The most difficult moment of last week that was heartfelt by everyone was the execution of a hardworking activist. The Islamic Republic executed Ehsan Fattahian, one of Kurdistan’s tall and proud youth. Ehsan was of a working class family in the province of Kermanshah in western Iran, who was arrested and sentenced to death for his political struggle as member of a Marxist group in Kurdistan. His execution made people worldwide protest once again against organized crime in the name of killing political prisoners.
The execution of political and civil prisoners in the Islamic Republic has a 30 year history. But in recent days the wave of concern provoked among the people and human rights activists has reached an international level. The executions and death sentences issued against the detainees have prompted the question: Is another wave of executions imminent? How far can the government continue in this path and what is the purpose of these executions and what does the Islamic Republic hope to gain from this?
Ehsan Fattahian, a poltical activist in Kurdistan was executed on Wednesday last week. Shirko Moarefi and Habib-Allah Latifi, two other political activists are in danger of execution now. One woman and 11 more men, also in Kurdistan languish in prison with the burden of a death sentence. These executions are designed to create an atmosphere of terror in society and hold back the people from the streets in an effort to stabilize the system after the electoral coup d’etat. The Islamic Republic that today faces a big challenge by the name of the people’s revolution against their rulers, has no choice but such encounters. This way of suppressing for us who remember as a lesson for the current revolution, the first years of the 1357 (1979) revolution, is very familiar. In those years too, the Islamic Republic went to war with people with the same vast wave of imprisonment and execution of political prisoners in order to take control of social and political conditions in Iran.
Each day and each month a list of political executions in the prisons of Iran was announced on the radio and in newspapers. Their crime was warring with God. But today after 30 years of the Islamic Republic many men and women throughout Iran are strung by the same title and sent to the gallows. But these days the executed and those who have in effect fought God and his representatives on earth are the people’s heroes and symbols of political and religious tyranny in Iran. Just as we saw with Ehsan Fattahian , who for the crime of membership of a Marxist-Leninist group, they imprisoned and in the end killed. A few days later at Tehran University, a gathering of people in their hundreds took place in commemoration of him. People attacked the government and all its factions with all their might and fitting to the political balance in society and in recent months they have shown that this movement will not die even if people like Moussavi and Karroubi stay silent in the face of such proceedings. Recent executions have posed a very clear question to reformist leaders in Iran and that was their stance on the death sentences. In another respect the recent executions showed that people like Moussavi, Karroubi, Khatami and…not only have no clear answer regarding the execution of political prisoners and the death penalty overall, but in defending the integrity of the Islamic Republic, have been and are accomplices in these killings. That these men don’t have actual power is a much debated subject of recent months, but silence when the people on the streets and even bazaars in groups and various organizations have expressed their condemnation of this murder conviction, showed their apparent complicity in the face of such a crime.
This movement is a vibrant and human flow against the mass execution of people, for the freedom of women, and the welfare of workers. A flow that has seen two revolutions and a few blatant hidden coups against it. Our people have been the victims of the political and military games of political powers in the region and the world, from the Constitutional Revolution to the 28 Mordad coup (1953) and finally the ’57 revolution (1979) and the 30 year protests against the Islamic Republic. But the recent protests have been unique in several aspects. This movement is very aware and gripping in the sense that you can simultaneously be a female university student who for her own livelihood needs a worker for long hours, and takes a stand against the integrity of discriminatory norm and have tasted prison for her crime, and the latent representative of the women’s movement, the student, the worker, the political prisoners or one of thousands of the Islamic Republic’s unique phenomena. It’s enough to be on the streets of Iran to hear the most profound political and social language of the masses. You should be among the people to hear the depth of hostility in the movement for a secular and equal society. It’s enough to take a few steps in the surge of the crowd to see the depth of solidarity and unity for change in the political governance of Iran. Even if the executions continue, they will not only fail to succeed in keeping the people back, but rather will drive stronger nails into the Islamic Republic’s coffin. The people of Kurdistan have in recent months been less present in the scene of protests. The reasons for this must be explored in another discussion. But that which is clear to all is that Kurdistan is the hub of the radical revolutionary movement and has long been at the centre of political upheaval in Iran. As long as this trend against the honourable people of this immense part of Iran continues, a great force will hit the streets and this ultimately is not to the benefit of the Islamic Republic.
In this article I want to ask: What is the sexual regime in Iran? and What is the link between homophobia and fundamentalists in Iran? If I were to describe this matter in the abstract, in my opinion Iranian fundamentalists’ homophobia is based on the relationship between religion and technology. The nature of a prevailing sexual ideology, like its reproductive idea suppresses the very idea of homosexuality
First let's take a look at Islamic fundamentalism and raise areas and look into the roots of it. You may suspect that homosexual behavior by Iranians would come from their homosexuality tendencies. This would be a rational thought, that homosexual desire is free in Iran rather than modern Western societies. This behavior can be easily seen in a part of the religious class of Iran's religious government. However with these homoerotic behaviors, what place is there for homosexuality in Iran, repression and denial of its very existence? This confusion stands out when the three punishments are taken into consideration; burning at the stake, throwing from a cliff and destroying a long wall over the accused to homosexuality.
The separation of emotional and sexual actions (sodomy) alone would not be efficient in solving this problem. Action by Islamic fundamentalists in Iran is not just the prosecution and punishment of those who are active. Islamic fundamentalism uses modern tools and knowledge for monitoring and controlling the community rather than its traditional function which was only focused on sodomy and the pursuit this matter in more subtle ways. A police project entitled "Combating social corruption" calling patrols "Guidance police" - the equivalent of the moral police in fascist societies are examples of the conflict with Islamic fundamentalism and cultural signs, gay connection with the sexual interaction as homosexual or to quote them “deviated” acts. The unfortunate link between Islamic fundamentalism as a sequence of industrial society techniques has brought a difficult situation upon homosexuals sexual which has created a particular basis and must be indigenous to a new understanding. Modern perspectives provide a way for understanding this issue, and more importantly the understanding the situation inside Iran. This article attempts to better that understanding based on pre-knowledge of the situation described above whereby they techniques and values of capitalist society to religious hatred is linked homosexual tendencies and has created multiple hatred.
Here we will consider two questions: The nature of Islamic fundamentalism in Iran as a regime's sexual nature and according to what the regime in Iran is based, sexuality and other problem is that what political solution can be offered to deal with this regime?
Religious fundamentalism and Islamic fundamentalism especially the Shi’ite kind has evangelic trends regenerating religious point of views. But unlike other religious fundamentalists’ emphasis on sacred experience, the emphasis here is the literal interpretation of religious text and religious command according to religious writings. Running such commands will resort to power, so this close relationship with fundamentalism calls for close relationship with politics. In order to achieve this holy idea, Shiite fundamentalist have no second though on resorting to the unholy. Political Islam is a model of relationship between religion and modernity in which part of modernity obtained and another part is neglected; meaning the focus on power and technique will be obtained and focused on individual freedom is the set aside and neglected.
If we accept modernity the two forces and rationality are hand in hand meaning the flexibility that modern moral values such as freedom and rationality, is related to the disciplinary tool and controlling nature, modern contribution to the Shiite religious fundamentalists would be disciplinary rationality meaning full force can be focused on monitoring the implementation of his holy orders. Therefore must not be surprised if the Taliban uses modern technologies and the Islamic Republic following nuclear technology, nanotechnology and other technologies to control public opinion and the media, and filtering technologies and to provide this type of development competition, but has no regards to the civil rights and freedom, and even ridicules democracy. This contradiction is not in conflict behavior of fundamentalists but is in modernity that leads to this dichotomy in developing countries. But the nature of fundamentalism has no dichotomy. It's nature can have a form of fundamentalism automation called holy orders. Meaning an automatic force that without internal deepening goes after enforcement of the sacred texts and tools.
Part of the rules that must be ran by fundamentalist in the field of sentences is about gender. Shiite fundamentalists carefully run all that ends up to sexualization. Gender separation plan in public environments, such as public transportation, recreational and creating a separate tracks and sport environments, separation of academic environment such as college campuses, even, and many other resort to legal idea which is based on privacy of the two sexes and the intensity of it help rule out sexual tensions outside of marriage. Therefore, the mentioned sexualized environment bring s about homoerotic tendencies in men and women. In such environment the lack of space may be marked with the traditional sexual behavior in some traditional matters can be seen as homosexual tendencies. It seems possible that the environment over homosexual contact is seen more than modern societies and might surprise passengers from the west.
But such tendencies can be seen more often in more growing traditional atmosphere of before the revolution. Such ignorance of environmental aspects, will loos it's color after the growth of Islamic fundamentalism in order to monitor social conduct. Homophobia is the traditional Islamic fundamentalism and is also the ultimate goal of growth automation fundamentalists. To obtain a tool for monitoring social rationality is now time for round two which is homophobia awareness. That is seen in it's first goal of the following divine orders. Homosexual desire for sexual theology is one of the highest ranked crimes after manslaughter, and the only crime that is worthy of burning in fire is sodomy. On the other hand this fundamentalism with it's modern equipments goes after minimal signs of homosexuality. Part of a project called "social security" which police official formally followe any signs homosexuality.
A transsexual friend was forced to change his appearance after several arrests and harassments to rescue himself from moral police's tracking and prosecution. My homosexual friend was arrested for having long hair. He was undressed at the time of interrogation, to identify the signs of homosexuality on his body. His shaved body was identified as a problem and brought up more investigation upon him that a so-called male-oriented being can not have such physical appearances. Another homosexual was tortured in the most deceitful way, he hes and hair was urinated o before he was freed from prison.
Sexual characteristics is of the fundamentalist Muslim regime of sexual role differentiation and is identified based on physical appearances. Often thought to leading technology in the field of sex-exchange iran would be pro as for their rights. Closer analysis of the sexual behavior of the Islamic Republic regime is clear is that the issue is not their rights, but the damage that trans-sexualism brings upon a person's ideology. In the film, “be like the rest” the director describes this situation so that this sex-change is a way of maintaining the boundary of sexual identity, re-established the male and female androgyny. Otherwise, all the foundations of Islamic jurisprudence that defines rights and gender assignments will fall apart and from this respect homosexuality tear apart their standards and beliefs. A gay woman or man is pleased with hers/his sexuality and des not see the solution in sex-change, nor do they see any scientific or medical problems with their behavior, they only desire their same sexes body and company which itself disrupts the Islamic jurisprudence. For example, about a woman or a man is clear is that much blood money, inheritance is how much, What are the prayer, job rights and other issues. In fact, most sentences read jurisprudence must first ask if the subject is a woman or man. This is the default question. If it is a medical based gender deficiency and to find based on Islamic jurisprudence and what is the topic of constraint and is not subject to involuntary circumstances what is their right? In homosexual's case it seems like the jurisprudence seems to undergo crisis if the gender cannot be identified. But medical came to rescue Shiite jurisprudence and introduces technology to the Shiite fundamentalists which defines the gender can be changed with an operation. So this could be a misunderstanding the rational regime of Iran to the Shiite fundamentalists has been transformed to a paradise for homosexuals. But this has caused by conflict with the jurisprudence has faces and political Islam has tried to solve with the use of modern technology.
In this example the need for supervision and discipline can also be seen in the sexual regime of fundamentalists against their traditional self is not only sodomy, though is any indication that the Islamic regime can suffer damages. Be it the brand of clothing, the makeup and eyebrows or the shaved skin of some boys. homophobia in today's Iran has created the most difficult form of repression to provide sexual tendencies.
Movement for a Solution
In Iran speaking of the rights of sexual minorities is harder than being gay. Indeed, if homosexuality itself has consequences, defending sexual actions particularly is considered corruption on earth and its sentence categorically execution. With regards to pornography websites such as Avizoon the police are responsible for the prosecution and detention of web authors - writing about sex in addition to torture and filmed confessions, being accused of corruption on earth, guarantees severe punishment for them. "Homosexuality" is also cited in their charges. In this climate homosexual rights activists’ task is clear. To those who have been active in this field in Iran it is also clear that the smallest mistake could be your last mistake and with no time for resistance. So activity for the overthrowal of such a regime in Iran may seem impossible.
All activities in the field of homosexual rights and minorities campaigns are to be underground. So the main activities in this are in virtual spaces where they can be written about. The Internet is where new forms of gay identity have grown and alongside them activist gay writers provide other norms to the reader which affects the harvest of traditional homophobia. Although this effect is limited today, homophobia awareness begins with the Internet.
The Iranian regime's fear of sexual libido and resorting to the most modern tools of repression has meant that even
this last trench of resistance is not to be expected. The Whirlpool Corps project which was created to suppress and stop such sexual websites is an example of gender planning of modern Islamic fundamentalism which does anything to not only undermine indications of sexual interactions, can also be seen in the indictment of other porn sites and blogs recently presented to the court. At the moment the only safe form of resistance that has remained with the link to external forces knowledgeable about the regime of sexual activity as well as linking to other streams of radical acts. Today such activity continues in spite of all the difficulties and bureaucracy, and however gradual, this path is being pursued by Iranian sexual minorities’ rights activists.
Iran's greatest master of traditional music, Mohammad Reza Shajarian, always avoided open clashes with his country's ruling hard-line clerics.
So it was a bombshell when Shajarian — so revered that his audiences pelt him with roses — demanded state radio and TV stop broadcasting his music as a protest against the government. The state broadcaster complied.
What pushed Shajarian into action was the government's brutal crackdown on protests over the June 12 election that Shajarian and millions of other Iranians believe fraudulently gave a second term to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
"After what happened, I said 'no way' and threatened to file a complaint against them if they continued to use my music," Shajarian told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.
Iran's political turmoil has raised a culture clash as hundreds of musicians, actors, filmmakers, poets and writers have spoken out against the government for its suppression of dissent and arrest of thousands. In a particular embarrassment to the government, the filmmaker daughter of Ahmadinejad's own culture adviser sought asylum in Germany in October, citing the crackdown at home.
The government has responded by accusing artists of falling prey to foreign "enemies" and by stepping up pressure for their work to toe its ideological line. More than 100 artists have had their works banned or have been prevented from traveling abroad. Others have been detained.
Ahmadinejad's art adviser, Javad Shamaqdari, last summer threatened to ban artists from film festivals. "The enemy, which has been thwarted in its plans for a velvet coup, is trying to keep up the fever of their subversive activities at foreign art and cinematic events," he said in Tehran.
One TV producer says that since the election, authorities have unofficially barred actors who are considered unacceptable from appearing on shows.
"They tell us 'give us a list of artists you want to use.' When we give them the list, they say 'this and this person are not suitable,'" said the producer, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.
State TV chiefs even seek to prevent anyone in a program from wearing green — the color of the opposition movement — and they've gone so far as to cut scenes of actors wearing green clothes in films made before the election, the producer said.
In Iran, dissent by artists is more than just a matter of celebrities mouthing off about politics: It has a powerful resonance among the public. Arts and culture hold a special place for Iranians. At family parties they read poetry aloud or bring out a santour, a dulcimer-like instrument, and sing songs of their favorite composers.
The shrines of poets Hafez and Saadi in the central city of Shiraz are among the most frequented sites in the country. When faced with a tough decision, Iranians will sometimes pick a verse of Hafez' poetry at random and try to divine their fate from it.
Since its creation in 1979, the Islamic Republic has always kept a tight grip on artists' work, but artists say the suppression in the post-election period has been among the toughest.
"It's much greater now because of the stand most of the artists have taken against them," said Shajarian. "For now, they're moving very calmly. But in the future, I know there will be a confrontation between the artists and this government."
Since the election, Shajarian and others have been making pointed messages with their art. In September, Shajarian sang "Zaban e Atash o Ahan" (The language of Fire and Iron), based on a well-known poem in which he pleads: "Lay down your gun. Come, sit down, talk, hear. Perhaps the light of humanity will get through to your heart too."
During his last tour of Europe in September, he sang "Brotherhood in Arms," calling on Iranians to unite.
"It's a message that I always had for the Iranian people: how to love each other, how to be good and kind to each other, to be united," Shajarian said. "But now it's taken on a more important meaning."
One of Iran's most prominent poets, Simin Behbahani, put out her own plea. "Stop the screaming, mayhem and bloodshed," she lamented in her latest work. "Stop making God's creatures mourn with tears. Stop recklessly throwing my country to the wind."
More than 100 Iranian poets have boycotted government-sponsored literary awards and contests, saying since the June election works of many poets have been censored, while others have been threatened or imprisoned. Dozens of cartoonists and documentary filmmakers stayed away from state festivals in Tehran in recent months.
Directors and actors from Iran's acclaimed cinema industry, which has a strong international following, have also provoked authorities' anger by showing up at international film festivals in the opposition's green.
Filmmaker Jafar Panahi, who was briefly detained during a July demonstration in Tehran, wore a green scarf at a Montreal festival over the summer. In apparent retaliation, authorities barred him from traveling abroad for another festival in October, along with several others planning to attend.
When filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf won a lifetime achievement award at the Nuremberg International Human Rights Film Festival in October, he dedicated it to Mehdi Karoubi, one of the two defeated opposition presidential candidates.
But what made news at the Nuremberg festival was the defection of the daughter of Ahmadinejad's cultural adviser.
Narges Kalhor, 25, filed for asylum after the screening of her short film, "Rake," which is based on the Franz Kafka short story "In the Penal Colony," describing a torture chamber in which the crimes of prisoners are tattooed on their bodies. Although she made the film a year ago, before the uprising, Kalhor said it was influenced by human rights violations that routinely occur in Iran.
"Certainly, I think an Iranian has to be in a certain condition to want to make such a film. I could have instead made a love story, which would have been much easier and happier. One must ask why I took on making such a film," said Kalhor in a telephone interview from Germany.
Angered — and likely embarrassed — by his daughter's defection, Mehdi Kalhor accused the Iranian opposition of supporting her attempts to challenge the government. He has not had contact with her for a year and a half.
"This issue is one of the symbols of a media and soft war that opposition has launched," he said, according to the official IRNA news agency.
Narges Kalhor said her estranged father's accusations were laughable. "For 25 years, I've been wondering who these enemies are," she said.
Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court has sentenced Hassan Salamat, a sociology PhD student at Tehran University, to four years’ imprisonment. Salamat was among the large group of activists arrested after the presidential election.
Student’s rights group HRA reports that at a hearing held last week the prosecutor’s representative agreed to the objections made to the indictment by defense lawyer Mohammad Oliyai-fard. Nervertheless, Judge Pour-Abbas found Salamat guilty of the charges of this indictment and sentenced him to four years in prison. The charges against Salamat include propagating aganist the regime and conspiracy to disrupt national security.
Hassan Salamat was under the watch of security forces before the elections for activities during his bachelor degree studies. During the election-related crisis, he was arrested because he was suspected of having contact with two other activists, Zia Nabavi and Majid Dori. Although Hessam Salamat was the top student in the PhD entrance exam for studying sociology at Tehran University, he was banned from pursuing his studies after interference by the Faculty of Sociology chair as well as external security elements. Since than he had been active in a committee formed to advocate the education rights of banned star students.
During the 10th presidential electoral campaign when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denied the existence of any banned star students, this committee made considerable protest by compiling a list of students deprived from continuing their studies and assembling in front of the Ministry of Higher Education. This action led to the arrest of a number of committee members, including Ziaeddin Nabavi, Majid Dori, Shiva Nazarahari and Hassan Salamat. Salamat was detained in Ward 209 of Evin prison for two months and had been released on $200,000 bail.
His lawyer, Mohammad Oliaei-Fard has announced that he will definitely be presenting a formal objection to the court's latest verdict.
Guards Threaten to Punish Activists Outside Iran
In a speech, published in pro-government Kayhan newspaper, Massoud Jazaeri said that protesters who questioned the June presidential elections and held another rally on November 4, are acting in a “plot” and “American-British coup” and that “a large number of individuals involved in the plot have been identified and will be confronted in time.”
Jazaeri also stressed that, “despite being patient, the Islamic Republic of Iran could not allow agents of regime change and the soft coup to plot against it, and that if forced, will create “serious challenges for agents of the coup outside the country.” He did not elaborate as to what these “serious challenges” may entail.
It should be noted that in the first two decades of its foundation, the Islamic Republic of Iran was accused of numerous assassinations of prominent opposition figures outside Iran.
Jazaeri also warned against what he called “negative propaganda” and interference by Western media on the anniversary of the take over of the American embassy in Tehran, and accusing them of “creating a forged atmosphere”, instigating and encouraging “dissident” behaviour by Iranian citizens.
This threat of “creating a serious challenge for the supporters of Iran’s green movement outside Iran” takes place after similar remarks on November 4 by Ismail Ahmadi Moghadam, commander of Iran’s law enforcement forces, stressing that law enforcement forces would “confront seriously any steps taken to overthrow the regime,” and warned those outside Iran against ignoring the laws of the Islamic Republic. Moghadam had said: “Some political movements are trying to create problems for the police because of the force’s confrontation with saboteurs to establish peace and order. These individuals, inside and outside the country, are not mindful of the law and want to hold rallies without legal permits while the police carries out its legal duties.”
Basirat, a website belonging to the political office of the Pasdaran Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) named five movements and a number of Iranians outside the country as “leaders of the green coup outside Iran.” According to this website, parallel to the psychological war headquarters of the coup group inside Iran, a command center for foreign based activists “has begun its propaganda and destructive activities with double intensity.”
The five groups supporting the green movement outside the country named on the website are “secular intellectuals”, “journalists,” “student activists,” “artists” - as the four movements since the June 2009 elections. The fifth group are “pro-monarchists, infidels, veteran counter-revolutionaries, members of the Mojahedin Khalq organization and other counter-revolutionary groups. The IRGC classifies each group. The first comprises “secular intellectuals who are fundamentally against religious rule and the Islamic governance and view the Islamic republic to be a paradoxical phenomenon”, the second group, in its view, is made up of “reformist media journalists who controlled the media during Khatami’s administration.” Student activists who emigrated to the West in the last decade, “pro-monarchists” and other counter-revolutionary groups are also identified.
The report on the website stresses the “support that these groups have provided to the main opposition leaders Mir-Hossein Moussavi and Mehdi Karroubi before and after the contested June 12 presidential elections and claims that the “announced anti-revolutionary stances of these groups have never been repudiated by Moussavi, Karoubi and Khatami. One may conclude that the positions of these groups are the positions of the domestic perpetrators of the green coup, including Mousavi, Karroubi and Khatami.”
The political office of the IRGC claims that “because the laws of the Islamic republic do not allow these groups [protesting candidates and the leaders of the Green movement] to openly express their views,” the foreign branches of these groups express their views under the secure protection provided to them by Western countries. This report names Shirin Ebadi, Mohsen Kadivar, Ataollah Mohajerani, Abdol-Karim Soroosh, Mohsen Sazegara and Mohsen Makhmalbaf as the key leaders of the Green movement outside Iran. It also says there are a large number of Iranians who because of their beliefs and activities have not only supported the protest movement after the elections but also engaged in activities against the Islamic Republic. Personal weblogs, political websites and Internet social networks are claimed to be the media that is “directed from outside the country.”
Combat Enemy’s “Psychological Operations”
The Deputy of the Supreme Command of the IRGC forces announced two days ago the creation of two “central” and “supreme” commands to combat what it calls “psychological operations of the enemy.” Massoud Jazaeri who is among the hardline military commanders supporting the coup administration that came to office in June 12 of 2009, did not reveal details on the nature and organization of these two commands but said that they would be operational soon.
