Hundreds of Bahrainis marched on Monday night in Sitra, an Island in central Bahrain, in solidarity with people who have lost their sight or suffered eye injuries due to birdshot pellets or other objects fired by the security forces.

The "Eye4Freedom" rally gathered victims of eye injuries, rights activists including prominent dissident Zainab al-Khawaja, whose father Abdulhadi al-Khawaja was sentenced to life in prison over his involvement in last year's uprising. Said Yousif, human rights activist and vice president of Bahrain Centre for Human Rights also took part in the demonstration.

Protesters waved dozens of Bahraini flags and chanted freedom slogans.

Bahrain, which is ruled by a Sunni Muslim monarchy and hosts the U.S. Fifth Fleet, has been in turmoil since activists mainly from the majority Shi'ite community began protests in February 2011, inspired by successful uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia.

More than a year later, unrest persists with weekly mass rallies by opposition parties and clashes between youth activists and riot police.

Photos via @Ebtisam008, @Bahrain22, @angryarabiya