, and a slightly textured fabric. He pairs the shirt with light blue denim jeans and stylish sneakers in shades of white, gray, and navy blue. He accessorizes with wooden-framed sunglasses, a wristwatch, and a bracelet. His posture is relaxed, with one hand resting on his stomach and the other hanging by his side as he gazes off to the right, giving off a calm and casual beachside vibe.
  • Matin, a young blind man with short, curly black hair and a well-groomed beard, stands on a modern suspension bridge with metal cables and an arched entrance framing the sky behind him. He is wearing a black button-up shirt with a relaxed fit and a pearl necklace. His expression is calm and composed. The background features a cityscape with buildings, trees, and a cloudy sky, adding depth to the scene. The soft lighting and slightly blurred background create a moody, introspective atmosphere.
  • Matin, a young man with short, curly black hair and a well-groomed beard, sits on a wooden stool, playing a classical acoustic guitar. He is wearing a light-colored t-shirt, black distressed jeans, a pearl necklace, and dark sunglasses. His fingers are positioned carefully on the fretboard as he plays, with a focused and serene expression. A black music stand is positioned in front of him, though he does not rely on sheet music. The background is minimal, with a white wall and an electrical outlet visible near the floor. The soft lighting and neutral tones create an intimate, calm atmosphere.
Matin Mannani 

Matin, 25 years old at the time of his injury, was a computer science student in northern Iran.

“It wasn’t a perfect life, but it was a normal life.”

Matin was a typical young man, full of energy. He was working and studying, and in his spare time, he loved being outdoors and going on hikes.

“One of my biggest fears in life was getting stuck in a repetitive routine.”

Matin couldn’t stand the thought of a monotonous life. He liked to stay active, keep busy, take trips, explore, and work different jobs. He wanted his days to have variety.

He was the second child in his family. He and his older brother worked to support themselves. They faced challenges head-on, and each time they hit rock bottom, they found a way to rise again.

Matin describes his life as bright and beautiful.

“We used to laugh, we used to enjoy life. Life was full of color. Everything had its own meaning, its own depth, its own beauty. You could see that beauty with your eyes. Now, that beauty only exists in a few sounds.”

Despite life’s hardships, Matin speaks of the joy he once felt, the light he used to see, and the fulfillment he knew. He didn’t have much, but what he had was enough to make him happy.

For his future, he was studying to become a software developer. He had a keen interest in automation, artificial intelligence, and smart systems.

  “At some point, people just need to speak out.”

Like many others, Matin was deeply affected by the crises unfolding in his country. Even though his life was relatively comfortable, he was aware of the struggles of others. As a young person planning his future, he understood what was at stake.

Matin saw the struggles of his neighbors. He witnessed how people had reached a breaking point, their demands ignored, their dignity disrespected. He felt that something wasn’t right, that life wasn’t meant to be this way, and that something bigger was at play. There was an overwhelming sense of anger and pain, voices that had never been heard.

“When a group of people gathers to speak out, each one of them has their own reasons, their own stories.”

Matin explains that when a crowd begins to form, it gives others the courage to join because they realize they are not alone. That’s when all the pain and injustice people have endured for years come pouring out into the streets.

Like everyone else there that night, Matin had his own reasons for being present—thousands of them.

That night, Matin and his friends gathered in a park. They sat around, discussing everything that was happening around them. They were trying to make sense of it all, talking about change and the price that had to be paid for change to take effect.

“Nothing comes without a price. Nothing just happens, not without sacrifice.”

Together, they concluded that if they wanted change, they had to actively pursue it. Sitting around and expecting things to improve on their own wasn’t an option.

So, when Matin was in the crowd, he didn’t feel fear. He felt the support of those around him. He realized he wasn’t alone.

He felt no fear, no worry about what would happen next. Instead, he felt the energy of the crowd, their power. He saw that people had traveled from other cities to join in.

“You could feel the strength in the air. You could see it in everyone’s eyes—the realization that they weren’t alone.”

It was all peaceful until the officers arrived—a group of men dressed in black, armed to the teeth.

“Plainclothes officers had been there the whole time. We knew that. But things didn’t escalate until the men in black arrived.”

The officers took a military-style formation, and vehicles and motorcycles blocked the escape routes. A tense energy rushed through the crowd.

One officer stepped forward, ordering the crowd to disperse and go home. They gave ultimatums.

“The people weren’t prepared to back down. First, they sprayed us with water cannons. When that didn’t work, a commander gave the order to open fire.”

Matin remembers officers firing tear gas canisters, not into the air, but directly at people.

“They weren’t just trying to break up the crowd. They were hitting people.”

Officers on motorbikes began driving into the crowd, causing panic. People ran, scattering in different directions. Matin realized he needed to escape.

Matin doesn’t know where the shot came from or where exactly he was hit. He just remembers the sound of gunfire and sudden darkness.

“That’s the last thing I remember—the sound of the shot.”

Matin now considers himself a different person. The life he once knew is gone. Everything has changed—how he walks, how he sees the world (both literally and figuratively), how he communicates, how he sleeps, and how he wakes up. He has had to rebuild himself from scratch.

Matin has the date of his injury tattooed on his neck. To him, it represents a second birth. A new life. Now he must ask himself what he will do with it.

“Can I rebuild what was taken from me? Can I turn it into something better? Or is this just how things will be from now on?”

Matin was ambitious. He wanted to be a programmer, build a successful career, explore nature, and eventually start a family. But everything has changed.

Now, his only focus is regaining his vision.

“Every single thing that I do now is for that purpose. To fix what was taken from me.”

Matin tells us that he doesn’t feel regret.

“That person would have fired the gun anyway. Whether or not I was there, that gun would have been fired. If not me, someone else would have been hit.”

Matin prefers that it was him, not anyone else, who has to deal with this immense pain and grief. He can’t stand the thought of it having happened to someone else that night.

“People never think it’s going to happen to them. I wouldn’t have thought in a million years that something like this would happen to me. But it did. It can happen to anyone. That’s why we have to fight.”

Matin is convinced that those officers went to the streets with the intention of shooting someone. It didn’t matter who. That’s why people need to understand that anyone can be impacted at any time. If it hadn’t been him that night, it would have been someone else’s child.

Matin has been working on regaining his independence, finding the things he is still able to do, and staying active. It’s been a difficult journey. He is learning to play the guitar, which has helped him start going out into the world again. It takes a lot of work, and the road is long, but Matin is determined to move forward and find a cure.

“I am not alone. I can still fight. I can still build something.”

– Matin Mannani
Matin Mannani – Again