Jazaeri has in the past been criticized by supporters of the green movement for his remarks on what he called the “green coup” and his advocacy of confronting the “leaders of the conspiracy” (a reference to Mir-Hossein Moussavi and Mehdi Karroubi) made this announcement just a month after the organization under his command held a seminar titled “Seminar on Psychological and Media Operations” in the auditorium of the state-run national radio and television organization. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad participated in the inauguration of this seminar and spoke of the need to “confront the leaders of the soft war).
The seminar was held on October 11 2009 but did not receive much domestic or international media coverage at the time because of the exceptional political and social conditions in the country. Political experts have said that the presence of key media personalities that support the coup administration, including the head of Fars and IRNA news agencies, demonstrated the collaboration that was taking place during the seminar proceedings.
During the seminar, Ahmadinejad spoke of the need for media readiness to deal with the “soft war” adding that “psychological operations focused exclusively on ears and eyes”. In his remarks two days ago, Jazaeri said “The cause for the enemy’s rise in soft operations is the planning for the big coup the foundation for which was laid years ago and which emerged during (the last) presidential elections. The media are viewed as the key tools in the psychological operations of the enemy against the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
Jazaeri’s reference to “some media outlets” comes at a time when the reformist news website Jonbeshe Rah Sabz (green movement) reported that the government planned to launch some 100 media outlets to confront the green movement. According to this website among 100 websites and news agencies, five principal media outlets support the coup administration, namely Kayhan newspaper, Javan newspaper, Raja news agency, IRNA news agency, and Fars news agency, providing primary information while other sites engage in developing and distributing the analysis and instructions of these five coup organs.
According to this news report, the following agencies are are among those supporting the coup administration, created to fight the “soft war” and “the enemy’s psychological operations”:
Fars, Raja, Jahan news agency, IRNA, Vahed Markazi Khabar (Central News Unit), Iranian student news bulletin (created to wrestle with the news bulletin of students from Polytechnic University), Hayat, Ansar News, Borna News (news agency for the youth of Islamic Iran), Tavana (news club for young journalists of Fars news agency), Markaz Asnade Engelab Eslami (News Site of the Center of Islamic Revolution Documents), Deylam News, Tribune, Shii News, Sepah News, Kanoon Andishe, Resane News Center, Plak News, Sajed site, Bulletin News, Jam news, Mowood News Center, Rasad News, Shabake Khabar Daneshjoo (Student Network News), Paygahe Khabari Amaliyat Ravani (Psychological Operations News Center), Paygahe Khabari Nezamabad (Nezamabad News Center), Paygahe Khabari Zalin (Zalin News Center), Dowlat News (Government News), Saye News, Gerdab, Ghalam Press (Pen Press), Ravayat News, Dana News, Khadem News, Kowsar News, Rahe Raja, Mardomyar, Paygahe Khabari Game Sevom (Third Step News Center), Sahar News, Jana News Center etc
Experts believe that despite the repeated calls by media supporters of the coup administration to confront the “psychological soft war and psychological operations of the enemy”, which was followed up with the launching of a slew of news sites and news agencies and the organization of numerous seminars with the same message and statements, it appears that the imminent launching of the commands that Jazaeri has mentioned this week, these operations which bring much economic and security benefits to their operators, will grow further in volume.
Iran’s Head of Broadcasting Reinstated for Five More Years
The Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader has reinstated Ezzatollah Zarghami as head of Iran’s state radio and television broadcasting IRIB for another five years. In his meeting with Zarghami three weeks ago, Ayatollah Khamenei had criticized his performance and last week he again openly criticized the state radio and television broadcasting for their “inadequate” propaganda in support of Ahmadinejad’s administration.
The Supreme Leader’s directive reads: “The current strengths of radio-television, along with its weaknesses must continuously be scrutinized by yourself and other managers of the organization, never weakening in your resolve to improve performance and remove obstacles.” The Supreme Leader’s reinstatement order of Zarghami ends with this sentence: “It is expected for signs of change to be visible during your first year in charge.”
This order is issued one month after Jam-e Jam daily quoted an “informed source” who had claimed in an interview with the conservative Jahan website that Zarghami will be reinstated in his post. Noting “some issues related to recent controversies and their implications,” the source claimed that Zarghami’s reinstatement was certain and announced that it would soon be publicized. A four week delay before public notice led some to speculate about the head of IRIB’s restatement.
Following the delay, Jam-e Jam daily, IRIB’s mouthpiece, published a report on 14 October entitled “The head of IRIB’s Meeting with the Supreme Leader,” quoting the website Alef: “Zarghami’s reinstatement is finalized. Following yesterday’s meeting of seyyed Ezatollah Zarghami with the revolutionary leader, and the leader’s remarks regarding the strengths and weaknesses of IRIB under Zarghami’s management, his reinstatement for another five year term was finalized. Jam-e Jam added, “Zarghami agreed with the Supreme Leader’s evaluation of the IRIB’s performance as precise and noted the implementation of his proposals to be in the best interests of the organization.”
Three days later, on 17 October Jam-e Jam published a front-page editorial under the title, “Zarghami’s account of meeting with Supreme Leader” quoting Zarghami as saying: “This meeting was…warm, intimate and full of father-and-son type love and affection, and afforded an opportunity to reveal the hidden nature of some weaknesses to pave the way for the continuation of our path.”
Despite all the groundwork, Zarghami’s reinstatement was still not published until a further three weeks when Ayatollah Khamenei officially reinstated him. Although the nature of Supreme Leader’s “criticisms” are not yet revealed, some analysts speculate that the Khamnei expects the IRIB to be more in line with the Ahmadinejad administration.
“We Will Control the Internet Even More”
In the post election turmoil Iranian government agencies made every effort to prevent access to information from the worldwide Web. As if this was not enough, security and military officials have now entered the scene and are formally threatening Internet providers.
Ahmadi-Moghadam, Iran’s police chief, told ISNA student news agency at a seminar on drug control yesterday that one of the duties of law enforcement agencies was to strictly control cyber and virtual space.
In his interview the police chief mentioned the battle against what he called the “infected” cyber space and Web: “In addition to a shortage of state laws on this subject, many individuals, including those who wish to portray themselves as intellectuals, are against the control of cyber media and the cyber space while this sphere can be the area for many crimes. Because of this, this sphere the control of cyberspace must be pursued more rigorously and it appears that stronger steps are envisioned for this in the fifth development plan.”
The chief of police did not explain in his interview what the crimes in this sphere are and confined his remarks to threatening Internet operators, while introducing greater access restrictions to them. This is taking place despite the fact that after the election coup, in addition to working professionals at newspapers, some 10 journalists working for domestic virtual media have been arrested and sent to prison.
Information coming from Tehran indicates that security agencies have sent threatening emails and text messages, and asked Internet carriers to refrain from exchanging information that is detrimental to the government. In recent weeks numerous emails have been sent to Internet operators with this message: “Dear operator, you are currently operating illegally and against national interest in cyberspace and should you continue these activities you will be identified as a criminal according to computer criminal laws and will be dealt with accordingly.”
In addition, according to news reports, some Internet operators have been threatened through text messaging and warned that they would be legally confronted. One such text message that has been obtained by Rooz Online goes like this: “Dear citizen, according to information we have received, you are the victim of anti state propaganda of media affiliated with foreigners; should you participate in any illegal gathering or be in contact with foreign media, you will be dealt with in accordance with articles 489, 499, 500, 508, 514, 609, 610, and 698, of Islamic Punishment Law."
Ahmadinejad’s Reprisal Continues
The arrest of foreigner nationals picked up unprecedented momentum in Iran after the electoral coup in Iran, parallel with the arrest of Iranian citizens by security agencies. Now Tehran’s general and revolutionary prosecutor has charged the three American’s detained in Iran near the Iraqi border with espionage.
Abbas Jaafari Dowlatabadi told state run IRNA news agency: “The charges against the three American detainees is espionage. The investigation is of course still continuing and more information will be provided soon.” Following the arrest of three Americans in August 2009, Allaedin Borujerdi, the head of the Majlis national security committee told an Iranian Arab language television station Al-Alam, affiliated to IRIB, that the arrest of these Americans was in response to the arrest of a number of Iranian officials in Iraq by the US. He added “I don’tt believe Americans expect that the case of these three individuals will be resolved soon.”
Prior to the statements by the Majlis representative, Iran’s disputed president Ahmadinejad had also told the BBC when he was in New York, that, “The release of three American climbers may be tied to the release of a number of Iranian citizens that have been arrested by the US in Iraq.” These remarks come when the Iranians that had been detained by US forces in Iraq have been released, therefore it was expected that the Americans would also be released. But on 7 October 2009 Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki announced that Iran had in its possession documents that showed the US to have a hand in the disappearance of an Iranian in Saudi Arabia. Raising such issues has further delayed a decision on the Americans. In this regard, Mottaki said, “These documents show that the US is responsible for the arrest and detention of Shahram Amiri .
Protest against execution of Kurdish political activist
Tens of people in Sanadaj joined a street demonstration to protest the hanging of Ehsan Fattahian, the young Iranian political activist. According to reports the march was suppressed by security forces and the crowd was dispersed.
Ehsan Fatahian was hanged on Wednesday morning and according to Kurdistan Human Rights Watch, his remains were buried in his birthplace of Kermanshah without his family’s knowledge. He was reportedly buried in the “farthest corner” of the cemetery in an unidentified plot.
While Ehsan Fattahian was primarily convicted of “activities against national security” for his collaboration with a Kurdish Party and sentenced to ten years imprisonment in exile, in an appeals court he was also accused of "moharebeh" (armed combat) and thus given a sentence of execution.
In a letter written by Fattahian prior to his execution, he writes that before increasing his sentence from ten years’ imprisonment, security officials had put him under pressure to do a video interview to “confess to deeds which he had not committed” and “renounce his own beliefs.” According to this letter (see The Bridge no.5), Ehsan Fattahian was told that if he refused to do the interview, he would be hanged.
Numerous activists as well as the Fattahian family had called on the judiciary to stop his execution, maintaining that a glance at the file would have changed the fate of their son by revealing the unjust circumstances of his conviction, but the judiciary remained silent on the issue. Amnesty International condemned the execution of Ehsan Fattahian. The human rights group had urged Iranian judiciary to stop the execution of Fattahian and two other individuals in the Kurdistan region of Iran.
Since the start of the post-election protests in June, 150 people have been executed in Iran. Ehsan Fattahian is the first person to be executed in the post-election events for political crimes. 12 other Kurdish political prisoners are currently on death row. Amnesty International reports that 346 people were executed in Iran last year placing Iran in the second place for the highest number of state executions in the world.
Iran Protests Oxford’s Neda Agha-Soltan Bursary
The Iranian Embassy in Britain criticized Oxford University’s establishment of a scholarship in the name of Neda Agha-Soltan, the young woman who was shot to death in the post-election events in Iran.
Neda Agha-Soltan who became a symbol of the Iranian people’s protests against the alleged injustice in the elections and their general demand for reform in their country, was shot on the streets of Tehran during the government’s crackdown on mass demonstrations. The last moments of the young philosophy student that were captured on a cell phone camera and posted on YouTube, were viewed by people all across the world.
Oxford University's Queen’s College announced that “two generous” gifts have allowed it to establish the Neda Agha-Soltan graduate scholarship in the philosophy department. The scholarship is open to all, but Iranians Head of Iran National Broadcasting Targets Opposition Leaders
Ezzatollah Zarghami, Head of Iran's national television and radio broadcasting, Seda va Sima, charged Mir Hossein Moussavi and Mehdi Karroubi, the disputing candidates of the June presidential elections of trying to secure a television spot to incite people to join street protest.
Iran Protests Oxford’s Neda Agha-Soltan Bursary
The Iranian Embassy in Britain criticized Oxford University’s establishment of a scholarship in the name of Neda Agha-Soltan, the young woman who was shot to death in the post-election events in Iran.
Neda Agha-Soltan who became a symbol of the Iranian people’s protests against the alleged injustice in the elections and their general demand for reform in their country, was shot on the streets of Tehran during the government’s crackdown on mass demonstrations. The last moments of the young philosophy student that were captured on a cell phone camera and posted on YouTube, were viewed by people all across the world.
Oxford University's Queen’s College announced that “two generous” gifts have allowed it to establish the Neda Agha-Soltan graduate scholarship in the philosophy department. The scholarship is open to all, but Iranians Head of Iran National Broadcasting Targets Opposition Leaders
Ezzatollah Zarghami, Head of Iran's national television and radio broadcasting, Seda va Sima, charged Mir Hossein Moussavi and Mehdi Karroubi, the disputing candidates of the June presidential elections of trying to secure a television spot to incite people to join street protests against the outcome of the elections. Zarghami maintained that such a message would have been contrary to Seda va Sima's objective which is to "establish a stable social atmosphere and help society out of its instability." Seda va Sima has been functioning as a powerful tool for the Islamic Republic especially in the past five months, by portraying election protesters as "a bunch of rioters". It has made every effort in its programming to paint Moussavi and Karroubi along with their supporters as a group of foreign-backed conspirators. Zarghami claims that the "riots" which Mir Hossein Moussavi “lost control of”, caused the death of some people and if the television network had announced these deaths at the time, it would have caused "instability". The opposition has accused Seda va Sima of biased coverage of the post-election events and repeated slandering of reformists. candidates will be given priority.
AFP reports that a letter from the Iranian Embassy states that Oxford University’s actions are “politically motivated”. “They maintain that giving a scholarship in the name of “a murdered Iranian woman” who was killed in “a complicated pre-planned scenario” is established to attract Iranian students. It seems University of Oxford has involved itself in a criminal file the dimensions of which remain under investigation by the security forces of the Islamic Republic. The involvement of Oxford University in Iran’s internal affairs, especially in the post-election events that British media had a major role in, has tarnished the academic reputation and educational objectives of the University.”
The Iranian establishment has tried to deny responsibility for the death of Neda Agha-Soltan that moved people all across the world. Her death has been called “suspicious” by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and hardliner Ahmad Khatami has claimed that protesters were the perpetrators of her death.
Iran's Haft Tappeh Union Members Imprisoned
International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran reports the imprisonment of four members of the Syndicate of Workers of Haft Tappeh Sugar Cane Company .
Fereydoon Nikofard, Jalil Ahmadi, Gorban Alipour and Mohammad Heidarimehr have been transferred to Dezfool prison to serve their sentence, according to International Campaign for Human Rights reports.
Spokesman for the Campaign, Hadi Ghaemi declared that the arrest of these union members confirms that Iran as a member of the International Labour Organization is in violation of the Organization's rules and does not provide workers with their labour rights.
The Haft Tappeh Workers Union was established in 2008 with 5000 members and became affiliated with the international worker's union, IUF.
In a letter in October, the members of Haft Tappeh Union called on the International Labour Organization to pressure the Islamic Republic into living up to its committments as an ILO member by recognizing their right to form an independent union and stopping the persecution of their members and leaders.
Hadi Ghaemi maintains that prosecution of union members for the mere charge of establishing a union could result in “an increase in dissatisfaction, social unrest and the isolation of Iran from the international community”.
The Islamic Republic has a history of persecuting labour union members. Mansour Osanloo and Ebrahim Madadi of Tehran’s Transit Union and Hashem Khawstar, Rasoul Bedaghi and Jafar Ebrahimi from the Teacher’s Union are amongst people who have been arrested and imprisoned by Iranian authorities for labour activism.
International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran urges Islamic Republic officials to drop the charges against labour union members and release them.
Kahrizak Continues to Take Victims As Prison Physician Commits Suicide
Dr Ramin Pourarzjani, who spent his military service as a physician at Kahrizak prison, committed suicide following events after the Kahrizak scandals were recently revealed.
While accusations of brutal beatings of prisoners by the police force remain unquestioned and Judge Mortazavi is delaying reports of the parliament’s investigation committee by pressurizing MPs, Ramin Pourarzjani, a 26 year old physician, was charged with medical negligence regarding those who died at Kahrizak and threatened with annulment of his medical license and a five year jail sentence.
Following the disclosure of the atrocities that happened at Kahrizak detention center (known as the Iranian Guantanamo Bay), a case was brought up in the judges’ military court against the former Tehran prosecutor general and deputy chief of police–who was directly responsible for the incidents at this detention center—and the judiciary officials vowed to process this case as soon as possible. But similar to most other law suits against the judiciary and police officials in recent years, the accused were not questioned or tried. Instead other charges were presented against newly accused people, believed to have been fabricated to mislead the case. New victims were found and the doctor on duty at Kahrizak was one of them.
Before this, during the events at Tehran University’s dormitories and the events that put the country into crisis for a week, only one police officer was impeached for the theft of a razor blade. All other officials whose alleged involvement was mentioned in the security council’s report, were acquitted.
The same goes in the cases of those accused of serial killings. But Mohammad Khatami’s insistence on “detaching this infected tumor of the [intelligence] ministry” ultimately led to the detention of Saeed Emami; needless to say, that he, too, due to the so-called suicide with cleansing drug, was prevented from thoroughly revealing his accomplices.
Meanwhile, although the suicide of a doctor and serviceman is a suspicious point in the case of the accused in the events at Kahrizak, the suicide of a person who has witnessed firsthand the atrocities inflicted on the detainees and is able to identify the culprits to the public at any moment, is all the more suspect.
A serious question remains: While people like Behzad Nabavi are charged with acting against national security by disrupting traffic in Tehran in participating in demonstrations and are locked in solitary confinement and multiple indictments are read against them in the court, how is it possible that those directly responsible for the martyrdom of Iranian youth to have so much power that not only do they preclude the reading of the fact-finding committee’s report in the parliament, but discharge themselves of any allegations and by influence hinder the publication of reports pertinent to this case?
The public will not forget that the political detainees of recent events were mostly incarcerated one or two days after the election, and up until the election day, all their activities were legal, even according to the then incumbent administration. Then, within two days, a multipage indictment is read for these individuals, and state-run radio and television does not hold back from hailing any charges at them at all. Yet, those responsible for killing our youth are capable of distract from a case to such an extent that in the end, the court claims that there is not enough evidence for convicting the accused.
This is a process that has recurred time and again in our country’s judiciary system, and it seems that there is no determination whatsoever to change this unjust, illegal and illegitimate activity.
Norouz website reports that Pourarzjani was an outstanding student admitted to university with a two digit rank in the national entrance exam. He is the first victim of the closed courts who was interrogated and accused of the incidents that took place in the detention center.
Municipality Workers of Khoramshahr On Strike
Municipality workers in Khoramshahr went on strike in objection to the city’s state of poor health. Ayandeh news site reported that the strike related to the non-collection of garbage in the city of Khorramshahr. Based on Herana news agency reports quoting from Mardomak , the garbage issue and the disastrous health consequences of this crisis have occured in Khorramshahr though Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has declared himself the city’s governor.
During his tour of the provinces Ahmadinejad at a gathering of protestors in Khoramshahr on 24 May declared: “I am among you and have personally decided to be at your service as a governor and therefore will be able to follow up on this matter as soon as possible."
The citizens of Khoramshahr face health problems while propaganda for the prevention of increasing microbes and the development of warnings and health measures for diseases and illnesses in the country have intensified especially with regard to influenza type A(N1H1). Last year on 11 December staff and workers of Khoramshahr went on strike for non payment of salaries overdue by more than four months. This year drivers of the city’s transportation system went on strike on 27 October in protest of four months’ of overdue salaries. Around 350 workers of the ship-building company Bahrakan have also voiced their demands, gathering in front of the governor’s office following the closure of the company’s industrial units, demanding that something be done about their unemployment.
In Khoramshahr people live in a city where they must buy drinking water in barrels, tolerate open sewers and the threat of disease carrying dogs. Ahmadinejad’s visit in May was greeted with a cold welcome from people. They carried "Only Lies" placards, while he announced that a project for transferring clean water from the Karkhe basin to Khoramshahr is making good progress.
More Executions as Government Tool for Silencing Opposition
Under the title "Iran Executes Kurdish Activist Who Was Accused of ‘Armed Struggle’” the New York Times explained how Ehsan Fattahian was executed on Wednesday in Sanandaj prison, quoting his lawyer Nasrollah Nasseri and commenting that the execution appears to be part of government efforts to “extinguish” the opposition’s protest to the results of the presidential election. This article published on 11 November, reported that ethnic groups have also intensified their protests since the beginning of protests and that at least four senior officials – the Friday Imam of the city of Sanandaj, Sanandaj’s representative in the Assembly of Experts, a judge and a member of the city association, had been assassinated.
In a letter before his execution, Ehsan Fattahian wrote that opposition in Kurdistan province would not end with his death, and that his death and thousands others like him, does not solve the Kurdish problem, but intensifies the flames of fire. The New York Times wrote that many Iranians and human rights groups are concerned that the government would put into action more executions to silence the opposition that despite the government's harshness remains active.
Jannati: “The problem has gone beyond the elections and is now the Islamic Regime
Tehran’s Friday [prayers] Imam on Friday thanked people for participating in 4 November (Student Day) demonstrations in greater numbers than ever:: "If the regime and revolution are to remain, the fight with the enemy is always there and flag of this fight with the US should always be flown.”
Ayatollah Jannati said: "We cannot simply stop and show America the green light. America is the enemy of the regime and that’s exactly what she wants. I am amazed that some people do not understand the facts or pretend that they don’t. When US Congress allocates $ 55 million to undermining the Islamic Republic, what does that mean? The Islamic Republic system symbolizes people and a spiritual system and allocating this budget means war with God and people. Some people think they can separate people from the foundations of the Islamic Republic’s position. They are mistaken and those who undertake this should be punished to understand what they are doing.”
Jannati added: “The problem has gone beyond the elections and is now the regime and it does not have the power to get along with its own enemy. Americans, enemies of the regime, the foolish elements and planners of this intrigue, just as you increase the intrigue, the ranks of people will increase and that’s the reason that people participated in Student Day on 4 November in greater numbers than ever. According to the Quran the existence of the enemy brings stability, strength and unity. In history all God's messengers had enemies and their friends were there for them and faced the enemies. This is a spiritual tradition that exists now.”
Funeral Ceremony for Ehsan Fattahian Banned
Human Rights Watch’s reported news from Kurdistan: Ehsan Fattahian’s funeral was cancelled following pressure from security agents of Kermanshah. A day after the execution of political activist Ehsan Fattahian at Sanandaj Central Prison and the secret burial of his body in Kermanshah Cemetery, his family announced that Ehsan's funeral would be on Friday afternoon at Baqiyatallah mosque of the “employee town of Kermanshah” but security forces made his family cancel the ceremony.
News of the cancellation of the ceremony came just one hour before it was due to start, not allowing time for Ehsan’s family to re-locate the ceremony and inform people. Security forces even prevented any notice from being posted at the mosque entrance.
Groups of Kermanshahi citizens who arrived at the mosque to participate in the ceremony faced closed doors and police threats and were forced to leave. But some student and civic activists of Kermanshah as well as the families of Kianoush Asa (Kurdish student who lost his life in post election events) and Farzad Kamangar (Kurdish political prisoner who has been sentenced to death) visited the home of one of the Ehsan's relatives and gave his family flowers and a photo of Ehsan with a Kurdish phrase in the middle of it. Photos of Kianoush and Farzad were carried by their mothers in sympathy with Ehsan's family. The presence of plainclothes agents around the house was evident and they even asked Ehsan's family to remove a card in the bunch of flowers that addressed Ehsan as a "martyr".
Even before the current political crisis began in June 2009, Iran’s economy was confronted with many daunting challenges. Investors were already feeling the pressures of inconsistent economic policies and intensifying international sanctions on their shoulders. The street protests and political unrest that have follwd the disputed election have led to further deterioration in the economic climate. Now the economic players must deal with a new level of political uncertainty unprecedented since the early years of the Islamic revolution.
