Special Guards, Tehran, 8 Mordad (30 July) 18:30

Fighting people & police in Vanak SQ–8 Mordad 88

Mosala protest July 30th 2009

Iranians Gather in Grief, Then Face Police

Protesters chanting slogans at an opposition rally at the Behesht-e-Zahra cemetery outside Tehran on Thursday.

By ROBERT F. WORTH and NAZILA FATHI (New York Times, July 30, 2009)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Thousands of people gathered in Tehran on Thursday to commemorate those killed in Iran’s post-election crackdown, but a vast deployment of police officers used tear gas and wooden batons to disperse them, in some of the largest and most violent street clashes in weeks.

The mourners gathered at the freshly-dug graves of protesters, including Neda Agha-Soltan, a young woman whose bloodied image has become an icon of the opposition movement. As opposition leader Mir Hussein Moussavi arrived at the Behesht-e-Zahra cemetery, the police barred him from entering, and angry mourners chanted “Neda lives! Ahmadinejad is dead!” referring to Iran’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, witnesses said. Read the rest of this entry »

Neda’s Mother Holds Solitary Candle Vigil While Her Memorial Service is Violently Attacked

(International Campaign for Human Rights | 30 July 2009) – Thousands of people gathered to commemorate the fortieth day of Neda Agha Soltan’s killing and to mourn all other recent deaths at Behesht Zahra Cemetery today. The peaceful gathering was attacked violently by Special Guards and plain-clothes Basij agents, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said. Security forces also prevented Mir Hussein Moussavi and Mehdi Karrubi from participating in the memorial services. Read the rest of this entry »

In Iran, Fear Grows Over Treatment of Arrested Election Demonstrators

Margaret Warner updates the political situation in Iran, where concerns are growing about the treatment of demonstrators arrested after the disputed election.  Originally Aired on the Online NewsHour on July 29, 2009.

John Bolton believes that a military strike against Iran would buy time and lead to a possible regime change

Reports of Prison Abuse and Deaths Anger Iranians

By ROBERT F. WORTH (Published in the New York Times on July 28, 2009)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Some prisoners say they watched fellow detainees being beaten to death by guards in overcrowded, stinking holding pens. Others say they had their fingernails ripped off or were forced to lick filthy toilet bowls.

The accounts of prison abuse in Iran’s postelection crackdown — relayed by relatives and on opposition Web sites — have set off growing outrage among Iranians, including some prominent conservatives. More bruised corpses have been returned to families in recent days, and some hospital officials have told human rights workers that they have seen evidence that well over 100 protesters have died since the vote.

Read the rest of this entry »

Jailed In Iran, A Reporter’s Story

Iason Athanasiadis interviewed by Joe Rubin on Frontline/World’s iWitness,  24 July 2009

This is not your expected tale of a three-week stint in an Iranian prison. Photojournalist Iason Athanasiadis-Fowden, who was in Iran covering the recent disputed elections and massive protests that followed, was trying to leave the country ahead of his visa expiring when he was arrested and charged with espionage. He spoke to us over Skype from his parents’ home in Greece shortly after being released from prison.  Read the rest of this entry »

Stand United4Iran TODAY – A Global Day of Action!

On Saturday July 25, people around the world have the opportunity to support the people of Iran in their struggle for democracy, freedom and basic human rights by attending rallies in dozens of cities around the world.

For more information on the over 100 cities joining the worldwide day of action, please visit, www.united4iran.org.

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Stand United4Iran on July 25 – A Global Day of Action!

On Saturday July 25, people around the world have the opportunity to support the people of Iran in their struggle for democracy, freedom and basic human rights by attending rallies in dozens of cities around the world.

For more information on the over 100 cities joining the worldwide day of action, please visit, www.united4iran.org. See the United4Iran YouTube video. 

Iran’s internal affairs: Keep the U.S. out

Submitted by Shervin Boloorian on July 22, 2009 on the FORpeaceBlog.

As Congress prepares to consider more Iran sanctions, it should also consider that confrontational U.S. policies have come nowhere close to changing Iran’s behavior in the last 30 years. On the other hand, in reaction to a contested election, the Iranians have formed an unprecedented home-grown movement for political expression through their own resources, their own desire for democratic progress, and their own sacrifices. Read the rest of this entry »