The election dispute has evolved into a deep division in the highest ranks of the Islamic regime. So far the ruling faction of Ayatollah Khamenei and the Revolutionary Guard has been unable to neutralize the protest movement led by former candidates Mir Hossein Moussavi, and Mehdi Karroubi. These two opposition leaders also enjoy the support of former President Khatami and several high ranking Shi'ite clerics such as Ayatollah Montazeri. At the same time it appears that the protest movement is also unable to defeat the ruling faction or force it into a compromise anytime soon. Nearly five months have past since the initial street demonstrations and yet the total number of people who join the periodic street protests in Tehran does not exceed two or three hundred thousand.
Hence private investors and business owners are gradually arriving at the conclusion that unlike the 1979 Islamic revolution which reached a climax in a relatively short period of time, (period of intense street protests lasted no more than 9 months), the current power struggle can drag on for a significantly longer interval. There is also much uncertainty about how it might end and which faction will win. The worst possible outcome for Iran's economy is the escalation of current protests into large scale political violence or a civil war similar to the Algerian experience in 1990s. Although the likelihood of such a scenario is small, it is a cause for concern among businessmen and investors and can discourage long-term investments.
Post-election protests have also increased the involvement of Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRG), in economic activities and economic policy-making. President Ahmadinejad has appointed a large number of former IRG members to key positions in government ministries and government-owned enterprises. He has also sold a number of strategic privatized firms to the IRG or its affiliated enterprises. The latest example of such transfer was the sale of a government-owned telecommunications firm to a group of IRG-affiliated firms in September. As a result of these steps the government has reinforced its control over the economy and IRG has emerged as a major economic player in Iranian economy. Firms affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards Corp now enjoy an advantage over private firms in government contract awards and access to government resources.
In addition to expanding the economic reach of the IRG, the ruling faction is also trying to increase its ability to distribute economic resources by enhancing its discretionary control over the proposed income support program. During recent parliamentary debates about replacement of current price subsidies with direct income subsidies, President Ahmadinejad has campaigned hard to make sure that the Presidents office will have discretionary control over the additional incomes of public enterprises after the removal of price subsidies on goods and services that they sell to the public. Critics are concerned that the President will use this privilege to distribute the cash and income subsidies in a fashion to enhance his political base and deny benefits to households that might be sympathetic to the post-election protest movement.
The post-election protests have also had an impact on Western nations' approach to the nuclear dispute and might have an indirect effect on the course of economic sanctions against Iran. Initially the prospects for political reform and victory of the Green Movement led to a more flexible attitude toward nuclear negotiations in first few weeks of the protests. However, as it became clear that the protest movement did not have enough strength to bring about substantial political change in the short-run, the United States and European powers tried to speed up the negotiations and intensified the threat of sanctions. Continuation of the protests in the coming months and the Islamic regime's violent reactions can lead to further isolation of Iran and give Western nations an excuse to further intensify the economic sanctions.
Yet at the same time, the domestic rift might weaken the bargaining power of Iranian government and force it to accept a compromise over its nuclear program in order to avoid further hostility from the international community. Hence the net impact of the protest movement on intensity of economic sanctions in the future is not clear. It could either force the Iranian government to compromise, which will help ease the sanctions, or can be used as an excuse by the Western nations to intensify the sanctions if the Iranian government does not compromise. For now the added uncertainty about economic sanctions will be viewed as an additional risk factor for Iranian economy. This risk factor will be of more concern to international investors than domestic ones.
The Student’s movement has become even more extensive than previous years and shows no sign of ebbing. Instead, it quickly spreads to universities that haven’tt been as active or involved in student protests in recent years. This wide spread is due to changes in the student movement’s dynamism compared to previous years. Currently the dynamism and slogans come directly from the anti dictator movement on the streets that has been going on prior to universities re-opening.
In fact, those students involved in mass street protests towards the end of the previous academic year or prior to universities re-opening; are now continuing with their protests as university students and within the walls of campus. The roots of this dynamism and slogans of student and anti dictatorship movements are in a new era. The current student protests are pursuant of people’s freedom-seeking movement against dictatorship and tyranny. They were able to introduce themselves to the world by marching to the streets in millions. This annulled the analysis of those who would not recognize the basis of this movement in protest against the bloody and malevolent regime during the past 30 years.
Student protests from the aspect of universities involved and the sheer number of participants is so vast it cannot fit within the capacity of any student organization to be directed or influenced positively. Entire student organizations (be they leftist, liberal or Islamic) compared to the number of students involved in the movement are few and best suited to a time time when student movements did not consist of a large mass of students. Today, the situation has changed and student movement is in need of organizations that can respond to the issues of mass protest against dictatorship.
With the mass presence of university students at the frontline of the protests the student movement is in need of organization. The huge student mass must be organized at various levels; colleges, universities and throughout cities. They must connect with one another to discuss and decide their demands and ways to continue with the movement. The Iranian Revolutionary guard believes that by creating more and more restrictions against the current student movement, or by arresting, torturing and deporting student activists, they can stop the student movement. This movement and its its activists used to play an effective and central role in organizing student protests in previous years; however, they no longer have the active role of leadership in current protests and despite all the repressions the student movement is moving along with more energy and intensity.
By creating organizations that can coordinate the mass student’s movement; students will be able to plan and organize their social and political demands and ways to continue in their fight. Only in such circumstances can students influence the current situation and by standing next to other social movements and especially the worker and women movements, influence the current anti dictatorship movement. Previously, elite-oriented organizations were able to organize smaller groups of student movements; however, these organizations are no longer able to answer the immediate demands of the current movement.
The current mass movement demands an organization to organize the movement. This is the only route to enabling students to take control of their situation while actively participating in the anti-dictatorship movement and will not only follow the flow but will have the power to plan and determine their effective roles. The government’s reformists, particularly Moussavi want the students and generally all participants in public freedom seekers, unaligned. Moussavi and reformists goals are the people’s unorganized participation in the movement within friends and family relations only. This shapeless movement obviously doesn’t have the power to determine the future of the student movement. And structure-wise it follows their goal of an “Islamic Republic” nothing more! Reformists don’t even deny that whenever they reach a point of agreement point with the Supreme Leader and Revolutionary Guard, they have achieved their goal. Their declared purpose is to use the Islamic regime’s constitutions that according to reformists, in substance relate to people’s rights are currently not being followed and the modifying cycle of power among the regime’s factions are not being considered by the executive and legislative branches of the government. Reformists and Moussavi are expecting the current anti-dictatorship movement to pressure the coup d’état into increasing the right wing’s criticism of Ahmadinejad and his supporters to create a stream of mixed of characters from both reformists and conservatives to compromise. Until the day when they achieve their goal, for self preservation and the security of their families, Moussavi and other reformists are in need of the anti dictatorship movement.
Therefore, Moussavi and other reformist officials in fearing for their future are not directly criticizing other groups and parties who are following different goals and are clearly asking for the removal of the dictator regime in their slogans. Instead, they are insisting on their demand for an “Islamic Republic” nothing more. With the serious rise of compromising reformist politics and their direct criticism of the so called “extreme indulgence” of the anti dictatorship movement, it is becoming more obvious that they are preparing for reconciliation with the Supreme Leader and Revolutionary Guard. The compromise between the reformists and Moussavi with the dictators depends on lots of factors including the power of the anti dictatorship movement.
Reformists and Moussavi don’t want consistent social and student movements and instead ask for a movement confined to family and friends such that no groups would be out there to resist in case of compromise with Khamenei and Revolutionary Guard. The unorganized mass of people who are fighting to overthrow the dictators, Islamic regime and the Supreme Leader hold no value for them and will be disillusioned if the reformists, Khamenei and others reach a agreement; simply because these unorganized groups don’t have the tools to continue with the anti dictatorship movement. An organized social and especially student movement in such critical times and when the compromise between the two parties is not yet strong, can play an important role. And if the two parties reach an agreement, these movements will be organized enough to lead the anti dictatorship movement to the final step to overthrow the Islamic regime. To achieve its objectives, every movement requires suitable organization. The type of organization that Moussavi calls social networks and includes family and friend relations only fulfills his goal to compromise and reconcile with Khamenei and the Revolutionary Guard. The type of movement reformists and Moussavi are aiming for has to be strong enough to bring about Khamenei and the Revolutionary Guard’s retreat, but not organized to stand against this reconciliation and continue the anti dictatorship movement. However, considering the liberal interest of people, organized movements are the only way to guarantee victory.
Lefties and the Student Movement
With the rise of the anti dictatorship movement and student activities, leftist students are put in a different situation. In less than two months since the start of the academic year, students protests are more extensive (the number of students and university participation) than the past few years. The movement’s quality has also advanced; Death to the Dictator slogans have targeted Khamenei who is the main pillar of the Islamic regime and is almost the same as the death to Shah during the 1979 revolution in Iran. Unlike the previous era, it is essential for the leftie student movement to adjust its objectives and methods according to the demands of the anti dictatorship movement. Growth and rapid expansion of leftie students is a response to the issues of the current movement. The entire student movement must be aware that the leftie student movement also wants to fulfill the goal of Death to the Dictator that they have chanted as one of its slogans and goals.
The student movement is now part of the broader people’s movement against the dictatorship that has been clearly addressed through their slogans and campaigns. This student movement must become aware of the leftist student movement’s slogans and methods to achieve the common goals of all students and be able to compare their objectives and methods with other student movements for the same reason. The leftist student movement too must compare its methods with the methods of other movements to end dictatorship and be able to explain and analyze various political platforms related to each movement. What can the source and focus of a student movement be if it is to prove the disability of Moussavi and reformists in fulfilling the goal of overthrowing the dictatorship. By explaining political reasons it can be proven that Moussavi and reformists are able to overthrow dictators - one of one the main goals of the student movement - and be the path to adopting socialism in the student movement.
A delay in the reconciliation of reformists and Moussavi with dictators will result in awareness and radicalism of the student movement. To achieve its goal of overthrowing the dictator, the student movement must be organized in millions to first fight with more power; second, not be harmed if such reconciliation with the dictatorship takes place and third, to be able to continue with its movement along with other social movements. The Leftist student movement is capable of playing the most important role in creating true mass student organization and overcome the inability of reformists and Moussavi to stand with the student movement until the dictator is overthrown. This can be the strategic plan of the leftist student movement in participating in the anti dictatorship movement.
Finally, ending the dictatorship and fulfilling the slogan of Death to Khamenei, is one of the student movement’s goals that has been expressed openly. Death to Khamenei has the same political function of Death to the Shah in the 1979 revolution that ended the monarchy regime. The student movement must be aware that Moussavi and the reformists will not remain by their side in achieving their goals. The minute Moussavi and the reformists achieve their own goals of compromise and reconciliation with the dictator, they will attempt to tame and impoverish the movement in favour of the dictator regime.
The student movement must prepare for the day when reformists and Moussavi leave the anti dictatorship movement, so they’re unaffected negatively by it. They must therefore be alert to the reformists and Moussavi’s inability to stand with the movement to overthrow dictator. They must be organized via organizations to become powerful enough to stand against any reconciliation lead other social movements until the Islamic regime is overthrown. The Leftist student movement can play an important role in achieving this goal by placing this goal as its top objective now.
9 November this year marked the 20th anniversary and celebration of a democratic free market atop the destroyed walls of Berlin. 20 years of people living in two east and west sides and the middle is destroyed. Up to this day, we still see effects of this collapse in our everyday lives. An increase in racism and theocracy are two major aspects of the effect of this collapse. We will discuss other aspects of this collapse elsewhere another time. During the celebration of the “winner” party, I see it necessary to point out few facts.
Heads of USA, UK, France, Germany, Russia etc gave their speeches at the 20th anniversary of the collapse of the Berlin wall – a “symbol of oppression” and “the communists, who built the wall to keep the eastern citizen from freedom”. It has been at least 20 years of them feeding us with such lies. It has been 20 years of displaying history inverted before the open and surprised eyes of its witnesses. For the few who don’t know the purpose of the Berlin wall, I will add that after Hitler’s army was overthrown, Berlin the capital of Germany was placed in the middle of eastern Germany and other parts of Germany were divided into four parts between the forces of the US, UK, France and Soviet Union, to prevent the possible rise of Nazism.
East and West not getting along; the US, UK, and France against the united East and therefore three US, UK, and French parts of Germany became West Germany standing against East Germany. They spied and threatened one other, started a physiological war against one another, and the Berlin wall was the result of this same game.
Now that the Berlin wall is gone, the world operates as one with America as its leader. Those who led the revolution against are now wearing Democratic Party, liberal, conservative and social democrat clothing and by democratic and parliamentary elections are ruling over the same revolutionists. They make contracts and are members of European Union, NATO and the common market. They even feed the rulers with democracy!
Human beings are entitled to both, new world order and the orderly world after the collapse of the east block. It is a bloody order which is stained with communities’ hunger and poverty. Millions of people are unemployed overnight. The stock market celebrates the unemployment and hunger of humans and they become hundreds of pounds wealthier overnight. In countries such as Canada, Switzerland, Sweden and the Netherlands where absolute poverty was abolished, poverty has now returned worse than ever.
The year after the eastern block’s fall, unemployment which was about to be abolished in the country of Poland reached above 20 percent. However, the democratic people would eat and the democratic leaders were happy with this victory. Some simple-minded people, astonished by Hollywood movies were disappointed since no dollar bills were grown from the democratic tree. Many years back I had heard the story of Victor Andreevich Kravchenko, recently coming across it again in the New York Times. An interesting story for this column’s readers...Kravchenko was one of the high officials of the Soviet Union who gained asylum in the United States during a mission in 1944. He wrote a controversial book about the situation in the Soviet Union and the force labour camps with the title “I choose freedom” which gave him a name and also caused attack by the opposition. After a few years of living in this “free world” a disillusioned Kravchenko wrote another book, this time criticizing capitalism and the false propaganda around it with the title of “I choose justice”.
In 1966, while depressed by both these worlds, he committed suicide. You will easily find his first book at any local library, but it isn’t so easy to find his second book. Human beings entitlement to freedom in Kravchenko’s view is both freedom of speech and social justice. Social justice in eastern and freedom of speech in western democracy are nothing but lies. The 20 year celebration of the Berlin wall’s collapse would make a fair human to think whether this is worthy of human beings? Is this what a human is entitled to from this world and life?
Bahman Moaarefi known as Shirko, Kurd activist was recognized as Mohareb (god’s enemy) by the Iranian judicial system! Shirko Moaarefi 30 year old from Banneh (in Kurdistan province) has been charged with propaganda against the regime and fight against the god and is sentenced to death . He was arrested on November 1st, 2007 and has been in detention at Saghez’s intelligence office. Currently he is prohibited from having visitors in detention.
In preparation for his execution, Shirko Moaarefi was transferred to solitary confinement at Saghez central prison. He is one of the Kurd civil activist who was arrested in Saghez last year and after being interrogated and severely tortured was sentenced to death.
Khalil Bahramian, Shirko Moaarefi’s lawyer in an interview with campaign of civil and political prisoners rights by confirming the news of Shirko’s transfer to solitary confinement to execute his death sentence announced: “this verdict is contrary to all legal standard laws and he will not stop until the day he save’s Shirko”.
Bahramian has also asked all the media and human rights activists to not remain indifference during these critical days and by informing and illuminating public take action against this injustice verdict.
This attorney has published his personal phone number to work and keep the media informed.
Dr. Khalil Bahramian, Justice Lawyer 00989121463518
List of Kurdish Political Prisoners Awaiting Exectuion
2) SEND APPEALS as SOON as POSSIBLE, TIME IS RUNNING OUT! LETTER /APPEAL:
Your Excellency, I’m concerned about the fate of Shirko Moarefi a 30 year old member of Iran’s Kurdish minority sentenced to death. In preparation for his pending execution, he's been taken to the quarantine of the Saghez prison, where he has been prison since last November and he has suffered various ill-treatments and abuse. He's also said to be in a bad general condition, suffering from physical and psychological trauma. Shirko Moarefi has been sentenced to death for what is described as “crimes against the security of the state” and “enmity against God” . I’m concerned that these scheduled executions could be a reprisal for a spate of assassinations and attempted assassinations of officials which took place during September 2009, in the northwestern province of Kordestan. With these crimes Shirko Moarefi have nothing to do. That’s why I respectfully ask you to immediately stop his execution and to commute his death sentence. I also ask you to consider the opportunity to impose an immediate and comprehensive moratorium on all executions, as a first step towards ending the use of this punishment: the international image of the Islamic Republic of Iran could remarkably take advantage of this choice. Sincerely,
COPY/ PAST and SEND TO:
a) Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Sadeqh Larijani, Office of the Head of the Judiciary, Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave. south of Serah-e Jomhouri, Tehran 1316814737, Islamic Republic of Iran Email: Via WEB SITE, http://www.dadiran.ir/tabid/75/Default.aspx
1st starred box: your given name; 2sd starred box: your family name; 3rd starred box: your email address
b) Governor of Kordestan Province Esmail Najjar
Email: In Persian and Kurdish, send via feedback form on the website: http://www.ostan-kd.ir/Default.aspx?tabId=150&cv=4@0_1
In English, French or other languages, use the feedback form on the website: http://en.ostan-kd.ir/Default.aspx?TabID=59
Mr Zarqami, Head of Media and Broadcasting in Iran, with your permission citizens have also made their reports; of their massive protests, of the violence of the security forces and baton wielding Basij militia at the hands of the government. Of course they don’t have the facilities of your vast organization and they‘re not allowed to film. And yet you filmed the people who were brought in front of the “den of espionage” (the Islamic Republic’s description of the American Embassy) with astonishing organization, from every possible angle. Our people can’t show the faces of the 16 and 17 year old kufiya wearing Basiji children who don’t even know their left from their right, and say that they took to the streets “by order of their leader” on the day of struggle against global arrogance, later broadcasting the “America America…”(anti U.S. ) anthem.
But, with the permission of your anti-people media, the people have also reported from the streets of Iran, reporting that on the official day of struggle against global arrogance, the arrogant inside our own country were beating our sisters and mothers at the approaches to Hafte Tir Square. The people also reported that the batons of “your leader’s” soldiers inflicted a great deal of pain. If you don’t believe this ask the boy whose head was smashed, he knows that pain well. The people reported tear gas, they reported how enthusiastically they greeted Karoubi, and people reported how the leader’s anonymous, violence seeking soldiers who are sympathizers of Ahmadinejad’s government have put Moussavi under house arrest.
With Mr Zarqami’s permission, the people have also reported, that child Basij were planted in front of the American Embassy and other loutish Basij at the entrances to Hafte Tir Square so that they may attack people with unprecedented violence. With the permission of Mr Zarqami and other lying media of the Islamic Reublic’s government including IRNA and Fars who placed the Basiji among the people to pummel and beat them, the people have also made their reports, a fragment of which we present for your observation.
Today in most cities showed scenes of discord with the government of “Seyed Ali Khamenei” and there are reports that students of Esfahan University had a very bountiful gathering, all the time singing the revolutionary anthem “Yare Dabestani”. We draw your attention to it now
According to reports from the city of Rasht, the people marched against your conditioning government and raised your attention to this with the “Yare Dabestani” anthem
1000s of people in Tehran with conclusive judgement of him as a murderer, declared the authority of your conditioning leader - whom you recognize in your media broadcasts as the “substance of the muslim world” – void. The protestors in these images available to the public in Iran and the world, they chanted: “Khamenei is a murderer, his jurisdiction is void!”. Rather than the American flag, it was his image that was torn down and trampled on. The images are broadcast here for you. Experts have attributed this behaviour to the continuation of the dictatorship and the excessive practice of murder by government forces.
According to the people’s reports and images posted of each person who made up millions, members of the Ahmadinejad’s government and its supporters, the level of violence by the baton wielding Basij was unprecedented. The level of violence was such that many women were left with fractured heads and many women fell unconscious after the blows they suffered in punishment. The level of violence of the arrogant within Iran on the official day of struggle against arrogance is clearly evident in these images that have reached the public of the people and the world.
The posted images that have not been broadcast in the anti-people media and never will be unless we show them, speaks of the people’s desire for the formation of a “people’s government”. Thousands who are clearly visible in these images, were shouting “Independence, Freedom, a People’s Government!”
Tehran University, on the day designated to the “struggle against global arrogance” was the scene of protest against domestic arrogance and the students greeted this day with slogans of “Death to the Dictator” and “Death to the Supreme Leader’s Jurisdiction”.
Special forces who swarmed the streets to create violence and beat people were in the end not able to stop the sea of people, and in the end people were able to embitter the taste of the coup government and stand in hope of future days. The presence of the guards generating violence is evident in these images.
Although US controversy was one of the aims of the Islamic Republic and the leadership, pronounced day and night even at football matches where stadium billboards are covered with “America, depraved substance of the century”, people pay more attention to the government and people of America than to your propaganda. People in this clip are expressing this in the simplest way with “Obama, Obama, It’s them or us!”
In contrast to people’s view that the government wants to introduce America as the enemy of the Iranian people gathering a load of people outside the American Embassy, equipping them with flags and spending a sizeable sum on their anti-people ceremony, people all over Iran went for simple hand clapping and sloganslike “The Russian Embassy is a den of espionage”. Word on the street suggests that the government and leadership are extremely angered on hearing such slogans. One government member in a historic speech, forgetting that Ayatollah Khomeini has been dead for years, quoted on his behalf, saying “With the intention of misleading people, they’re chanting Death to Russia”.
Protest against domestic arrogance took place in different points of the country. With this direction, the people of Shiraz did not deny domestic arrogance, shouting “Death to the Dictator!”
The people of Esfahan in unison with the country’s other cities sang “Yare Dabestani” against the coup d’etat government.
The people of Kerman too want Ahmadinejad’s coup d’etat government to step aside, and called “Ya Hossein, Mir Hossein” lobbing kicks at the abusive government.
It’s exactly five months that the Islamic Republic has resorted to “open violence” showing this in the worst possible way, by even killing its protestors and opponents. As to which forces and which people, and how, they have been reared and trained such that what we have seen on 13 Aban (4 November) and witnessed before that is an example that must be pursued and a proper reaction shown to it.
On 13 Aban, savage forces of the coup d’etat government proceeded to the extreme of fracturing heads and rendering others unconscious and the women who stood at the front of the queue to try and save people were treated in the most ruthless and cold-hearted way. That which has been published in photographs and footage and that which has been conveyed by objective witnesses describes a violence that one must question the angry and confused state of the government. Although the coup d’etat government has assigned another game to the people and sees it as an occasion for propaganda against the waves of protest of thousands of lost citizens and the media and governments and people of the world have been witness to an absolute objection to the government, the anger and promotion of violence is astonishing after two days of talks and statements. Such that anyone would think that the coup d’etat forces remain only for the massacre of the people. But how can this “open violence” be stopped? The Islamic Republic according to the country’s current constitution and with attention to international covenants that it has signed and must commit to, does not have the right to subject the citizens of Iran to such savage beatings and injury.
Firing tear gas such that the heads of Karoubi’s caretakers are injured, firing plastic bullets such that several people ended up in hospital, bleeding on Qods Day, beating people’s heads and faces with batons such that people are fractured and rendered unconscious, are indications of extreme violence that Ayatollah Khamenei and Ahmadinejad and the heads of the three branches must be accountable for. In Iran today because of corruption in the daily workings of the judiciary imposed by institutions affliated to the government and the leadership, the citizens of Iran are not permitted to question their rights in respect to this open violence. The representatives of the Islamic Council do everything in parliament except defend the rights of the people they claim to represent. Public and independent institutions with supervisory roles that have the power to perform are non-existent. In such circumstances there is little that can be done against this dirty violence and forcing the government to put an end to it. The soldiers reared by the government have the power to carry out any act with iron immunity and newspapers like Keyhan promote this.
The only solution against this violence is pressure on the Islamic Republic in every possible way (to the extent of this open violence) on behalf of foreign governments, international institutions, the United Nations and international groups defending human rights.. This mission that must be undertaken very quickly and forces outside the country must put all their efforts into it. Supporting the people of Iran isn’t simultaneous gatherings outside embassies. They must do all they can, using every possible resource to put the maximum pressure on the Islamic Republic to stop this inhuman behaviour.
The bodies of our mothers should not be subjected to batons that descend and strike to silence the rights of the people. Our mothers and sisters suffered the most brutal treatment from the government trained security forces on 13 Aban and the days preceding it. We must show severe disgust towards this savage treatment and security forces outside Iran must view this problem as their fundamental responsibility. This behaviour by the government can only be compared to barbarism. Dealing with such a government in this age is the responsibility of each and every noble and democratic human being whose heart beats for humanity
1. Art An important distinction between good and bad art is that bad art 'tells', while good art 'shows'. A bad poem says, "I am in love", but a good poem recreates the feeling of being in love through the use of poetic metaphors. It doesn't say, "I'm in love"; it writes: "Woe, blade, do not scar my cheek through neglect, Oh, hand, do not disturb the serenity of my hair, And do not shame me, Oh, heart! the drunken you, without having drunk a drop; The moment of meeting is close." Kafka, in his novel Metamorphosis, does not state that humans lose their humanity in a capitalist system. Good art does not 'tell'; instead, with the help of literary metaphors and artistic creativity it creates an atmosphere, in which it shows this metamorphosis of humans. When Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning, he realizes that he has been transformed into a [giant] beetle. Kafka does not speak of the alienation of the human relations in the twentieth century cities. He shows Gregor's relations with his family. When you finish reading the book, you are shaken. Its impact sticks in the deepest corners of your soul, and you carry that effect with you forever.
The art that tells assumes for itself a passive audience. Good art, however, activates the intellectual and sensual powers of the addressee. Art that tells is a finished product, ready to be digested by the consumer. Art that shows involves the audience in the outcome of the construction of the meaning. The addressee is not a mere observer, but a participant.
2. Social Research The unearthing/understanding of social realities is possible with the help of research. An important phase of research is the operationalizing stage. We cannot reach reliable conclusions with a mere idea. A social researcher who is investigating the role of the educational system in the [formation of] definitions and structures of gender roles, in order to test a hypothesis and in order to get closer to the social actuality, must operationalize her/his research. Hundreds of pages of presenting ideas and conceptualizations do not complete the task of research. For example, the researcher studies through the textbooks used in the elementary school years, and through a close investigation of the illustrations/photos, shows that women are usually portrayed doing house work and other family-oriented activities, etc., while men are seen engaged in social activities, free actors, independent and dominant. Or else, you want to investigate the living conditions of workers. You must operationalize this research. One researcher may prepare a survey and, with the aim of scientific sample-taking from the intended community, go to the workers and collect the needed information, and analyze and explain it. Another researcher may go to a working class neighborhood and live there for several months and note his/her observations, and then based on those, attempt to analyze and explain the findings. In order to proximate the social truth, we must repeatedly travel back and forth between the level of the abstract and understanding and the level of concrete reality and facts. Producing ideas alone does not lead us to social truth.
3. Revolutionary Politics
Revolutionary politics is poetic and committed to the truth. Bad politics says, "People, you must revolt!" Revolutionary politics shows people that, to live free and equal, a social revolution is needed. Bad politics says, "People, Moussavi and the reformists cannot lead you in the direction of a democratic society." Revolutionary politics, however, shows how and why the interests of one faction of the power elite -- though possibly different from the interests of the current dominant faction -- are not equal to the interests of the people. Revolutionary politics shows that reformists' politics and strategies are alien to social and political freedoms, and that their aim is not social justice. Revolutionary politics 'shows'. Bad politics says: People, separate your ranks from those defending the ancient regime, from the representatives of the great world powers and those who contribute to your oppression and exploitation. Revolutionary politics shows that people, in order to attain freedom and to build a people's governance, must form their own massive front independent of this or that ruling faction, or independent of the interests or likings of this or that imperialist country. Bad politics says Islamic Republic is capitalist, so it must die. Revolutionary politics shows people that the economic policies of the rulers are designed to protect the interests of the wealth hoarders and the powerful, and shows too that a free society is a society in which the ownership of the means of production and sources of wealth are not in the hands of a few, but one where collective ownership over the sources of wealth has been established. In bad politics, bad politicians speak badly, and the people are the audience. Bad politicians carry out the political acts, they are the actors/initiators, and the people are the observers. It is possible that the people hear what they say, and even believe in them, but this belief can only help in bringing the particular politician to power, and cannot help in the popular sharing of power [by the people]. In revolutionary politics, people are not an audience. People are actors. Their decisions, their thinking and their actions are the parts that complete the revolutionary politics. They themselves, from what revolutionary politics has revealed before their eyes, gain awareness and become involved in determining solutions, tactics, and what-is-to-be-done's. The social revolution for which the revolutionary politics seeks a path is not one of replacing ancient rulers with modern ones. It is, rather, a new system of rule based on the collective power of the people, and the people matured in the fires of social struggle are the citizens and the creators of it. Bad politics remains on the level of ideas and hypothesizing. 'Long live freedom!' 'Long live social welfare!' 'Long live people's power!'
Revolutionary politics, however, operationalizes these ideas. [It shows] what practical steps are necessary in order to reach freedom, social welfare and justice. Bad politics says Islamic Republic must go. Revolutionary politics seeks those practical forms and methods, which can be put to use, and which are capable of overthrowing the Islamic Republic in reality and establishing a people's governance. Bad politics says that the available media are not free and reflect the interests of the ruling elites. Revolutionary politics proposes practical plans, in which free media can take form and the people's real voice cannot be censored. Bad politics raises merely the pictures, images and symbols of people's struggles, and rallies the people around them. Revolutionary politics, although not neglectful of symbols and signs, focuses its concentration on operationalizing the ideas from which those signs and symbols receive their justification. Iranian society is experiencing immense developments. The society has passed an era and is experiencing a new birth. The tunes sung these days in the world of politics have no proportionality with the immensity of this era. Both the reformists' politics and that of the available political parties and organizations, like a bad poem or a weak tract, will not remain in the memory of time. The society is in need of a new revolutionary politics and is working to develop it.
Ms. Attari, before we begin, please tell us a little bit about yourself and your experience with work, study, and life
In the Name of God, my name is Sharareh Attari. I am 33 years old, and I still live with my parents, honoring the same traditional and religious ideals from my youth. Though I had dreams of becoming an astronomer, when I was 17 years old, I unexpectedly discovered film. From age 19 to 21, I studied film directing at Jahad University, after which I went to Professor Samandarian’s azad (free) workshopfor acting. After studying theater, I worked an additional two to three years in that field. It was then that I became a senior assistant director and worked in planning, management, and production of film and television. In 2003, I made a fictional documentary-style film on Ashura (the religious ceremony commemorating the death of Imam Hossein).
When and how did you come upon your idea for the film It Sometimes Happens?How did you find and select the actors for your film?
In 2004, I was invited to the house of someone I did not know to see a musician friend. The owner of the house, Amir, was not there, but my friend was, along with a few other people, one of whom was a man by the name of Mehrdad but who everyone called “Shide.” Although his clothes and appearance were male, Mehrdad’s behavior was female. His hair was perfect, his makeup precise and thick, and his eyebrows plucked. Years ago I had seen people similar to him and had run into quite a few around Shahr Theater, but I had always avoided contact with them. Seeing them had made me sick with visions of sexual deviance. Mehrdad was friendly and kind, but I was not. I was angry that I was there, I felt it beneath me, and I was unwilling to even look at Mehrdad. But it was not God’s will that the situation remain tense. Mehrdad put all of his effort into winning me over. With behavior unique to a woman, he drew me in and began to confide in me. Then came the tears…and after the tears, “Shide” was the only way I could see her. She told me so much about her life, and after some time, I realized I had taken her hands into mine, saying, “I understand, I understand.”That was the seed for this film. That was how it all started.
I learned that Amir, the owner of the house, was scheduled to have a sex-change operation a few days later. That is when I made my decision. I thought that maybe I could make a film that could transform society’s views and prejudices into a fair and reasonable perspective. Just as I was embarrassed at my initial behavior, I wanted others to notice their own prejudices. There was not much time before “Rima’s” (Amir’s feminine name) operation. I said to myself, “Here goes nothing,” and began. Amir was the focal point of the film: Amir’s life, before the operation, the actual operation, and her life after. Mehrdad (“Shide”), Ali (“Hilda”), and Shahin (“Sharmine”) were three other transsexuals who appeared in the film, along with Amir’s mother and sister, a sex-change specialist, and an Islamic cleric.
How would you describe the film?
Because of financial difficulties, it took three years to complete the film and still it was not perfect. However, the result, with all of its shortcomings, was very rewarding. Because it took so long to make and because Amir set out to live his life, the film took on a fictional quality. But, in fact, it is 100 percent documentary. As far as I know, when I started, no one had discussed this subject in Iran. At the time it was considered crazy. Everyone told me that the film would just collect dust in my house. But I thought that even among people who come to my house as guests, the film could be influential and worthwhile. This project would not be in vain. By the time I finished, three years later, several films with similar themes had been made. When it was ready, I took the film to the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. Without a single “powerful connection” or bureaucratic difficulty, I was given permission to show my work, but only in domestic and international festivals. Interestingly enough, even though I was given this permission, most domestic festivals declined to screen the film because of the sensitive nature of the subject. It Sometimes Happens was only accepted by a large annual celebration of Iranian Cinema where it was nominated for an award for best documentary and for best documentary director.
How many times were you able to show this film? What attitudes, debates, and controversy surrounded it?
Until now, the film has been shown four times. We have had two scheduled private screenings of the film and, in both cases, we held an additional screening. There was some commotion in the first screening on June 27, 2006 in Khane-ye Honarmandan (House of Artists.) One or two viewers, who found the film inappropriate, protested and questioned the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance’s authorization of such a film. As it turned out, there was no need for me to answer or defend myself, because the rest of the audience answered on my behalf.
The film was shown a second time just a few days ago in Khane-ye Sinema (House of Cinema) in a theater that was so packed that there was no standing room. There were just as many viewers outside as those admitted into the theater. The only thing we could do to accommodate them was to schedule an additional screening.
The audience’s attitude was very rewarding, as the majority claimed that their views on the subject had changed. I was grateful because that was precisely what I had hoped for. Many of those who attended were theater and movie actors and actresses, musicians, and writers. The second showing also brought in many people from various embassies as well as United Nations staff in Iran.
In a question and answer session, one woman remarked that a few days prior she had seen a film by a famous female filmmaker that had a minor transsexual character and that it had made her laugh in the theater. She went on to say, “I repent right here in the presence of God that I made fun of those people and laughed at them that day.” One famous actor noted that, “I have always seen those people, and even once or twice I played the role of one, but never understood them.” One Danish gentleman said that in spite of living in a free country where these issues are not taboo, It Sometimes Happens had changed his view. When he returns to his country, he will address this subject with others. I am so happy that the film was able to encourage viewers to gain more insight and develop a fairer attitude in regard to this subject.
(November 8th): Prisoners Denied Medical Care by Evin Officials
Mahsa Naderi, Davvod Soleimani and Fariba Pajooh are denied medical care
Prison visits were canceled for Hossein Nourani-Nejad, Esmail Sahabeh and Saeed Nour-Mohammadi. Behzad Navai appeared before the court. Farhad Pouladi, Habib Hajian, Hadi Haydari, Mohammad-Javad Mozafari, Mohammad-Amin Shirzad, Ebrahim Shirkavand and Maysam Vareh-Chehr were released. Ehsan Fattahian has gone on hunger strike.
Behzad Nabavi in Court
Second court hearing for Behzad Nabavi, a senior member of the Mojahedin of Islamic Revolution organization, was held behind closed doors today. Nabavi had asked in writing and verbally to have an open trial to answer to charges brought up against him during the show trials. The court rejected his requests and he had to defend himself during a closed hearing. The court has recessed until Tuesday. Nabavi was taken back to the hospital after the hearing. He was arrested in June, 2009 following the presidential election.
Fariba Pajooh in Critical Mental and Physical State
Fariba Pajooh’s family was able to meet her today despite the opposition of Evin officials, and after they showed an authorization letter from the tribunal. The family had to wait for a long time before the visit and was able to meet her through the glass divider the visitation cabin. Fariba Pajooh has been detained for 80 days and is reportedly in critical mental and physical state. During her detention, she has been systematically mistreated and verbally abused by prison guards. Evin prison guards refuse to give Pajooh her medication and prison officials are ignoring her repeated complaints. Fariba Pajooh was arrested on August 22nd, 2009 and has yet to be charged.
Saeed Nour-Mohammadi and Esmail Sahabeh Held Incommunicado
Saeed Nour-Mohammadi and Esmail Sahabeh, both arrested at Komail Prayer service, are still held in solitary confinement in Evin prison. They have not contacted their families since the arrest and are being held incommunicado. This morning Sahabeh’s father went to the prison hoping to see him but was denied visit by prison officials. Sahabeh’s father had an official authorization to visit his son but the interrogator opposed the visit. Saeed Mohammadi was previously arrested after the election but was released after 62 days. Both men are held in Evin prison since October 21st when they were arrested. Yesterday 10 other Komail prayer detainees were transferred to a public ward in Evin.
Mahsa Naderi in Critical Condition
The imprisoned student, Mahsa Naderi is being denied medical care despite suffering from a range of health conditions. Nadrei was arrested on Fabruary 20th, 2009 and sentenced to one year in prison. The judge has refused to grant her a sick leave. Naderi suffers from severe migraines, kidney problems and gallbladder infection. Her migraines have worsened over the past few days. Judge Moghiseh has reportedly told the Naderi’s parents to go and ask the MKO to free their daughter. Mahsa Naderi is a 19 years student in economics. She is currently serving her sentence in women’s ward of Evin prison.
Parastoo Sarmadi was Denied Visit with her Detained Husband
Parastoo Sarmadi was not able to visit her husband, Hossein Nourani-Nejad in prison today. The family who had gone to Evin this morning was told by prison officials that Nourani-Nejad’s name was not on Evin prisoners’ list. The family then contacted the Prosecutor’s office and was able to get a visitation permit. After waiting a few hours, prison officials told the family they would only allow the visit if Parastoo Sarmadi left the visitation room. Evin officials claimed that Sarmadi was making too much hubbub over her husband’s detention and should remain silent till his release. Hossein Nourani-Nejad has been detained since his arrest 60 days ago.
Hojat Sharifi Contacts his family
Hojat Sharifi contacted his family two days after being arrested. Sharifi who is a member of Adavar Tahkim Vahdat told his family he was unaware of his detention place. Sharifi was arrested with his wife, Nafiseh Zareh-Kohan. There is no news on the fate or whereabouts of Zareh-Kohan who is a journalist and a member of the Iranian Alumni Organization. Ahmad Zaid-Abadi, Abdollah Momeni, Mohammad Sadeghi, Hassan asadi, Koohzad Esmaili and Mousa Saket are the other detained members of the Advar Tahkim Vahdat.
Davood Soleimani in Need of Medical Care
In a phone call from Evin prison, Davood Soleimani informed his family that he suffers from severe flu. He told the family that despite his critical condition, prison officials are refusing to take him to prison’s medical facility where he can see a doctor. Dr. Davood Soleimani is a former MP for Tehran and a member of the Participation Front. During his time in the parliament he was a member of the Majlis Culture Committee. Soleimani was also the deputy director of students’ affair at Tehran University. He was arrested on June 16th, 2009 and up until last week was held in solitary confinement. Soleimani is currently detained in a public ward in Evin prison.
Ehsan Fattahian on Hunger Strike
The Kurdish political prisoner, Ehsan Fattahian has gone on hunger strike to protest his death sentence. He is currently detained in Ward 2 of Sanandaj Central prison. Fellow political prisoners have announced that they would go on hunger strike if Fattahian’s execution takes place.
7 Detainees of 13 Aban Released
Hassan Hajian, member of the participation Front was released today on his own recognizance. He was arrested during 13 Aban protests in Tehran. The AFP correspondent, Farhad Pouladi was released from prison today. Pouladi was arrested while covering 13 Aban protests. 5 detainees of Komail Prayer service were released from prison this afternoon. Hadi Haydari (cartoonist), Mohammad-Javad Mozafari, Mohammad-Amin Shirzad, Ebrahim Shirkavand and Maysam Vareh-Chehr were all arrested on October 22nd, 2009 during a Komail prayer service.
Iran’s judiciary should immediately investigate cases of sexual assaults in prison and prosecute those responsible, instead of covering up these crimes, Human Rights Watch said today.
Human Rights Watch has documented three cases of sexual assault in Iranian prisons on persons arrested since the disputed June 12, 2009 presidential election. In the most recent case, the medical examiner’s office confirmed that multiple injuries suffered in prison by Ebrahim Mehtari, a young activist, resulted from torture and mistreatment consistent with his allegations of sexual abuse. But Judiciary authorities refused to conduct further investigations and instead told Mehtari and his family that there would be severe consequences if they talked about the abuse he suffered.
“It’s shameful for Iran’s government to close its eyes to official evidence of severe sexual abuse of detainees by prison authorities,” said Sarah Leah Whitson.
Mehtari, 27, was first arrested on July 26 and released on August 1. On August 19, several officers whom Mehrati’s family said he believed were members of the Revolutionary Guards, abducted him from his workplace and later transferred him to a location in eastern Tehran. He told Human Rights Watch that during his detention he was severely beaten repeatedly and sodomized with a baton or stick.
On August 24, he said, his captors dropped him off by car somewhere in Tehran with his hands and feet tied, bleeding, and semi-conscious. People who found him on the street took him to a hospital.
The medical examiner’s office, which reports to the judiciary, examined Mehtari the next day. The report, which has been seen by Human Rights Watch, described: discoloration and inflammation under both eyes “caused by being hit with a hard object”; bruises on the left rear of his head; deep scratches on both wrists and both ankles; wounds on his right shin; second degree burns caused by a hot object around his head, neck, left shoulder, and on both hands totaling two percent of his body surface; and bruises on both buttocks and the external area of the anus caused by being hit with a hard object. The report also noted that Mehtari complained of anal pain.
Mehtari told Human Rights Watch that when hospital authorities learned he had just left the prison, they tried to destroy the medical report, but his father was able to make a copy of it while visiting him in the hospital.
A second young activist, Ebrahim Sharifi, 24, who was arrested on June 23, told Human Rights Watch that he had been raped in detention while he was handcuffed, blindfolded and his feet were tied, and that he had attempted suicide several times after his release. He said that judiciary officials had refused to accept his complaint and told him that if he spoke out about his case his family would be in danger.
The third case involved Maryam Saberi, 21, who was arrested on July 30 during the commemoration of the 40th day after the killing of Neda Soltan " whose shooting death during a demonstration shocked the world. Saberi was arrested after her photo appeared on a website connected to the Revolutionary Guard that posted pictures of protesters and asked people to identify the people in the photos so that they could be arrested. Before she was released on August 12, Saberi says, she was raped four times by the prison guards.
On August 9, in a letter published in the Etemad Melli paper, the reformist presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi wrote that “some detained individuals stated that some authorities have raped detained women with such force, they have sustained injuries and tears in to their reproductive system.”
Mehtary’s is the only known case of official documentation of injuries consistent with allegations of rape with a stick. Sources close to Karroubi, who has established a committee to investigate the condition of political prisoners detained after the elections, said that judiciary authorities told Karroubi that rapes with a stick have taken place and been documented by the medical examiner's office but that the identities of the perpetrators were unknown.
They said that judiciary authorities also asked Karroubi how Mehtari’s father had been able to photograph his son's anus to document his wounds and that the authorities had used their skeptical stance to try to discredit Mehtari’s allegations.
“The official documents and images of Mehtari’s tortured body speak for themselves,” Whitson said.
Mehtari is now outside of Iran. After he left the country, security forces raided his family’s house twice. During the second raid they threatened his father with arrest if he talked about the abuse his son had suffered.
The prohibition against torture is absolute in international law, and authorities are required to investigate and prosecute those responsible. The Human Rights Committee, which authoritatively interprets the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a party, has said that complaints about ill-treatment must be investigated effectively by competent authorities. Those found guilty must be held responsible, and the alleged victims must themselves have effective remedies at their disposal, including the right to obtain compensation.
Background On August 10, Ali Larijani, speaker of the parliament, delegated a special committee to investigate Karroubi’s allegations and review evidence of the physical condition of those detained during post-election events.
On August 12, Larijani announced on behalf of the committee that Karroubi's claims were completely false and that ‘in careful reviews of the Kahrizak and Evin prison detainees, no cases showing abuse or rape were found.”
On August 29, Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani, the head of the judiciary and brother of the parliament speaker, appointed a committee to review allegations of those arrested during the recent events, including rape claims. The committee consisted of Ebrahim Raeesi, first deputy to the head of the judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejehi, general prosecutor, and Ali Khalafi, the head of judiciary’s office manager.
In their report to Sadegh Larijani on September 12, the committee wrote that they found “no evidence of rape in the cases of the individuals claimed by Mr. Karroubi,” and that his claims and documents “are all fabricated and designed to divert public opinion.”
The committee also demanded judicial action against those who “through propagation of falsehoods and presentation of accusations and slander” have damaged “the reputation and credibility of the government and certain symbols of it.”
Iran is at a tipping point, and President Obama's policies in the next few months could define the Iran that emerges from the current turmoil. In considering the next step in its engagement with Iran, the Obama administration must take a hard look at the country's increasingly unstable domestic situation.
Given the an increasingly serious political and economic crisis, the "Islamic" in the Islamic Republic of Iran is no longer applicable -- nor is the word "republic." After the recent elections and the brutal treatment of protestors and anyone opposed to the regime, the mullahs are no longer seen as legitimate by the Iranian people. The Revolutionary Guard Corps has carried out a bloodless coup with the blessings of a puppet supreme leader and president. Today Iran is, for all intents and purposes, a secular military dictatorship.
The country's economy is also in dire straits. The regime has put off reforms for three decades, blaming sanctions for its self-inflicted failures. Inflation is running at an annual rate of 20-25 percent. Unemployment is around 20 percent and on the rise. Iran's foreign exchange reserves have declined rapidly, to an estimated $40 billion. Tehran can no longer pay the bills, keep the regime's corrupt sycophants satisfied, and deliver a minimum level of subsidies to poor Iranians to keep the lid on political dissent.
Faced with these economic realities, the regime has decided to cut energy and food subsidies, gradually increasing the price of basic goods such as oil, electricity, and bread to international market rates over a period of about five years. While many senior members of government have long appreciated that this was necessary in order to achieve an economic turnaround, they were loathe to take this step for fear of a domestic backlash. Now that subsidies are being slashed, the people are beginning to stir.
Electricity bills have increased by 300 percent, with payments due within 45 days and late payments subject to a 20 percent interest penalty. The expected price increases associated with the elimination of subsidies should send inflation soaring above the 30-40 percent rate, making the lot of poor Iranians unbearable. Both the regime and average Iranians hope that a rapprochement with the West can alleviate these economic pressures. They assume that the removal of sanctions and Iran's re-integration into the global financial system will quickly reinvigorate economic growth. But they are wrong. Iran's economic wounds are largely self-inflicted; they are the result of failed institutions, ill-conceived economic plans, and pervasive corruption. The removal of all sanctions will enable corrupt business and political leaders to amass even larger fortunes as they scramble to represent U.S. firms in Iran, but average Iranians will see very little benefit so long as the present regime stays in power. For economic conditions to improve, Iran needs a dramatic change in policies and practices, not just the removal of sanctions.
The continuing turmoil in Tehran has also afforded Iran's ethnic minorities -- principally the Arabs in the Southwest, the Baluchis in the Southeast, and the Kurds and Azeris in the Northwest (but also Lurs and Turkmens) -- an opening to challenge the regime with their list of growing grievances. There is fear among Iranians that their nation may be in serious danger of dismemberment if additional political and economic pressures are brought to bear on the already strained government.
The Iranian regime, fearing these developments, has exhibited an unprecedented willingness to negotiate with the United States in order to regain its legitimacy. The United States should seize this opportunity -- not only by tackling the issue of nuclear enrichment, but also by raising governance issues with the Islamic Republic. Embracing the regime in Tehran and lending it unconditional support, as the United States has done with other dictatorships in the region, will only backfire. Washington is fooling itself if it thinks it can prop up this regime. The mullahs have lost all credibility, and the Iranian people are unwilling to pretend otherwise. It is in America's interest not to alienate the Iranian people and the rest of the Muslim world.
The night before she was killed on the streets of Tehran, the woman the world would come to know simply as Neda had a dream. "There was a war going on," she told her mother the next morning, "and I was at the front."
Neda's mother had joined her on the street protests that erupted after Iran's disputed June 12 presidential election. But on that fateful morning, she told her daughter she couldn't go with her. As Neda prepared to leave, her mother was filled with anxiety. "I told her to be very careful, and she said she would." More than four months after Neda's death, her mother, Hajar Rostami, described the pain her family has endured and how grateful they are to millions across the world who have hailed Neda as a martyr - a symbol of freedom for Iran. She spoke with CNN by phone in her native Persian langauage from her home in Tehran a few days ago: "As a message to everyone, I really want to thank the whole world. And I don't really know how to thank them, so I ask of you, Please find the right words for me. I can't tell you how much it has warmed our hearts, how much it has helped us." There’s an Iranian expression that describes a grieving person's need to talk about the pain in her heart, to empty her soul. And that's what this is: a mourning mother who for months has wept and remained silent about her daughter's killing, until now. "This is a pain that will never heal” she said in a gentle, hushed tone. Watch mom mourn the "look in her eyes"
“I need not worry”
On June 20, Neda Agha-Soltan, 26, headed to Tehran's Niloufar Square, where thousands of protesters had gathered. Clashes were particularly intense that day, with demonstrators and riot police squaring off. Neda, accompanied by her music teacher, called home with frequent updates. "Mom, there are just too many clashes happening. There are a lot of police and security forces around." Tear gas was thrown at the crowd and Neda headed to a medical clinic to get her eyes washed. "My eyes are really burning badly" she said. Twenty minutes later, Neda's mom reached her again. "She said she was on her way back home, that I need not worry." Neda told the same thing to her aunt and uncle, who also called to check up on her. Wearing blue jeans, a black shirt and white sneakers, Neda walked towards her car, parked on a side street not far from the heated protests. "It didn't occur to her that anything was going to be different," her mother said. Then, Neda was killed. A single bullet struck her chest. Recalling that day, her mother paused in the hour-long interview. The family, she said, has gone back to the scene and retraced Neda's movements. "She was only 26 steps from her car." Those were 26 steps Neda never had a chance to take the difference between returning home to her family and becoming a symbol of a greater struggle inside Iran.
'She was absolutely beautiful'
While millions across the globe were transfixed by Neda's death, captured on video, her family entered a traditional seven-day grieving period. Her parents' house was too small to host everyone; they gathered at Neda's older sister's home. “She was never the type of girl who would resort to force.” The family, Neda's mother said, was barred from holding a memorial service. "I did see Neda when her body was being washed before burial," she said. "When her body was covered in the white shroud for burial, when they uncovered her face, I saw her. She was absolutely beautiful, with a smile, a beautiful smile. Like an angel." It was during the seven days of mourning, around the third or fourth day, that a relative told her about the video of Neda's death, by then widely watched on the Internet. Her mother didn't watch it that first week. "But when I returned home, I did see the video," she said. "It was enormously painful. So painful that I've never been able to watch it again all the way through to the end.It was the moment of seeing her give her life, the life leaving her body. That was very painful. The look in her eyes at that moment...I wake up with that look in her eyes every morning; I go to bed with the image of that look in her eyes every evening."
She continued, "I want to say that the moment that bothers me the most, that bothers me terribly, is the moment Neda got shot. That's because Neda was an extremely brave person. Ever since she was a child, she was brave and fearless. So that moment when she got shot, I saw it in the video, she couldn't believe it, that she had taken a bullet. So much so that she takes a look at her body. And when she sees she's been shot, she takes a few steps backwards and then falls. The only words she managed to utter was: 'Teacher, I'm burning.' And people said she passed within 44 seconds."
She visits Neda's grave every Friday and is heartened that even now, throngs of people still greet her. "It's as though she only just passed away." She carries with her a painting of her smiling daughter that she received as a gift. "People go and write the word 'martyr’ on her grave in red ink and then the authorities go and wipe it off." Neda’s mother said her daughter's killer is still at large, but she's confident the person will be found and tried in court. "I am waiting for that day.I saw Neda as a martyr from the start. Neda was a martyr for her homeland."
A “caring” debater
Long before Neda became an iconic figure, she was a "very excited girl who always had answers to everything. She was very good natured, friendly, very emotional and caring…extremely emotional and caring," her mother said. “I saw her face when they uncovered her. She was absolutely beautiful ...like an angel. She was never the type of girl who would resort to force." In their last face-to-face conversation, the mother and daughter debated the political climate inside Iran. "We had a hearty debate and discussion," her mother said. “Neda was divorced. After the divorce she tried to get a job, but it was impossible. Every time she went for an interview or filled out an application, she felt people viewed her differently. Neda loved aerobics. She also liked to sunbathe at our local swimming pool. Her last meal was her favorite dish, pan kabob.” Their home is now adorned with photographs of Neda. One of her last gifts to her mom was perfume, a birthday present she cherishes. "On a daily basis, when I think of her, I can't tell you how hard it is. It's hard to speak" Neda, the second of three children, shared her room with her younger brother, who plays the guitar and violin. Neda loved the piano, and wanted him to learn to play. Just days before she was killed, she picked out a piano for him. He has since bought it. "When he comes home from work he plays the piano and sings in Neda's memory. And that's what keeps us going every evening" their mother said. She hopes the people of Iran and the world will hear her story - Neda's story - and never forget her daughter.
"I want to thank you for remembering her. That’s what stays with me, and her eyes, the look in her eyes in those last moments that had a story to tell that I can never forget," she said.. "Neda has made me enormously proud."
It is tradition in Iran to give away personal belongings of a loved one after they die. But Neda's bed, her makeup stand, her photographs everything that was hers remains untouched. The reason; Neda appeared in her sister's dream and told her not to part with anything. "I am alive," Neda said.
I have just returned from Evin an hour ago, my mind is not functioning and I just want to scream. It was around 3pm that a friend told me about the protest of detainees’ families in front of Evin prison. We immediately joined them there and were greeted by some 400-600 family members and humans rights activists outside the prison gates. About 10 minutes later, several guards and soldiers rushed out of the main gate and started pushing people away from the scene. At this time a car pulled up by the gate and several people, who were all handcuffed got out. Seeing this, people started chanting and the situation became charged. After paying close attention I realised that some of them were my friends. It was obvious they were brought in from other detention centers and traces of pain were evident on their faces. At this time some of the detained friends started chanting too. I saw Yashar and Raha's faces. They were showing the peace sign with their hands in the air and chanting “Death to the Dictator”. My eyes welled with tears and I felt my heart sinking. I heard from a friend who was with them that Raha never stopped chanting as she was transferred to the security forces' car.
Although I didn't know everyone, many faces were familiar. It felt like I had known them for years. I was upset that my friends had been captured by the devil and there was nothing I could do about it. I decided to start chanting with the others. At this point security forces started threatening everyone to leave the premises, but nobody was paying any attention to their threats of arrest. We stayed there with continued threats from the security forces for another 30 minutes after the gates were closed, until darkness fell. But I feel I left my heart back there, behind those closed gates. I will suppress my anger until future protests. I will wait to release all my anger towards the reactionary forces.
We have been also been notified that many detained friends were taken to the office of the Intelligence Ministry behind Reza's Computer Bazaar. Until future events...
In the months following the June 12 coup, Iran has been engulfed in a massive movement and while this real people’s movement has become known as the green movement, it is in fact a kaleidoscope of colors portraying all political and social movements in it, which under normal and stable political conditions would probably have been opposing each other rather than standing side by side.
The goal of this movement, as its leaders and spokespeople inside and outside Iran have said is the establishment of the democratic rights of the people, such as freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of parties, syndicates, and associations, freedom in elections, press freedom, and freedom of association. It is clear that these democratic rights are the minimum requirements for a civil life for all political and social groups which is why they can constitute the basis of an effective political coalition, which may only be temporary. The most recent movement of the Iranian people, while different from the 1979 revolution, carries with it three decades of bitter experience from that revolution. In the last three decades, the death penalty has been one of the most common words in the political literature of the country and the Islamic Republic has created a new record in the number of political executions not only in the history of Iran but of the whole Middle East. “Must be Executed” was one of the main slogans of the 1979 revolution, something that in time gradually came to include those who had supported. This is something that the Green Movement is aware of and has experienced. But how does a movement that has been created to build the future disassociate from its bitter past and damage? There is no doubt that this movement must succeed. But as we currently focus on winning, we must also be conscious and sensitive to possible future deviations and harm. The very fact that “must be executed” has been eliminated from the slogans of people is a hopeful sign but we need greater guarantees about the future ahead of us. For example, the views of many individuals and groups in the movement regarding two important issues are still unclear: the death penalty, and forced Hejab . One cannot use the battle against Ahmadinejad’s administration as an excuse to ignore these two and other important issues that concern fundamental human rights. It appears that the manner by which intellectual and political groups look at these two issues is a good criterion to see their practical commitment to human rights. The groups in the Green movement, ranging from right to left, from new religious and liberal thinkers to national-religious groups and the Marxists must expressly respond to the question of their views regarding banning the death penalty. They must also specify their position regarding forced Hejab. Specifically, does the government have the right to impose and dictate what women must wear? The groups that dominate this movement have a greater duty to clarify their views, and specifically Mr Moussavi and Mr Karoubi, and those who inside and outside Iran act as their spokespeople and have specific views in this regard, must express their views categorically so that we may gain reassurance and become more trustful, in view of past experience and events.
Today is 13 Aban 1388 - Wednesday 4 November 2009; there is unrest all over Iran. This time however it’s the 30th anniversary of the hostage taking the workers of American Embassy in Tehran. The Iranian government and local media refer to this place as “den of espionage”. On the 13th day of Abaan 1358 in the Iranian calendar the hostage taking pf American Embassy staff was carried out by students who were followers of the Imam line. (Imam Khomeini). This event led the biggest political crisis between Iran and the United States. The hostage taking took 444 days until the 30th of Dey 1359 in the Iranian calendar when a contract was drawn up between the Algerian, American and Iranian governments. The pivotal agreement in this contract was: Iran’s commitment in order to release the American hostages. America’s commitment to refrain from interference in the internal affairs of Iran. In previous years, on 13 Aban, government supporters have staged protests and slogans against the United States of America. Today also in the local media (Islamic Republic media) an important part of the special protests against America took place at the former American Embassy building in Tehran and other cities of Iran. Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi declared on state television that 13 Aban is one of the most important days in the history of our revolution. Outside of his jurisprudence, he also said that people would declare their enemy by appearing in the intense protests. However this year, for the first time people who are against the Iranian government and regime were also present during the protests. This issue was a cause of concern for the government officials of Iran even before the day arrived. Revolutionary Guards of the Islamic Republic gave a statement that 13 Aban is the national day of struggle against arrogance, therefore participants in this ceremony are asked to shout slogans only against America. Sections of the public were invited to attend the ceremony with warnings that people should beware of the possibility of mischief and misplaced intentions at this great event. Despite these statements and warnings people addressed the highest officials of the Islamic Republic in opposition, as video footage uploaded on YouTube have shown. Ariane, an eye witness, in an interview with Zamaneh radio said: “There were many people today who gathered at Hafte Tir Square between 3 and 4pm. They came ready to face the suppression of the Special Forces unit. The forces attacked people and dispersed the crowd with pepper spray and tear gas. They forced businesses on Hafte Tir square to close their shops so there would be nowhere for the people to escape from the forces. Before, the election was the issue raised among people, but now the it was the whole establishment.”
Video footage sent from Iran showed renewed slogans against Russia, and the singing of revolutionary song “Yar e Dabestani”dispersing the sound level of gun shots and the people being beaten by police enforcements. Iranians and citizens of other countries have also gathered in protest today. This afternoon in the Netherlands, opposite the Hague Tribunal, a demonstration was held from 5-7pm. Part of the route was cancelled due to rain, but poetry readings continued. Vahid describes this gathering: “There was a speech in front of the court, alongside a memorial and slogans were chanted in support of the Iranian people. People were holding cards demanding the freedom of political prisoners, free elections, and also the trial for recent crimes perpetrate. These were carried out in exactly the same way as the protests in Iran. Demonstrations were also held in Paris, in solidarity with the Iranian people, opposition to the election results, and the violence against people. Iraj Adibzadeh was present. At St Michel Square, between 300-400 people came together to support people in Iran. Also members of the human rights associations were also present and gave a speech to the people. One of the Iranians who participated in the protests in Paris, in an interview with Zamaneh radio said: “I am here today to show Ahmadinejad that nothing can silence these voices.” He said that the least we could do is participate in the protests held outside Iran and show our support in this way, as unfortunately we are not in Iran and we cannot participate at the protests held in Iran with all other Iranians. German cities that hold thousands of Iranians, planned protests on Saturday. Speaking from Aachen, Hadi Movayedi said: “We think that this is the strongest movement we have had since the days of the constitution. The influence of this movement both inside and outside the country is that different views were gathered around a series of common slogans. Even at the beginning of this movement, there were collaborations between us and other associations in Dusseldorf and Cologne. With these efforts there are now six human rights and political organizations working hard together.” Mr Movayedi explained the reason for holding the demonstration on Saturday 7 November “If we were to hold this event on Wednesday, then it would have been impossible for people to gather.”
World leaders gather to mark "happiest day in postwar German history" Thousands of people in Berlin are celebrating the 20 year anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. World leaders are expected to join them in marking the event, which paved the way for the end of the Cold War. Celebrations will primarily take place at the Brandenburg Gate, the symbol of German reunification in 1990. They will be led by German chancellor Angela Merkel, who grew up in East Germany. She called it "a celebration of the happiest day in postwar German history". 1,000 giant foam dominoes, painted by young people, will be toppled along the former route of the wall, to show the chain of events which swept across Europe, collapsing Communist governments in 1989. A big concert will take place at the Brandenburg Gate featuring musicians from across the world, including conductor Daniel Barenboim and DJ Paul van Dyk. Mayor Klaus Wowereit said: "History is palpable and alive here. The peaceful revolution of the fall of the Wall 20 years ago paved the way to an unprecedented transformation of Berlin." The wall was built by Communist East Germany in 1961, a 155km structure to prevent East Germans from running away into capitalist East Germany. More than 100 people It was unexpectedly opened on 9 November 1989, after weeks of pro-democracy protests. Guests will include architects of the events leading up to the fall of the wall, such as former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, Lech Walesa, head of the Polish opposition movement Solidarity, and Hans-Dietrich Genscher, then West German foreign minister. French president Nicolas Sarkozy, British prime minister Gordon Brown, and US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton are also expected to attend. Yesterday, Clinton said that the oppressed still needed to be freed. She said: "Our history did not end the night the Wall came down. To expand freedom to more people, we cannot accept that freedom does not belong to all people." Far-left groups held a protest march in the centre of Berlin at the weekend, in an attempt to disrupt the glorification of a historical moment that unleashed the forces of capitalism. Ironically, the party is being backed by corporate sponsors.
>>Shadi Sadr receives Human Rights Tulip award
Shadi Sadr, Iranian lawyer and women’s activist received the Dutch Human Rights Tulip award today in a ceremony at The Hague.
Zamaneh reports that upon receiving the award, Ms. Sadr declared that the issue of human rights in Iran should become a topic of negotiations alongside the issue of the nuclear activities of the Islamic Republic.
Ms. Sadr called for legal proceedings against the perpetrators of widespread systematic violence in Iran. She maintained that "Western governments, including the Dutch government as the host of the International Criminal Court, can ask the UN Security Council to pursue the issue of crimes against humanity through setting up an international court for Iran."
Maxime Verhagen delivered the Human Rights Tulip award to Ms. Sadr declaring that the Dutch government supports human rights activists in Iran as well as other countries. He maintained that Dutch embassies all across the world are told to extend their support to all human rights activists.
Shadi Sadr was elected by the Dutch foreign ministry out of 116 people from 63 countries who were also nominated for this award.
Justine Masica, Congolese human rights activists, was the first recipient of the Tulip award last year.
The award includes a 10-thousand-euros prize and the opportunity to claim 100 thousand euros in subsidies toward a project to forward the recipient’s human rights activities.
According to the award organizers, Shadi Sadr was chosen for her legal activities, publication of critical articles in various websites, the campaign to fight stoning and activity in RAAHI organization.
Shadi Sadr was also the recipient of Lech Walesa human rights award this year along with two other Iranian human rights activists, Roya and Ladan Boroumand.
>>Women’s Rights Activist Behnaz Mehrani Summoned to Court
On Wednesday, November 4th 2009, Behnaz Mehrani was summoned by phone to appear before the Revolutionary Court to “explain” her activities. Over the past few days several feminist activists and members of the One Million Signatures Campaign have received written or over-the-phone summons to appear before the Revolutionary Court. Ayda Sa’adat, Elnaz Ansari, Khadijeh Moghadam, Maryam Malek, Kaveh Mozzafari, Jelveh Javaheri and Parisa Kakai are among the group of activists who have been summoned. Behnaz Meharni is a feminist and children’s rights activist and a member of One Million Signatures Campaign.
>>400 New Detainees at Evin Prison following 4 November Protest
Evin prison has issued registration cards for at least 400 people arrested between November 4th and 6th, during the 13 Aban protests. The detainees were moved in groups to Evin from different police stations and temporary detention centers and have been placed for the most part in Ward 209 and the isolation section of Ward 7. Some reports suggest that the actual number of detainees could be higher but judiciary and police officials are purport that only a small number of people have been arrested during the protests.
>>100 Journalists Arrested in150 Days
Reporters Without Borders published an announcement on Thursday, condemning the recent arrest of Iranian journalists stating that in less than 150 days, 100 journalists have been arrested in Iran. This organization with its headquarter in Paris addressed the latest arrests in Iran announced that Farhad Pooladi, France news agency reporter and Nafiseh Zarekohan colleague of many reformist newspapers were arrested on 13 Aban (4 November) following the street demonstration just one day before Hassan Assadi Zeidabadi, human rights activist and blogger was arrested. This organization emphasized that the French journalist had legal permission to report news. According to this statement Reporters Without Borders has also reported the arrest of freelance journalist Negar Sayeh at the beginning of Aban and stated: “In less than 150 days since the beginning of street protests against the re-election of Mahmud Ahmadinejad on 22 Khordad (12 June), at least 100 journalists and web bloggers have been arrested and 23 of them are still in prison”. Reporters Without Borders says that in addition to the arrest of 100 journalists in the past 5 months, more than 50 journalists have been forced to leave the country and the journalists who’ve remained in the country are continuously threatened by the regime. In its annual report, Reporters Without Borders states that with regard to freedom of press, Iran has fallen to a lower position this year and stands at 172 among 175 countries.
>>“Hamed & Ahmad don’t know anything about Anjoman Padeshahi Iran (API)”
“The former Tehran prosecutor had a hand in writing the scenario.”
Interview with Khalil Bahramian, Defense Lawyer for Hamed Rouhinejad (Sentenced To Death) and Ahmad Karimi
Q- Mr Bahramian, have you been representing Rouhineajad since the start of his trial? A-In the beginning, Mr Sayf-Zadeh and another colleague were representing Hamed Rouhinejad, and I was not involved. Following the verdict, his family contacted me, and, after reading the file, I agreed to represent him in his appeal, which will be heard by the Supreme Court. Q- Can you explain what your findings were after reading about the case? A-I found out that my colleagues had presented the defense case before the 28th branch of the Revolutionary Court, but in the end the court found Rouhinejad guilty of charges and sentenced him to death. Rouhinejad’s charges included having ties with API, acting against the Islamic Republic, and armed struggle. When I was reading the file I noticed that, during the preliminary investigations, my client had told the truth in its entirety to the investigators. An individual named Ali Zamani had promised to take my two clients and his own child to the US, where they could work - something that was obviously beyond his abilities. Rouhinejad was a student at the time. Q- Do you have other clients awaiting trial who are accused of having ties with API? A-I represent Ahmad Karimi, a defendant in the same case awaiting trial. He will be tried at the 30th branch of the Revolutionary Court on November 9th, 2009. Q- What are your main arguments for the court of appeal? A- I have filed an appeal with the Supreme Court where I have listed my arguments. Having met my client in prison, I understand that he suffers from multiple sclerosis. His two arms are almost paralyzed and he is unable to write for more than a few minutes at a time. He has lost sight in his right eye. He is a disabled person and lacks the physical power to undertake actions against the country. His disability makes him incapable of being involved in political propaganda activities. The court’s verdict does not comply with legal norms, and I am convinced that it has become common practice for revolutionary courts to hand out harsher than normal sentences in similar cases. The mere fact that my clients were put on trial with the post-election detainees shows that this is a political verdict. In my view, Mr. Mortazavi, Tehran Prosecutor at the time, tried as always to present a heavily loaded file to the court and misrepresent the case to the public. Both my clients were arrested before the election and had nothing to do with the post election protests. I can say beyond any doubt that neither Ali Zamani nor my two clients had connections with API or even knew anything about the organization. They were just three young people who, along with Zamani’s child, went to Iraq, hoping to eventually go to a Western country. Poverty and other problems forced my clients to return to Iran with the approval and coordination of the Intelligence Ministry. They told the officials about their ordeal without holding anything back. Q- From what you’re saying, they did not face any problems upon their return to Iran. Can you tell us why such heavy charges were brought against them during the trial? A-From what I’ve been told by my client, his interrogators pressured him to become part of a fabricated scenario. It is my understanding that the former Tehran prosecutor had a hand in writing the scenario. For now, we have filed an appeal which will be heard by the Supreme Court. I hope the Supreme Court judges will hear the case with God in mind and decide based on their conscience and beliefs, unlike their previous decisions, which were to uphold the verdict without considering the case in order to please others and get on with their political agenda. They must bear in mind that they have to answer to God and the Iranian people. Q- Have you been given a time by the Supreme Court as to when this appeal will be heard? A-It’s common for the Supreme Court not to set any date. The judges read the cases one at a time and decide if there are grounds for appeal. I hope the judges will decide with their conscience. Source: ROOZ
>>Strengthening of theRevolutionary Guard’s Intelligence Arm
Two weeks after Ayatollah Khamenei approved sweeping changes to the structure of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and remarks by Mohammad Ali Jafari about the necessity of the IRGC’s engagement in intelligence and security affairs, the website “Basirat,” run by the IRGC’s political affairs division, announced the imminent appointment of Gholamhossein Ramezani as the IRGC’s Counter Intelligence and Security Director. A spokesperson for the IRGC’s political affairs division reported, “Following the transfer of Hojjatoleslam Taeb from the Basij resistance force to the IRGC intelligence unit and his replacement with Commander Naghdi, other changes are taking place in the IRGC leadership. As a result Hojjatoleslam Gholamhossein Ramezani will be appointed as the IRGC’s Counter Intelligence and Security Director, replacing Commander Nejat.” According to Basirat, Nejat, who in addition to being the IRGC’s counter-intelligence and security director also headed the special Vali Amr brigade in charge of the supreme leader’s personal security, will be given a post in the National Security Council as deputy of internal security. Prior to his appointment, Gholamhossein Ramezani had served as counter intelligence and intelligence directors in both the country’s police force and IRGC in various periods. The news of changes in the IRGC’s intelligence leadership has been announced two weeks after the IRGC’s chief Mohammad Ali Jafari announced sweeping changes to the IRGC’s structure and leadership as approved by Ayatollah Khamenei, also noting the institution’s increasing engagement in security and intelligence affairs. IRGC’s chief said, “Today is the era of soft warfare, and we must be able to carry out our duties in confronting soft threats. This requires organizational and structural changes, and the changes that have taken place in the past year, two years are in connection with this development.” Mohammad Ali Jafari also spoke of Hossein Taeb’s appointment as the IRGC’s Intelligence Director, “The necessity of Mr. Taeb’s service as the IRGC’s Intelligence Director prompted us to appoint him to this post. This is a very important post, because today the regime expects more from the IRGC in intelligence matters.” Prior to the official announcement of recent changes in the IRGC’s leadership, some analysts had predicted that the Hossein Taeb-Gholamhossein Ramezani duo would help to construct the core of the IRGC’s intelligence and security activities. According to analysts, in addition to his ideological and professional affiliation with Taeb, Gholamhossein Ramezani has played an influential role in carrying out the recent election coup and the post-election arrests. Ramezani played a key role in arresting and cracking down on reformists during the presidency of Mohammad Khatami, when he served as the police force’s counter-intelligence and intelligence director. The appointment of figures such as Hossein Taeb, Mohammad Reza Naghdi and Gholamhossein Ramezani to senior intelligence posts in the IRGC’s and the beginning of the second phase of changes in the institution continue the trend of IRGC’s transformation from a military unit to a security unit, which began two years ago with the appointment of Mohammad Ali Jafari as Head the IRGC. The recent changes take place following wholesale dismissals in the Ministry of Intelligence, where, in addition to the minister, five deputy ministers and dozens of senior managers have been removed from their posts since the election.
>>Victory of Sanandaj Bakery Workers Against Wage Reduction
According to reports by Free Workers Unions in Iran, a three hour strike of bakery workers in Sanandaj on 4 Aban (26 October) with an ultimatum of fulfillment of their demands or a full one day strike of all bakers, achieved not only a stop in reduction of their wages but also the authorities’ agreement to increase their wages.
According to this report on 11 Aban (2 November), in a meeting with the officials the bakery workers’ representatives discussed the 10 gram increase to each loaf of bread and an increase in workers wages from 379 Tomans (30c) per loaf baked (120 loaves) to 435 Tomans (40c). Wages of all bakery workers have also increased by the same percentage. Sanandaj bakery workers cook 32 units of bread and according to the recent changes, their salary increases by 2080 Tomans ($2). According to the workers, if all bakery workers had participated in the strike, there was a possibility of increasing the wages even more. The Free Workers Union of Iran in congratulating the workers added that the victory of preventing the reduction of wages is considered a symbol of workers’ fight to increase wages and asked all Iranian workers to fight for higher wages in solidarity.
Long Live the Bakery Workers of Sanandaj! Long live Labour solidarity!
>>Arrests continue in Kurdish Regions
In the past few days, a number of people have been arrested in different parts of Kurdistan by security forces. In the city of Mahabad, a woman named Roghayeh and a man named Mahmoud Cheereh were arrested by security forces under charges of having ties with the Kurdish opposition. Mr Cheereh is the father of a deceased member (guerrilla) from the Kurdish opposition. It has been also reported that the Intelligence Ministry forces of Naghadeh raided the house of a civil activist and writer named Hassan Ashaari last Saturday. The so called forces arrested Mr. Ashaari and took him to an unknown location. Another report from the city of Naghadeh claims that a cultural activist named Kaveh Hassanpour has been released on $50,000 bail until the hearing of his charges.
>>Arrested Haft Tappeh Union Members to Serve Prison Sentences
Two board members of the Haft Tappeh sugar cane factory’s labor union have been arrested and taken to prison to serve their sentences. Two Haft Tappeh labor union board members were arrested by the company’s security on Thursday November 5th at 10am. The two union activists, Jalil Ahmadi and Fereydoon Nikoofar were handed over to security forces at 2pm who in turn took them to Dezful prison to serve their sentences. The Revolutionary Court in Dezful had previously sentenced the two to fixed and suspended prison terms for their activities. The Provincial Court of Appeals upheld the Revolutionary Court’s verdict for both activists and referred their cases to the enforcement department of Dezful Court. The activists were arrested today to serve their sentences. In October, 2009, the Revolutionary Court in Dezful found a group of labor activists guilty of union activities and sentenced them to prison terms. Ali Nejati, Feraydoon Nikoufar, Ghorban Alipoor and Jalil Ahmadi were each sentenced to a six month of fixed prison term followed by a six month suspended term. Mohammad Haydari-Poor was sentenced to a four month fixed prison term followed by eight months of suspended term. According to reliable sources, the three remaining activists will also be arrested in the coming days to serve their sentences.
>>Transfer of Arrested Girls to an Unknown Place
By Jafar Pooyeh
It has been reported from different cities that a day after the mass protest of Iranian people, 13 Aban (4 Nov) that turned into a day of fighting against dictatorship, intelligence agents and plain clothes forces have attempted to arrest many young adults and freedom seekers. The repressive and barbaric acts of the Supreme Leader’s forces were so shameless that many worldwide reacted. Robert Gates, spokesperson for the Whitehouse, despite President Obama’s peaceful statement, addressed the Supreme Leader of Iran and reacted against protestor repression stating: “The government of Barak Obama is closely following the changes occurring in Iran and deeply hopes that the protests won’t turn violent”. Yet he is clearly aware that these acts of indecency by the regime are a result of world remaining indifferent towards the human rights situation in Iran and the lack of a centrist policy position against people’s suppression. By adopting a different tone of voice, he tried to not stay indifference against the suppression of people in Iran. Public’s sensitivity to the Iranian people’s movement due to citizen reports is so strong that politicians have reluctantly been forced to react. At the same time, Bernard Kouchner, France’s Minister of Foreign Affairs in a press conference took a strong position against the people’s repression stating: “This act will damage the character of Iran’s regime even more; a regime which puts pressure on internal forces and is not willing to have discussions with other countries.” However, the strongest position has been taken by the German Green Party. Ms. Claudia Roth, leader of the German Green Party in a statement against people’s repression by repressors of the regime wrote: “Unstoppable and extensive protests in Iran shows the critical situation in this country which has put pressure on the non democratic leader of this country. The Leader’s decision has been to intimidate and pressurize, which has made the situation in Iran critical. We are sympathetic with the victims and those injured as a result of repression by the regime.” Despite all the objections to the regime’s repressive forces against the people’s protests, Iran’s regime still continues with its repression, entering political activists’ houses or those of well-known human rights defenders attempting to arrest them. According to news received from Bahar Street in Tehran, female protestors were transferred to an unknown place by bus on 13 Aban. Many girls have also been arrested on the streets around Hafte Tir and Valiasr, who are still missing and noone is aware of the location of their captivity. Numerous others were detained at the end of the protest and taken to Ward 209 of Evin prison. Considering the shameless record of behavior of the repressive forces against arrested females we ask all international communities, human rights and especially women rights organizations to take a stand against the arrest, unknown circumstances and captivity place of these young girls and women and put pressure on the regime to announce the place of their captivity. Arrested brave females are the core leaders of the people’s movement. These courageous and freedom seeking leaders must be freed immediately and unconditionally.
>>Iran police detain 109 over rally
More than 100 people were detained for public order offenses after Wednesday's protests in Tehran, officials say. The protests coincided with an official rally to mark 30 years since the storming of the US embassy during the 1979 Islamic revolution. The 109 people were on the fringes of an opposition-organized demonstration when they were detained. Security spokesman Azizollah Rajabzadeh said 62 are due to face trial while the others were released after questioning.
>>Protest gathering of 4 November detainee families outside the Revolutionary Court
The families of detainees gatheredin frontof the Revolutionary Court on Saturday 7 November and demanded the release of their loved ones. The protest began gathering at 9am. By 9.03am there were more than 140 families and their number was increasing by the minute. Others joined them in support. Some of families, especially mothers stood in front of the court with hand written scripts showing their demands, such as: "We demand the immediate release of our loved ones". Many of them are unaware of their loved ones location and situation. Among the detainees are a large number women and young girls between the age of 20 and 30.and their families have no information about their whereabouts. This has caused so much distress that they have no faith in promises and demand unconditional freedom for their loved ones. Police repression forces, plain-clothes and Revolutionary Guards brutally attacked the families after seeing the placards and tried to take the placards from the mothers’hands. But they refused to let go. Human rights and democracy activists in Iran, condemn these arrests and the lack of information provided and demand the commissioner of human rights andinternational officials to act for the unconditional and immediate release of political prisoners in Iran.
>>Kouhyar Goodarzi, Journalist and Human Rights Activist Expelled from Sanati Sharif University
Kouhyar Goodarzi, human rights activist and aerospace engineering student of Sanati Sharif University has been expelled from the university and strictly banned from entering the campus or dormitory area for one semester. Goodarzi was summoned to the disciplinary committee one day after the students protest against the presence of the Minister of Science and was charged with negative influence on other students, protest and interview with BBC Persian TV. He was charged with granting an interview with BBC Persian, while according to recent law; interview with internal or external media is not a crime. According to disciplinary laws, the disciplinary committee must not be used as a tool to suppress students’ protests or objection. Such charges against individuals and issuing verdicts based on other crimes is against the law and the issued verdict holds no legal value.
>>Another Kahrizak…What's happening in Khorin Detention Centre in Varamin?
Following the arrests on November 4th inTehran and particularly that of young girls and women, some worrying news has been circulating on the unclear situation of these detainees in recent days. According to reports the arrest of women and girls on November 4th had been planned by the criminal coup government. Police had already disclaimed the arrest of women and young girls. This dangerous denial is made while there is clear evidences that100s of people were arrested during the protests on November 4th and most of them were women and young girls. According to reports almost all the women and girls arrested have been transferred to Khorin, the terror prison near Varamin where there have been alerts of crimes even worse than those reported at Kahrizak. Reports say that some of Khorin’s regular prisoners have been transferred to Evin prison to make room for the women and girls. Immediate action from human rights and international organizations is vital to prevent more horrors.
>>Baha'i Citizen's House Searched In Babol
The Baha'i rights committee of HRA reports that on Wednesday October 21, agents from the Intelligence Ministry in Babol raided the home of Pejzman Nikoonejad a Bah'i resident of the city. The agents arrested Nikoonejad and confiscated religiouos books and personal belongings. Nikoonejad was released after being questioned for two hours.
>>Karroubi: Iranian government doesn't know what it's doing
Opposition cleric Mehdi Karroubi addressed Iranians in a video message in which he criticized the Ahmadinejad government's changed stance toward the United States. Karroubi expressed surprise at Iran's policy change toward the U.S. and said that the sending of a congratulatory message and letters to Washington was in direct contrast with the regime's bashing of the American government.
He referred to Mohammad-Reza Mir-Tajeldini's remarks about Ahmadinejad's two-hour meeting with 50 American officials during his last trip to New York and said, "If even a tenth of such a meeting had taken place during previous administrations, shroud-wearing devotees would have [taken to the streets and] thrown Tehran, Qom and Tabriz into chaos."
"Why is it though that hardliner dailies such as Kayhan have nothing to say about this issue?" "Iranian interests are not the play-toy of nouveau politicians. One day there is a meeting with the Americans over Afghanistan, the nuclear issue, and oil, and next, they ruin everything." "I think such policies will create doubts among the people and it is obvious that the government is confused and does not know what it is doing," said Karroubi, adding that he believed talking about such issues were his duty.
>>Fars claims private hospital helped fuel unrest
Fars News Agency reported that a private hospital fueled the post-election unrest by refusing to treat injured police officers and individuals resembling Basij militiamen. The Parcham report carried by Fars wrote that the unnamed private hospital had allocated its resources to treating a 'certain group of people and turned away all bearded individuals who had a Basiji appearance.' According to the report, while Health Ministry regulations clearly state that the names of patients must be registered on hospital administration forms, many of the "leaders" of the unrest who were brought in were treated without their names being recorded. Parcham also alleges that after treating the wounded, demonstrators were given clean clothes and sent home in ambulances. After the unlawful behavior of the hospital's director was brought to light, he left the country on an alleged research grant and returned to Tehran a few days before Nov. 4, Parcham added. The hospital director continued his unlawful behavior after his return and refused to admit many of the wounded brought in during Nov. 4 protests, the report claimed.
>>271 schools in Tehran Province temporarily closed due to swine flu
Some 271 schools in cities across Tehran Province have been temporarily closed due to the swine flu epidemic, the Tehran Education Department’s public relations officer for provincial cities said on Saturday. Ali Soleimani added that 19 school children in Tehran Province have been diagnosed with the H1N1 virus and 12 of them have been hospitalized. The director of the Tehran Education Department has said six of those infected with the virus are from the city of Tehran.
So far, many schools in Kashan and Isfahan have been temporarily closed to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus. On October 28, 235 schools at the elementary and secondary levels were closed for eight days in Kashan.
The Health Ministry has said 23 citizens have died of the H1N1 virus so far.
The Health Ministry announced last week that 515 new cases of swine flu have been detected in the country, increasing the number of those infected with the disease to 2,153.
>>Families of political detainees protest prison conditions
According to the letter, the post-election detainees in the general holding cells of Evin prison, especially sections 7 and 8, lack all forms of hygienic provisions and are in dire conditions.
Reportedly, 50 political detainees are currently in this section and due to lack of space sleep in the halls of the section. Those who protested the condition were reportedly transferred to solitary confinement last week.
Citizen’s rights accorded by the judiciary, allows at least one square meter to each prisoner. The letter from the families maintains that their “loved ones are currently placed in cells where they have even less than half a square meter of space.”
They add that “In this cold weather, they do not have a bed and are forced to sleep on the cold ground and many of them are suffering from the flu.” Section 8 of the Evin prison is customarily used for drug smuggling and murder convicts and it appears that the transfer of political prisoners to this section is another form of pressuring them. The government has arrested over four thousand people in the post-election protests to the alleged fraudulent victory of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Over three thousand have been released mostly on bail.
Families of many of the remaining prisoners have been actively pursuing their cases demanding their release or in the least, better conditions whilst in custody.
>>Iran authorities confirm location of detained November 4 protesters
Concerns over the transference of detained protesters of November 4 demonstrations to the undesirable detention centre in Varamin was put to rest by Sohrab Soleymani, head of Tehran prisons. Mr. Soleymani told Mehr news agency that “Khoreyn” detention centre is only used for the “general criminals of the area” and there are 40 to 50 female criminals at this site and neither of them was arrested on November 4th.
On November 4th, 109 people were arrested and over 40 of them were released on bail. The rest are reportedly transferred to Evin Prison. From the start of protests against the alleged fraud in the election, over four thousand people have been arrested. Police claims under 400 of those are still in custody. The arrest of these people which also include a group of prominent political and social activists has been contested by reformist clerics and human rights groups.
The government appointed committee in charge of following up on the situation of these detainees has issued no reports except for denying Mehdi Karroubi’s allegations that some of the detainees were raped by prison officials. Human Rights Watch announced last week that they have concrete evidence that rape of detainees in the post-election arrests in Iran has occurred and expressed concerns that the government intentionally neglected the evidence.
International Federation of Human Rights Leagues (FIDH) has also expressed concern over possible torture of members of university alumni group, Advar-e Tahkim-e Vahdat detainees.
>>National Coach: European teams reluctant to come to Tehran
Iran football coach Afshin Ghotbi said that the big European teams are not interested in coming to Tehran. "I would rather face the powerful European teams but they are reluctant to come here. Meanwhile, we have to pay a lot of money to big teams to play with them and Iran's Football Federation has no budget for this," Ghotbi told reporters in the national team's training session ahead of the warm-up match against Iceland which will be held at the Azadi Stadium on Tuesday.
I Never Feared Death: The Plight of Ehsan Fattahian
The last glimmers of the dusk sun
Are showing me the path on which to write;
The sounds of leaves under my steps
Are telling me “let yourself fall
And you will rediscover the path to freedom.”
I never feared death. Even now, as I feel its odd and honest presence next to me, I still want to smell its aroma and rediscover it; Death, who has been the most ancient companion of this land. I don’t want to talk about death; I want to question the reasons behind it. Today, when punishment is the answer for those who seek freedom and justice, how can one fear his fate? Those of “us” who have been sentenced to death by “them” are only guilty of seeking an opening to a better and fair world. Are “they” also aware of their deeds?
I started my life in the city of Kermanshah, the name of which has always been on the tongues of my compatriots for its greatness; the city which is called the cradle of civilization. As my thoughts were developing, I came to see and feel the injustice and discrimination; an injustice that targeted me not only as an individual but also as a member of humankind. I went in thousand different directions to find out the reasons behind injustice. Alas, they had made the arena so closed for those who were thriving for justice that I could not find my way in. I immigrated to another arena outside the superficial boundaries to find answers to my questions. I became a Komeleh guerilla in order to find my stolen identity. Yet I never separated from my first home, and once in a while I returned there to renew my memories. And then one day, they found me during one of my visits, arrested me and put me in a cage. The greeting my captors reserved for me from day one convinced me that my fate would be similar to those who had walked before me along that road: torture, fabricated charges, biased court, an unjust and politically motivated verdict and finally death.
Let me put it this way: after being arrested on July 20th, 2008, in Kamyaran, I was taken to the Intelligence Ministry’s local office. A few hours later, as I was blindfolded and chained and could not see or move, a person who introduced himself as the deputy prosecutor began questioning me. His questions were irrelevant and filled with made up accusations (let me remind you that it is strictly against the law to interrogate people in places other than courts and tribunals). This was the first of many interrogation sessions I had to face. The same night, I was taken to the Intelligence Ministry’s provincial headquarters in Sanandaj, where I had to attend the real party: a dirty cell with a disgusting washroom. The blankets had not been washed for years. This was the beginning of three months of going up and down the hall from my cell to the interrogation room, always being beaten along the way. The honorable interrogators were so keen to get a promotion or make a bit more money that they accused me of all kinds of bizarre things, even though they knew of the falsehood of their accusation. They used every means in their power to prove that I had taken part in armed operations. In the end they could only prove that I had been a member of Komeleh and had taken part in propaganda activities against the regime. The 10 year sentence handed by the initial court is good proof that I only had one charge. The 1st branch of the Revolutionary Court in Sanandaj sentenced me to 10 years in prison, to be served in Ramhormoz Prison outside Kordestan. The political and administrative establishment in Iran has always been in favor of centralized policies, but, apparently, in my case, they had decided to reverse course! Recently provincial appeals courts have become the judicial authority to rule in cases related to political prisoners, even in capital punishment cases. Capital punishment cases were the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. So, the Kamayaran prosecutor objected the initial ruling, and, surprisingly, against Iranian law, the 4th branch of the Kordestan Appeals Court changed the 10 year sentence to a death sentence. According to Article 258 of Iranian Criminal law, appeals courts can only issue a heavier sentence when the initial sentence is lighter than the minimum punishment required by law. The indictment presented by the prosecutor stated the charge as Moharebeh (enmity against God). The minimum punishment required by law in similar cases is 1 year in prison. Now, be the judge yourself and compare the 10 year prison sentence (served in exile) with the minimum required to see how illegal, unlawful and political the death sentence is.
Let me add that, shortly before my sentence was changed to the death sentence, I was taken from Sanandaj prison to the Intelligence Ministry’s detention center, where I was asked to make a false confession on camera, show remorse for the actions I had not committed and reject my beliefs. I did not give in to their illegitimate demands, so I was told that my prison sentence would be changed to the death sentence. They were fast to keep their promise and prove to me how courts always concede to the demands of intelligence and non-judicial authorities. How can one criticize the courts then?
All judges take an oath to remain impartial at all times and in all cases, to rule according to the law and nothing but the law. How many of the judges of this country can say that they have not broken their oath and have remained fair and impartial? In my opinion the number is countable with the fingers on my hand. When the entire justice system in Iran orders arrests, trials, imprisonments and death sentences with the simple hand gesture of an uneducated interrogator, what is to be expected from a few minor judges in a province that has always been discriminated against? Yes, in my view, it is the foundation of the house which is in ruins.
Last time I met in prison with the prosecutor who had issued the initial indictment, he admitted that the ruling was illegal. Yet, for the second time, it has been ruled that my execution should be carried out. It goes without saying that the insistence to carry out the execution at any cost is a result of pressures exercised by political and intelligence groups outside the Judiciary. People who are part of these groups look at the question of life and death of a prisoner only based on their own political and financial interests. They cannot see anything but their own illegitimate objectives, even when it is the question of a person’s right to life - the most basic of all human rights. How pointless is it to expect them to respect international treaties when they don’t even respect their own laws?
Last word: if the rulers and oppressors think that, with my death, the Kurdish question will go away, they are wrong. My death and the deaths of thousands of others like me will not cure the pain; they will only add to the flames of this fire. There is no doubt that every death is the beginning of a new life.
Thank you for being with us today, on the 13th of Aban's demonstrations and conflicts in the streets of Iran. If you have any news to be broadcasted, please be in touch in helping us to bring you the news. Due to our financial difficulties, we would appreciate your cooperation and assistance in sponsoring our publications or introducing any prospects. You can contact us on the email shown below for further necessary coordination
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فیلم های کامل این تجمعات را میتوانید از کانال ما بر روی یوتیوب مشاهده کنید http://www.youtube.com/user/TheBistoon
Urumieh:ارومیهIn Urumieh, Some people and students gathered at Khayyam Square while the police forces were using violence and dispersing people. در اروميه تعدادي از مردم و دانشجويان در فلكه خيام تجمع كردند , نيروهاي انتظامي باآنها درگيرشده وبا خشونت مردم را متفرق كردند
Tehran: Many whom had been in clashes with people and have injured them were from the Basij and security forces. They used baton, cable for their animalistic beatings and sprayed women and young girl with pepper spray. The fact is that all their drastic actions did not stop people from their protests, they continued their way towards the russian embassy and their resistance was very much applaudableبيشترين كساني كه با مردم در گيرشده و آنها را مورد ضرب و شتم قرار ميدادند نيروهاي بسيجي و امنيتي بودند كه با باتوم و سيم كابل به شكل وحشيانه اي مي زدند و گاز فلفل به صورت زنان و دختران و جوانان پرتاب ميكردند , نكته قابل تامل اينجاست كه تمام اين اقدامات وحشيانه مانع مردم نشد و مردم همچنان به تظاهرات ادامه داده و به سمت سفارت روسيه حركت كردند. مقاومت مردم به واقع شگرف وستودني بود
Kermanshah: Wednesday morning, 13th of Aban, the IRI had tried in the past several weeks to prevent the 13th of Aban demonstrations in different cities of Iran by gathering many Basiji students in Basij clothes in front of the ministry of education in order to divert the protest atmosphere whereas the people of Kermanshah changed this atmosphere and kept in line of the protests of 13th of Aban by chanting slogans such as "Down with Dictator", "Down with China", "Down with Russia", and "Yareh Dabestani (My school friend)". Today, in Kermanshah, all the classes in Universities were announced off in order to stop any possibilities of protest gatherings.صبح امروز چهارشنبه 13 آبان ,جمهوری اسلامی در راستاي تلاشهاي چندين هفته گذشته براي ممانعت از برگزاري تظاهرات 13 آبان در شهرهاي مختلف ایران , تعدادي ازدانش آموزان بسيجي را با لباس بسيج و چفيه به محل تجمع مقابل آموزش و پرورش برد تا تظاهرات را منحرف و جو را خراب كند كه جمعيت مردم كرمانشاه كه براي تظاهرات 13 ابان آمده بودند با شعار مرگ برديكتاتور / مرگ بر چين/ مرگ بر روسيه و خواندن سرود يار دبستاني جو مراسم را تغيير دادند.در تمام مسير هاي منتهي به مرکز راهپيمايي بر روي ديوار ها شعار هاي مرگ بر ديکتاتور, مرگ بر خامنه اي نوشته شده است و تلاشهاي نيروهاي مزدور بسيجي كه شعارها را خط خطي كرده بودند كه ديده نشود هم بي نتيجه بود.امروز همچنين در كرمانشاه تمام کلاس هاي دانشگاه ها تعطيل اعلام شده بود تا از هرگونه تجمع احتمالي جلو گيري شود
Lahijan: The crowd started their day from Azad and Payame Nour universities, the head coud count started at 500, people were chanting aganst the dicatorial government and walked to Shohada & Azadegan street, The protest continued on untill 1 p.m.لاهيجان : تجمع مردم از صبح از طرف دانشگاه آزاد و پيام نور لاهيجان برگزار شد, جمعيت حدود 500 نفر بودند مردم عليه حكومت ديكتاتوري شعارهاي اعتراضي داده و در خيابان شهدا و خيابان آزادگان تظاهرات كردند. تظاهرات تا ساعت 1300 ادامه داشت Tehran University: Students are being beaten in front of the Ghods gates. Girls are in the front while boys are in line in the back so they are not beaten as easily or detained. The slogans being sung: " Down with Velayateh Faghih", " rape, crime, down with this regime" دانشگاه تهران :جلوي درب قدس دانشجویان رامورد ضرب و شتم قرار میدهند. دختر ها جلوي پسر ها صف كشيده اند كه آنها را زياد نزنند و دستگير نكنند .شعارهايي كه جمعيت مي دهند :مرگ بر اصل ولايت فقيه/ تجاوز، جنايت، مرگ بر اين ولايت
Borujerd: Brujerd Universitys' Students had put together a large protest. The situation in Borujerd university seemed to be very tense and despite the government's security enforcments and cameras people continued to protest. The security agency and polices' struggle for suppression was unsuccessful. دانشجویان دانشگاه بروجرد تجمع اعتراضی بزرگی برگزار کردند.اوضاع در دانشگاه بروجرد بسیار ملتهب و علیرغم تدابیر شدید امنیتی و فیلمبرداری از مردم اعتراضات ادامه دارد.تلاش حراست و نیروهای لباس شخصی برای سرکوب این اعتراض ناموفق است
Khoram Abad: City of Khorram Abad- Some people have gathered In front of the mosque speakers chanting "Down with USA" while the protesting people of Khorram Abad are chanting back "Down with Russia".The atmosphere is filled with high security and the city police is mobilized and continuously controling the situation and filming is not allowed at all. خرم آباد :در جلو مصلاي خرم آباد تعدادي جمع شده و از بلند گوهها شعار مرگ بر آمريكاپخش ميشود اما مردم معترض خرم آباد هم جواب ميدهند ” مرگ برروسيه ” .جو امنيتي شهر خيلي بالا و بسيج و نيروي انتظامي بيرون ريخته و مستمر كنترل مي كنند و اصلا اجازه فيلم برداري نميدهند
Ilam: Ilam is crowded, and security forces are shooting at students with plastic bullets. The repression forces are arresting those video taping the crises, and beating people with batons. Forces are chasing down the young adults in allies and searching houses where there are asylum. اوضاع در ايلام شلوغ است و نيروهاي امنيتي با تيرهاي پلاستيكي دانشجويان را به گلوله بستند .نیروهای ضد شورش و لباس شخصی كساني را كه فيلم مي گرفتند دستگير كرده و با باتوم به جان مردم افتاده اند. مامورين كوچه به كوچه و خانه به خانه دنبال جوان هايي هستند كه در خانه ها پناه مي گرفتند
Tehran: In Tehran- There are ongoing severe conflicts in Eghelab Square. The Basijis are beating and mutilating people savagely in Eghelab and Azadi Streets and Eghelab square. People's stability is admirable.Currently, people gathered near Vanak Sqaure and are being constantly attached by the repressive forces while people are opening their homes for protestants to take refuge to. هنوز درگيري ها در ميدان انقلاب به شدت ادامه دارد . بسيجي ها هم اکنون در حال ضرب وشتم مردم در خيابان انقلاب و آزادي و اطراف ميدان انقلاب اند. پايداري شگرف مردم ستودني است . هم اكنون مردم نزديک ميدان ونک هستند و مدام مورد حمله سركوبگران قرار ميگيرند ,مردم درب خانه هاي خود را به روي معترضين باز گذاشته اند
Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran: Repressive forces attacked people brutally in Motahari street. The beat and arrested a large number of people. Around 4:00pm, an increasing number of people (estimated thousands) started marching along Motahari Street . Young people cried out, “Death to the dictator,” “Obama, either with them or with us," and “Khamenei is a murderer, his leadership is not valid,” and "Ahmadi is a traitor.”
Iranian Revolutionary Guards (Sepah), the Special Guard, and police forces attacked people violently with baton. A number of people were injured and bleeding from their heads and faces. Many people were arrested and transferred to unknown locations.
After the attack from the Supreme Leader’s soldiers, people formed local gatherings in groups of ten to one hundred and cried out various slogans. Whenever one group got attacked, they spread and formed other groups in different places.
The protests continued until 5:30pm and despite the widespread arrests and brutal attacks, the people did not leave. یورش وحشیانه نیروهای سرکوبگر به اعتراضات مردم در خیابان مطهری و ضرب وشتم و دستگیری تعداد زیادی از مردم
حوالی ساعت 16:00 هزاران نفر از مردم در خیابان مطهری اقدام به راه پیمائی نمودند و هر لحظه بر تعداد آنها افزوده می شد . جوانان با سر دادن شعار مرگ بر دیکتاتور/ اوباما یا با اونا ، یا با باما/ خامنه ای قاتله ولایتش باطله / احمدی خائن...و شعارهای مختلف به راهپیمائی خود ادامه دادند. نیروهای سرکوبگر سپاه پاسداران،گارد ویژه،نیروی انتظامی به مردم یورش بردند و آنها را آماج باتون های خود قرار دادند تعدادی از مردم از ناحیه سر و صورت دچار خونریزی شدند.تعداد زیادی از مردم دستگیر و به نقاط نامعلومی منتقل شدند . پس از یورش مامورین ولی فقیه مردم به صورت دسته های چند ده نفر در نقاط مختلف اقدام به صورت موضعی اقدام به تجمع و شعار دادن می کنند وقتی که مورد تهاجم نیروهای سرکوبگر قرار می گیرند گروه دیگر در نقطه ای دیگر اقدام به تجمع و دادن شعاری می کند.تا ساعت 17:30 اعتراضات بصورت گسترده ادامه دارد و علیرغم یورشهای وحشیانه و دستگیریها گسترده مردم حاضر به ترک آنجا نیستند
Isfahan: 33 o pol: Large populations are gathered and moving towards Shiraz gate. Suppressive forces are trying to disperse the protestors. Today, people in Isfahan have been beaten down by the police forces, but they are still continuing with their protest, which is quite impressive. اصفهان سي و سه پل: در سي و سه پل جمعيت زيادي ازمردم معترض به سمت دروازه شيراز حرکت ميكنند, نيروهاي سركوبگر تلاش ميكنند آنها رامتفرق كنند. امروز مردم اصفهان شديدا مورد ضرب وشتم نيروهاي انتظامي قرار گرفتند وادامه تظاهرات آنها تحسين برانگيز است
Tehran: The guards are placed in Valiasr. The croud is endless, streets and sidewalks are field with people. The guards can not seem to be able to handle people, heavy traffic has accured towards Taleghani st. a large wave of people is moving from Karimkhan and Hafez to Hafte Tir Sq. Use of tear gasses have been reported, the people have captured and are beating a Basij force official and started chanting: "Down with dictator" and "Khamenei is a killer, his leadership is a void: clashes are still happening at valiasr and Hafte tir Sq.. The revolutionary guards are trying to suppress the people and break up their protest. People's courage compared to Coup Deta regime is amazing. گاردي ها در وليعصر آماده باش هستند. تجمع مردم خيلي زياد است بطوريكه پياده روها مملواز جمعيت است . تعداد مردم خيلي زياد است ماموران مزدوراساسا کنترل ندارند , ترافيک سنگيني تا پايين تر از طالقاني ايجاد شده است . از سمت کريمخان تا سر حافظ و خيابان کريمخان جمعيت بزرگي به سمت هفت تير رفتند , مامورين گاز اشک آور زدند و مردم هم يك بسيجي را تا ميتوانستند کتك زدند و شروع به دادن شعاركردند : مرگ بر ديکتاتور /خامنه اي قاتله ولايتش باطله.... در ولي عصر و هفت تير همچنان درگيري و بزن بزن است, نيروهاي سركوبگر ميخواهند مردم را متفرق كنند تا ش شكل نگيرند. عزم واراده مردم در مصاف با دولت كودتا بسيار چشمگير است
Tehran: People's conflict with the mobilization forces and bassijis in the University, Enghelab and 7Tir streets are ongoing. Police forces are using air bullets to disperse the protestors.The protesting people in Tehran streets around Tehran University, Amir Kabi University, Vali Asr St., Keshavarz Boulevard, North Amir Abad are demonstrating.The Basijis in 7Tir are dragging people on the ground by beating and mutilating them while using profanities. Young people were beaten with Baton and Cables. In North Maftah Street, beginning of Modarres, many women and girls have been detained. People who have gathered in the alleys were attacked by special forces on motorcycles as they were beating them fiercefully with batton not having any mercy on young, old, women or girls in order to disperse them. Wanting to stop the protestants from chanting "Down with Dictator" and "Down with Russia", the basijis were using speakers on their Toyotas by chanting their own slogan " Down with USA", "Death to Hypocrites", and " Death to Israel ", in groups of 10 and 20, men and women among the protestors. Protestants in return were chanting with a hoot "Death to the Dictator and Russia" and " Until Ahmadinejad is here, everyday is the same game". According to news reports from Azadi Square, Azadi and Jamazadeh streets, again the anti-riot and basijis are beating people brutaly. Many of the women and girls were detained and also a lot of the young people and women have been injured and taken by Tehran Emergency Ambulances to Khomeini Hospital. درگيري مردم با نيروهاي بسيجي و يگان ويژه در خيابان دانشگاه و انقلاب و ميدان هفت تيرادامه دارد , نيروهاي انتظامي با شليك هوايي در صدد پراكنده كردن مردم معترض هستند.مردم معترض در خيابانهاي تهران محدوده دانشگاه تهران دانشگاه امير كيبر و وليعصر بلوار كشاورز امير آباد شمالي تظاهرات كرده اند. مزدور هاي بسيجي در ميدان هفت تير مردم را مورد ضرب و شتم و آنها را روي زمين مي كشيدند و به آنها فحاشي ميكردند. جوانان را با باطوم و كابل مورد ضرب و شتم قرار مي دادند. در خيابان مفتح شمالي اول مدرس زنان و دختران زيادي را دستگير كردند. مردماني كه دركوچه ها تجمع كرده بودند نيروهاي يگان ويژه با موتور به آنها حمله مي كردند و با باطوم پير و جوان زن و دختر را به طرز وحشتناكي مي زدند و آنها را متفرق مي كردند نيروهاي بسيجي برا ي آنكه صداي اعتراض و شعار مرگ بر ديكتاتور و مرگ بر روسيه را خنثي كنند با ماشين هاي تويوتا داراي بلند گو سرود هاي خودشان را گذاشته بودند و با صداي بلند پخش ميكردند و در دسته هاي 10 و 20 نفره از زنان انتظامي و بسيجي در بين مردم معترض متفرق شده و شعار مرگ بر منافق و مرگ بر امريكا و مرگ بر اسرائيل سر ميدادند كه با هو كردن و شعار هاي مرگ بر ديكتاتور مرگ بر روسيه تا احمدي نژاد ه هر روز همين بساطه روبرو ميشدند . خبرهاي رسيده از ميدان آزادي و خيابان آزادي و خيابان جمالزاده حاكي است, نيروهاي ضد شورش و يگان ويژه و انتظامي و بسيجي مردم را مورد ضرب و شتم قرارداده و تعداد زيادي از دختران و زنان را بازداشت كردند و تعداد زيادي از جوانان و زنان زخمي شدند و توسط اورژانس تهران به بيمارستان خميني منتقل شدند
Tabriz: Suppressive forces are in masses. You can easily see that they have allocated 10 plain clothes for each protestor. Few 16-17 year old Basijis are carrying tear gas guns. Huge numbers of people are gathered at Abresan, protestors are chanting anti regime slogans. Protests continued to the hotel entrance,, people and forces clashes as the walk ways are getting narrower. تبريز : شمارنيروهاي سركوبگر در تبريز بی شمار است, به جرات ميتوان گفت كه امروز براي هر يك نفر 10 نیروی لباس شخصي تخصيص داده شده است . چند پسر 16 , 17 ساله بسيجي سلاح شليک اشک آور دارند ,جمعيت زيادي ازمردم در آبرسان تجمع كرده اند ,تجمع كنندگان از صبح شعار هاي ضد نظام را سردادند.تظاهرات تا در ورودي هتل تبريز هم ادامه داشت که با تنگ شدن پياده رو ، مامورين و بسيجي ها به شدت با مردم درگیر شدند
Tehran: In the area around Karim Khan street, mobile phones were interrupted for several hours. Subway stations in Hafte-Tir, Taleqani, Mofateh and Darvazeh doulat were closed in order to prevent more people from entering the gathering area. The clashes in Valiasr and Fatemi area were also very severe. While a large group of people were marching on Valiasr street from south to north, they chanted, “Death to Dictator” and “Death to Khamenei." The military forces attacked them with batons and tear gas. A lot of the protesters were injured. The demonstrators ran to nearby alleys and tried to help injured people with cigarette smoke and anything possible. However, around 500 people were injured in this violent attack. A lot of people are seriously poisoned by tear gas and the streets surrounding the area are blocked by Basij and military forces. درمحدوده ی خیابان کریم خان موبایل ها برای چند ساعت قطع شد وایستگاه های مترو هفت تیر,طالقانی,مفتح ودروازه دولت وفردوسی برای ممانعت از تجمع بیشتر مردم به روی مردم بسته شد. درگیری های خیابان ولی عصر در تقاطع خیابان فاطمی نیز بسیار شدید بود.در حالی که گروه زیادی از مردم معترض از سمت جنوب به شمال خیابان ولی عصر با صدای مرگ بردیکتاتور ومرگ بر خامنه ای در حال حرکت بودند مزدوران سرکوبگر به مردم حمله کردند وبا باتوم وگاز اشک اور بسیاری از مردم را ضرب وشتم ومجروح کردند.مردم بلافاصله به سمت کوچه ها دويدند , ودر آنجا با روشن کردن کاغذ سیگار وهرچیز دیگری که دم دستشان بود به کمک مصدومان شتافتند.با این حال تعداد زیادی بالغ بر500 نفر در این یورش وحشیانه مجروح ومصدوم شدند.مصدومیت تعداد زیادی از این افراد جدی است ومسمویت ناشی از استشمام گازاشک آور برخی افراد را با مشکل شدید مواجه کرده است این در حالی است که از همه طرف خیابان ها توسط بسیجی ها ونیروهای حکومتی قرق شده است
Tehran: Hafte tir Sq. resumed witnessing protests around 6 p.m. and heavy clashes have been reported between people and the revolutionary guards. People continue on stading up against the guards and are singing anti-regime chants. ميدان هفت تير از ساعت4 مجددا شلوغ شدوبين مردم ونيروهاي سركوبگر درگيري به وجود آمد , مردم به مقاومت درمقابل نيروها ی سرکوبگر پرداخته و شعارهاي ضد حكومتي ميدهند
Tehran: At Beheshti and Motahari Streets along with Keshavarz BLVD, people are being shoot at by plastic bullets which are red colored, and as soon as it hits the protestors the red color spreads on their clothes. This is to make the person and other protestors think that he/she is bleeding. This tactic is being used to get the protestors to panic. در ميدان وخيابان هاي بهشتي ومطهري ونيزبلواركشاورز گلوله هاي پلاستيكي به مردم شلیک شد كه اين بار رنگي و قرمزبود . با اصابت این گلوله ها به بدن مردم رنگ قرمزی به روی آنها پاشیده میشد..این کار موجب میشد هم خود شخص تصور کند که مجروح شده و هم دیگران این تصور داشته باشند. اين تاكتيك براي ايجادرعب و وحشت و شناسائی معترضین دراين خيابان ها انجام گرفت
Tabriz: In Tabriz revolutionary forces have closed the university doors and are not letting stidents out. student are locked in and by chanting: "down with dictator" and "where are you, Satarkhan?" are trying to show their rage and objection نيروهاي سركوبگر درتبريز دربهاي دانشگاه را بسته و مانع از خروج دانشجويان ميشوند , دانشجويان داخل حياط با شعارهاي مرگ بر روسيه و ستارخان کجايي و با تحصن براي بازكردن درب دانشگاه اعتراض خود را نشان دادند
Tehran: Clashes continue at Sadeghie Sq. some of the chants consist of: "Khamenei is a murderer, his leadership should be voided", "death to janati" & "death to Ahmadi nejad" در صادقيه همچنان درگيري ادامه دارد. شعارهاي تظاهر كنندگان عبارتند از : • خامنه اي قاتله , ولايتش باطله • مرگ بر جنتي • مرگ بر احمدي نژاد
Shariat Razavi Hospital: In Shariat razavi Hospital, in Mehrabad, Tehran, as soon as the ambulance pulled up an uproar began among the nurses and the hospital staff. Two young men, of 17 and 18 years of age, were brought our of the ambulance who were injured in today's demonstrations. دربيمارستان شريعت رضوي در مهرآباد تهران ماشين اورژانس وارد بيمارستان شد و همهمه اي توسط پرستاران وپرسنل شروع شد . دو جوان 17 – 18 ساله كه در تظاهرات امروز مجروح شده و خونين بودند از ماشين بيرون آورده شدند .يكي ازآنها مچ پايش وديگري پايش مجروح شده و خون آلود بود . گفته شد كه اين دو جوان درنزديك ميدان آزادي به شدت مورد ضرب و شتم ماموران ونیروهای سركوبگر واقع شده اند،وضعیت سلامتی آنها وخیم است
Karaj Shahryar: People in groups of 100-200s are chanting slogans.“down with dictator” and “political prisoners must be freed” شهریار کرج:در شهریار مردم بصورت جمعهای صد و دویست نفره شعار میدادند. مرگ بر دیکتاتور. زندانی سیاسی آزاد باید گردد Polytechnic University(Tehran): Students of Amir kabir university are out of school and have joined the crowd. At the begining of Karimkhan st. the revolutionary guards attacked a family and took one of their doughters, which at first had to face the people but were able to get away with the help of their gun and batons. At Nejatollahi, Iranshahr, Kheradmand, Azodi, Beh afarin and Hafez street the presence of revolutionary guards and security forces is very feelable. The crowds movement at Valiasr and Hafte tir has confused the guards to the point that they are constantly running between the two squares دانشجويان دانشگاه اميركبير بعد از تعطيل كردن كلاسهاي درس به گروههاي مردمي پيوستند. در ابتداي خيابان كريمخان تعدادي از نيروهاي سركوبگر با حمله به اعضاي يك خانواده يكي از دختران را به همراه خود بردند كه در ابتدا با ممانعت مردم مواجه شدند اما با استفاده از سلاحهاي سرد و گرم خود موفق به گريز از سيل جمعيت شدند. در خيابانهاي نجات اللهي، ايرانشهر، خردمند، عضدي، به آفرين و حافظ حضور نيروهاي امنيتي اعم از انتظامي و لباس شخصي به شدت محسوس است. بسياري از مردم با حركت در ميدان هفت تير و ميدان وليعصر نيروهاي سركوبگر را به شدت سردرگم كرده اند به طوري كه هر سي دقيقه يكبار نيروهاي سركوبگر مجبور مي شوند فاصله ميدان هفت تير تا ميدان وليعصر را براي سركوب مردم طي كنند
Kerman: Large gathering at Kerman Bahonar University, students are turning the student day into an anti government day by chanting “down with dictator” تجمع بزرگی در دانشگاه باهنر کرمان شکل گرفت که در آن دانشجویات با شعارمرگ بر دیکتاتور روز دانشجو را به صحنه اعتراض با حاکمیت تبدیل کردند
Bahonar univ.4th Nov
Arrested: Nafiseh Zareh-Kohan,Vahideh Molavi,Hojjat Sharifi & Ali Mashmouli were arrested during today's protests نفیسه زارع کهن، وحیده مولوی، حجت شریفی، علی مشمولی در تظاهرات امروز بازداشت شدند Nightly Protest: People Shouting : Death to the Dictator on Roofs مردم در پشت بامها شعار مرگ بر دیکتاتور سر داده اند
University of Tehran today 4th Nov.
Thank you for being with us today, on the 13th of Aban's demonstrations and conflicts in the streets of Iran. If you have any news to be broadcasted, please be in touch in helping us to bring you the news. Due to our financial difficulties, we would appreciate your cooperation and assistance in sponsoring our publications or introducing any prospects. You can contact us on the email shown below for further necessary coordination.
At the moment at 8:00: all roads heading towards embassy have been closed and Basij and Anti riot forces have been placed هم اکنون ساعت 8:00 ، تمام خیابانهای منتهی به سفارت بسته شده و نیروهای ضد شورش انتظامی و بسیجی در محلها مستقر شدند
8:30:Basij and sepaah with ful power Surrounded the Russian embassy سفارت روسیه توسط نیروهای بسیجی ویگان ویژه به شدت محافظت میشود
8:35:Reports from Shiraz of 50+ security vehicles, some equipped, stationed behind radio/TV centre تعدادی از نیروهای موتور سوار بسیجی در اطراف صدا و سیما و مراکز حساس شیراز در حال گشت زنی هستند
8:45:Plain clothes are severly overlooking the streets. The plain clothes have been palced at pre-designated with cameras at many major roads نیروهای لباس شخصی به شدت خیابانها را زیر نظر دارند.در بسیاری از خیابانهای اصلی نیروهای لباس شخصی با دوربین در مکانهای از پیش تعیین شده ای مستقر شده اند
8:46: There are report of heavy anti riot police and plain clothes present in 7 tir گزارشها حاکی از حضور پر تعداد نیروهای ضد شورش در میدان هفت تیر است
8:50:Metro will not stop at 7Tir,darvaze dolat and Taleghani مترو در ایستگاههای 7تیر،طالقانی و دروازه دولت توقف ندارد
8:55:Tehran’s streets are quite inflame but yet calm. The primary core of people has not formed yet خیابانها ی تهران به شدت ملتهب اما آرام است.هنوز هسته های اولیه مردم تشکیل نشده است
9:00:"Yare Dabestani" song and "down with dictator" chant can be heard from some Tehran's school since the first hours سرود یار دبستانی و مرگ بر دیکتاتور از حیاط برخی مدارس تهران در اولین ساعات شنیده میشود
***Security guard with the order of Tehran’s prosecutor attacked the house of Mohsen Amoozadeh, member of “ Setade Javanane 88" Pro Khatami and Mousavi and after arresting him, searched his house for two hours. ماموران امنیتی با حکم دادستانی تهران به خانه محسن عموزاده خلیلی از اعضای ستاد جوانان 88 حامی خاتمی و موسوی حمله نموده و ضمن بازداشت وی، به مدت دو ساعت به تفتیش خانه پرداختند
9:20:Students of Sanati Sharif are moving towards Tehran's university دانشجویان دانشگاه شریف به سمت دانشگاه تهران در حرکتند
9:30:Helicopter are flying across Tehran's skies and the roads are still field with Anti-riot and security police.people have not fully formed their groups yet هلی کوپترها در آسمان تهران در حال گشت زنی هستند اما خیابانها همچنان پر از ماموران ضد شورش و امنیتی است.هنوز تجمع قابل توجهی از مردم شکل نگرفته است
9:45:Tehran univesity students are leaving the univesity by chanting "down with dictator" and "it will be the same until AN is in power " Clashes are happening around the university. People are slowly joining خروج دانشجویان از دانشگاه تهران با شعار مرگ بر دیکتاتور و تا احمدی نژاده هر روز همین بساطه. درگیریهای پراکنده اطراف دانشگاه مشاهده میشود.تعداد مردم رفته رفته بیشتر میشود
109628 Online Visitors "We are Countless"V
9:55:Tehran UNIV Students are trying to get out of the Tehran University and Sec. forces are blocking them دانشجویان سعی در خروج از دانشگاه دارند اما نیروهای ضد شورش مقابل درب دانشگاه را سد کرده اند
10:00:Tehran University is surrounded by the plain cloths basiji and security forces. Since the beginning in the morning of Wednesday Aaban 13th (October 4th) the aid unit and plain cloths forces are placed at all streets around the university fearfully. There are many police forces, the special unit are armed with anti-riot guns and are completely ready دانشگاه تهران در محاصره كامل نيروهاي امنيتي و لباس شخصي هاي بسيج قرار گرفته است.از ساعات اوليه صبح امروز چهارشنبه مصادف با 13 آبان ؛ نيروهاي يگان ویژه و لباس شخصي ها از ترس اعتراضات دانشجويان در تمامي خيابان هاي اطراف و كوچه هاي منتهي به دانشگاه تهران مستقر شده اند.تعداد مامورين حكومتي بسيار زياد است به طوري كه در هر چند قدم دو نيرو مستقر شده اند.نيروهاي يگان ویژه به تمام سلاح هاي ضد شورش مجهز هستند و در آماده باش كامل به سر مي برند
10:10:Tehran University is surrounded with Security and plain clothes forces since the start of the morning, November 4th (13th of Aban).The plain clothes forces and police forces are in fear of the students protests, hence are scattered all over the streets and alleys around Tehran University.The are quite a large number of security regime units around to the point of every 2 are at guard. Special forces units are all equipped with anti-riot weapons on alert and are in full stand by دانشگاه تهران در محاصره كامل نيروهاي امنيتي و لباس شخصي هاي بسيج قرار گرفته است.از ساعات اوليه صبح امروز چهارشنبه مصادف با 13 آبان ؛ نيروهاي يگان ویژه و لباس شخصي ها از ترس اعتراضات دانشجويان در تمامي خيابان هاي اطراف و كوچه هاي منتهي به دانشگاه تهران مستقر شده اند.تعداد مامورين حكومتي بسيار زياد است به طوري كه در هر چند قدم دو نيرو مستقر شده اند.نيروهاي يگان ویژه به تمام سلاح هاي ضد شورش مجهز هستند و در آماده باش كامل به سر مي برند
10:15:Security forces are completely alert from Ferdowsi. They are equipped with combat helmet, batons and tear gas. Forces have taken over across the street of Enghelab from Ferdowsi. Forces of Sarallah are placed at Ferdowsi to Gharani street where the ministry of education is located toward the former Embassy of U.S. .The special unit have taken over the intersection of Valiasr towards the Enghelab. They are also placed at Enghelab around the University of Tehran. In allies leading to Enghelab, Basiji and plain cloth forces are placed, they are equipped with baton and combat helmet. Their age range is between 15-19. Yellow buses which appears to belong to The bus company are bringing plain cloth Basiji, they are mainly young adults.
از میدان فردوسی نیروهای امنیتی به صورت کاملا آماده باش مستقرند, آنان مجهز به کلاهخود , باتوم و گاز اشک آور هستند . سرتاسر خیابان انقلاب از میدان فردوسی تا میدان انقلاب را نیروها در اختیار خود گرفته اند .میدان فردوسی به سمت خیابان قرنی که وزارت آموزش و پرورش در آنجاست به سمت سفارت سابق آمریکا در اختیار نیروهای لباس پلنگی است که نیروهای قرارگاه ثارالله سپاه هستند .چهار راه ولیعصر به سمت میدان انقلاب در اختیار نیروهای یگان ویژه نیروی انتظامی است . به سمت میدان انقلاب و اطراف دانشگاه تهران نیز نیروهای یگان ویژه مستقر شده اند .داخل کوچه های منتهی به خیابان انقلاب بسیجی ها و لباس شخصی ها که مجهز به باتوم و کلاهخود هستند مستقرند . لباس شخصی ها را افراد کم سن و سال که بین 15 تا 19 سال دارند تشکیل می دهند. اتوبوس های زرد رنگی که ظاهرا متعلق به شرکت واحد اتوبوسرانی است مرتب دارد نیرو های لباس شخصی و بسیجی وارد می کند اکثر آنان کم سن و سال هستند
10:20:The Tehran University students, minutes ago, started marching towards the gates.
Minutes ago, the Tehran Uni students left the university to wares the direction of the mass march while chanting "Down with Dictator. Per stand byers, there are tension and brief conflicts around where the march is happening. دانشجویان دانشگاه تهران لحظاتی پیش حرکت خود از درب دانشگاه به سمت محل راهپیمایی را آغاز کردند. دقایقی پیش خیل دانشجویان دانشگاه تهران با شعار مرگ بر دیکتاتور دانشگاه را به سمت محل راهپیمایی ترک کردند. به گفته شاهدان عینی، درگیریهای مختصری در گوشه و کنار حرکت دانشجویان دیده شد.
10:30:Clashes in tehran university, sharif and haft tir square.Special guard forces have attacked people درگیریها در دانشگاه تهران،شریف و میدان هفت تیر.نیروهای یگان ویژه به مردم حمله کرده اند
10:35: Anti-riot force are attacking people moving toward Hafte Tear with Batons and are trying to disperse them نیروهای ضد شورش با باتوم به مردمی که قصد حرکت به سمت میدان هفت تیر را داشتند حمله ور شده و سعی در متفرق کردن آنها دارند
10:40:In Mofateh Street and around Haft Tir, tear gas is being thrown towards peopleThey have started beating people with battons and are blocking them from reaching the Haft Tir Square در خیابان مفتح و حوالی هفت تیر به سمت مردم گاز اشک آور پرتاب کرده اند.با باتوم به مردم حمله کرده اند و اجازه رسیدن به میدان هفت تیر را به مردم نمی دهند
10:45:They've started to shoot at ppl in the streets near 7 TIR square. Ppl seeking shelter in nearby homes در کوچه های خلوت منهتی به هفت تیر به سمت مردم تیراندازی شده است و مردم به خانه های اطراف پناه برده اند
10:50:People being injured and bloody are taking refuge to the houses around the areas.there is a house full of people who have ran away from shootings.THe sound of shooting continues in the Haft Tir area مردم با سر و صورت خونی به داخل خانه های اطراف پناه می برند.خانه ای اطراف میدان هفت تیر پر از مردمی است که از دست تیراندازا فرار کرده اند. هم چنان صدای تیراندازی در حوالی هفت تیر شنیده می شود
10:55:All the stores have been ordered to shut down in Enghelab (Revolution) Square. Eventhough hours ago the retailers were allowed to open up for business but the security forces stop them and even the ones that opened up shop were forced to shut down به دستور مقامات تمام مغازه های اطراف میدان انقلاب بسته شدند.در حالی که از ساعاتی پیش کسبه میدان انقلاب برای کار روزانه به مغازه های خود مراجعه کردند مقامات امنیتی مانع بازکردن مغازه های آنها شدند ومغازه های باز شده را نیز بستند
10:58:Azadi and Enghelab square along with Azadi Street are under severe security watch. At 9 AM, many police forces in anti-riot police forms have surrounded the Enghelab square and are blocking people. There is almost anti-riot and special unit forces placed at Enghelab step by step. The North Karegar and Enghelab are supposed to be completely shut down in few hours میدان آزادی و میدان انقلاب و خیابان آزادی شاهد تدابیر شدید امنیتی است.در ساعت 9 صبح تعداد زیادی از نیروهای انتظامی در قالب نیروی پلیس ضد شورش اطراف ميدان انقلاب را محاصره کرده اند ومانع از حضور مردم و توقف آنها می شوند.تقریبا قدم به قدم میدان انقلاب نیروی ضد شورش وگارد ویژه مستقر شده است.قرار است از ساعاتی دیگر خیابان های کارگرشمالی وخیابان انقلاب به طور کامل بسته شود
11:00:Special unit are beating people, people are spreading around all street in masses. Karroubi has been seen on street toward 7 Tir sqr. He is leading a big number of people نیروهای یگان ویژه به مردم حمله ور شده اند.مردم در دسته های بزرگ به خیابانها میایند.کروبی در میدان هفت تیر دیده شده استوی پیشا پیش تعداد زیادی از مردم در حرکت است
11:10:Few Helicopters are petroling Tehran's skies. The shooting is still being heard.They are using Aljavad mosque to arrest and detain people. چندین هلی کوپتر در حال گشت زنی بر روی آسمان تهران هستند. صدای تیراندازی همچنان شنیده میشود.نیروهای لباس شخصی از مساجد اطراف به عنوان بازداشتگاه استفاده میکنند
11:13:People are chanting "don’t be afraid we are all together" and "Down with Dictator" مردم شعار میدهند:نترسی ما همه با هم هستیم ،مرگ بر دیکتاتور
11:15:Shiraz – Streets are not blocked at Shiraz; people need to join the students. People are chanting “down with dictator” مردم در خیابانهای شیراز شعارهای مرگ بر دیکتاتور سر داده اند
11:16:Iranshahr ST; they are attacking people with baton and have thrown tear gas at them به مردم در خیابان ایرانشهر با باتوم حمله شده است.گزارشها حاکی از شلیک گاز آشک آور است
11:18:People are carrying a long green flag at Karim Khan ST while chanting anti government slogans.It’s been confirmed that Karroubi has been seen out with people, but Neda Agha Soltan mother’s arrest has not been confirmed yet. مردم پرچم سبز بزرگی را در خیابان کریم خان بر افراشته اند.حضور کروبی در میان جمعیت تائید شده است اما هنوز خبر بازداشت مادر ندا آقا سلطان تائید نشده است
11:20:Clashes reported at Mofatteh - Motahhari crossing.Security forces trying to disperse crowds with tear gas, few ppl arrested درگیری در تقاطع مفتح -مطهری.نیروهای امنیتی سعی دارند مردم را با گاز اشک آور پراکنده کنند.تعدادی از مردم دستگیر شده اند
11:23:Minutes ago, while chanting "allah O Akbar" and "Death with Dictator", Tehran's University students merged w/ Sharif University students heading to Taleghani and Maftah streets. This is happening while a group of security forces and the coup mercenary forces are blocking the exit gates at the university, not allowing students to exit. تعدادی از دانشجویان دانشگاه تهران پس از پیوستن دانشجویان دانشگاه صنعتی شریف به درب دانشگاه تهران با خروج از محوطه دانشگاه با سردادن الله اکبر و شعار مرگ بر دیکتاتور به سمت خیابان های منتهی به خیابان طالقانی و مفتح در حرکتند. این درحالی است که انبوه نیروهای امنیتی و مزدوران کودتاگران در مقابل برخی از دربهای خروجی دانشگاه مانع از خروج دانشجویان شده است
11:27:At 7 Tir police and anti-riot forces are changing out of police and anti-riot uniforms and arresting people standing alone. نیروهای ضد شورش یونیفورم های خود را عوض میکنند و سعی در دستگیری مردم در خیابانهای خلوت دارند
11:30:Shiraz: from 9.30 to 10.30 in shah cheragh, 1000s has ghatered... and chanting death over dictator.. clashes has take place.. they wanted to arrest a girl.. but a young guy prevented them.. lots of people.. people are chanting anti-regime slogans
شيراز ازساعت 0930تا1030: درشاه چراغ هزاران نفرجمع شدند وشعار مرگ برديكتاتور مي دهند بين نيروهاي انتظامي ومردم درگيري شد و ميخواستند يك خانمي را دستگير كنند كه يكي ازجوانان مانع شد ميدان علم شلوغ شده است در فلكه ستاد جمعيت زيادي جمع شده است و مردم شعارعليه دولت ميدهند
11:33:Orange colors are being thrown at people which is not wiping off easily so they can identify people faster and easier! رنگهای نارنجی که به مردم پاشیده اند به سختی از روی لباسها پاک می شود و برای شناسایی مردم این کار را انجام داده اند
11:35:Big group of people are moving towards Valiasr with no clashes reported at this time. Takhte Tavoos is completely shut down. گروه زیادی از مردم در حال حرکت به سمت خیابان ولیعصر هستند،تا به حال در این خیابان درگیری گزارش نشده است.تخت طاووس کاملا مسدود است
11:37:Clashesh at Esfahan university درگیری در دانشگاه اصفهان
11:40:Moment ago, few of the people marching who have joined the rest were detained in Ferdosi Square that has been closed few hours ago and the oppressive forces were using tear gas and batton to scatter the masses.Also per the eyewitness reports, the clashes continue in Haft Tir Sq. and the anti-riot forces are shooting bullets in the air in order to disperse people. Some of the marchers in the side streets of Haft Tir have been beaten severely by batton and some were directed elsewhere.Eyewitnesses have recommended that marchers to stay away from the side streets.Also, based on reports received from the green wave of freedom, the path leading to the former American Embassy and streets leading to the Russian Embassy is closed off by the coup forces.As mentioned before, the Sharif University students that have started their march towards the masses joined in the crowd to carry on. لحظاتی پیش عدهای از راهپیمایان که در میدان فردوسی به صفوف راهپیمایی پیوسته بودند بازداشت شدند. میدان فردوسی از ساعتی پیش بسته شده است و سرکوبگران از گاز اشکاور و باتوم برای متفرق کردن جمعیت استفاده میکنند. همچین بر اساس گزارشهای شاهدان عینی، درگیریها در میدان هفت تیر ادامه دارد و نیروهای ضد شورش از تیر هوایی برای متفرق کردن جمعیت استفاده کرده است. عدهای از راهپیمایان که به خیابانهای فرعی در میدان هفت تیر پناه برده بودند به شدت مورد ضرب و شتم چماقداران قرار گرفتند و عدهای نیز به ونهای مخصوص هدایت شدند. شاهدان عینی توصیه کردهاند که راهپیمایان از ورود به خیابانهای فرعی خودداری کنند. همچنین بر اساس آخرین گزارشات واصله به موج سبز آزادی، مسیر منتهی به سفارت سابق آمریکا و همچنین خیابانهای منتهی به سفارت روسیه توسط نیروهای کودتاگر بسته شده است. گفتنی است که دانشجویان دانشگاه شریف نیز که از سمت دانشگاه خود به سمت محل راهپیمایی حرکت کرده بودند به جمع راهپیمایان پیوستند.
11:45:Heavy clashes, people are injured and are seeking shelters at the nearby houses.People are not able to get to Valiasr from Karimkhan.Police forces are taking the arrested people towards the private parking by the houses at Taleghani st. and keeping them there for the time being. مردم در اثر درگیریهای گسترده مجروح شده و به خانه های اطراف پناه میبرند.مردم امکان تردد به خیابان کریم خان زا ندارند.پلیس مردم دستگیر شده را به پارکینگ خانه های مردم میبرد وبرای مدتی در آنجا نگه میدارد.
11:50:Mobile phones are shut down. They are beating people down to death at 7 Tir and Valiasr. شبکه موبایل در مناطق مرکزی تهران قطع است.به جمعیت حاظر در میدان هفت تیر و ولیعصر به شدت حمله شده است
12:00: At Tehran university female students are sitting down upfront with the male students behind them while the anti-riot forces are surrounding them. Students are chanting slogans.No one is able to get close to Tehran University; even cars are not allowed to stop by the university
دانشجویان در دانشگاه تهران در حال اعتراض و سر دادن شعار هستند.دختران در صف مقابل نشسته اند و پسران در پشت آنها و در مقابل نیروهای ضد شورش در حال سر دادن شعار هستند.امکان تردد به دانشگاه وجود ندارد
12:10:The people in the city of Shiraz while chanting "Down with Dictator" and " Hossein, Mir Hossein" marched towards the Doneshjoo Square. In this square more people are joining in the march. It is being mentioned that anti-riot forces are using tear gas to disperse the crowd in this city مردم شیراز با سر دادن شعارهای مرگ بر دیکتاتور و یا حسین میرحسین، به سمت فلکه دانشجوی این شهر حرکت کردهاند. در میدان دانشجو هر لحظه بر جمعیت راهپیمایان افزوده میشود. گفتنی است نیروهای ضدشورش تا به این لحظه برای متفرق کردن راهپیمایان شیرازی از گاز اشکاور استفاده کردهاند
12:15:During Haddad Adel’s speech (13 Aaban ceremony) “Down with dictator” slogan were heard. people are merging from different street while chanting “down with dictator” “aria is our generation, religion separate from state”. درمیان سخنان حداد عادل که در مراسم دولتی سخنرانی میکرد بارها صدای مرگ بر دیکتاتور شنیده شد.مردم در خیابانهای مختلف شعار میدهند مرگ بر دیکتاتور و نسل ما آریا،دین از سیاست جدا
12:17:So far, there hasn't been any direct shooting towards people. Karroubi's detentions has not been confirmed however, an audience have witnessed his beatings. بازداشت کروبی تایید شده نیست، ضرب و شتم او را حاضران دیدهاند، امااز باداشت وی گزارشی نرسیده است
12:20:People are moving from Amir Aabad towards Tehran University to join the students.They are beating people and dispersing them, people are running away. مردم سعی دارند از خیابان امیر آباد به دانشجویان بپیوندند.مردم را به شدت مورد ضرب و شتم قرار میدهند.مردم در حال فرار هستند
12:25:More than 1000 people have gathered in Chahar Bagh Street and chant "Down with Dictator", while police forces are beating them by battons. People were dispersed. Currently the police forces have taken over this area and there is one police per person in the area بيش از 1000 نفر در چهارباغ اصفهان تجمع كرده و شعار مرگ بر ديكتاتور ميدهند , نيروي انتظامي با باطوم به جمعيت حمله كرده و به سر و روي مردم ميزند . جمعيت متفرق شدند . در حال حاضر نيروي انتظامي اين منطقه را گرفته است و تقريبا ما به ازاء هر يك نفر يك نيروي انتظامي است
12:30: In Tehran, Seven people were detained in Karim Khan Zand Street however, people keep marching fealessly towards Haft Tir. The Regime forces are using the Javad Mosque as a temporary detention facility. The repression and beatings are being conducted more severely on the side streets هفت نفردر كريم خان زند دستگير شدند ولي مردم بدون ترس و واهمه به سمت هفت تير ميروند. مزدوران حكومتي از مسجد جواد به عنوان بازداشتگاه موقت استفاده ميكنند . سركوب مردم در خيابانهاي فرعي شديد تر است
12:37:Number of students of Tehran University and street protestors are moving towards university's main enterance. Students are surrounded by the special unit and are chanting anti dictator slogans. It also has been reported that at Amir Aabad (Northern Karegar) many people are gathered. Protestors at northern Karegar are chanting "until AN is in power it will be the same" and "down with dictator". Anti-riot forces at the northern Karegar and Enghelab streets along with street towards University are beating people and by throwing tear gas at them trying to disperse them تعداد دانشجویان در دانشگاه تهران و راهپیمایان در خیابانهای اطراف دانشگاه به سمت درب اصلی دانشگاه همچنان رو به افزایش است.دانشجویان در دانشگاه تهران و خیابانهای اطراف که همگی توسط یگانهای ویژه امنیتی محاصره شده است شعارهای مرگ بر دیکتاتور سر دادهاند. همچنین گزارشهای رسیده از خیابان امیرآباد( کارگر شمالی) نیز حاکی از حضور گسترده سبزهاست. راهپیمایان در خیابان کارگر شمالی شعار تا احمدینژاده هر روز همین بساطه، و مرگ بر دیکتاتور را تکرار میکنند. نیروهای ضدشورش در خیابانهای کارگر شمالی و میدان انقلاب و نیز در خیابانهای منتهی به دانشگاه به ضرب و شتم راهپیمایان و پرتاب گاز اشکآور برای متفرق کردن مردم مشغولند
12:40:People are chanting “peace for the world, democracy for Iran”,"Down with akhamenei","Down with Ahmadinejad","Down with Dictator".100’s have been arrested and many are injured. heavy clashes at 7 Tir sqr. مردم شعار میدهند:صلح برای دنیا،دموکراسی برای ایران.مرگ بر احمدی نژاد.مرگ بر خامنه ای و مرگ بر دیکتاتور.صدها مجروح و بازداشتی گزارش شده است.درگیریها در میدان هفت تیر شدیدتر است
12:55:In Shiraz 20 people were detained, many have been injured and more than 100's of air bullets have been shot. on 11am wednesday morning, while the state ceremony of the 13th of Aban have ended in Shahcheragh under intense security measures, in Namazi Square and Alam Shiraz many of the security and civil forces are being notices while people masses are in Alam Square and students in Pardis Sq are continuing and all of a sudden they were surrounded by a sudden influx of 50 motorcyle forces with bull masks.Due to the short distance between these two Squares people are being surrounded on both end which caused them to runaway to safety. The civil clothes forces were filming and taking pictures of the scenes and people involved. Meanwhile, many of the students with banners in hand were detained quicky while others were resisting which escalated the conflict. Student slogans ended in air fire and getting beat down by the forces. More than 20 protestors have been arrested by the anti-riot and police forces. Plain cloths Basiji's were shooting videos only while threading people by spray and throwing tear gas at them. A student was drowned in blood as result of anti-riot forces attack and his shirt was torn, he was able to run away from the forces. But, another injured protestor with bloody face was laying down on the street and people attempted to help him but was taken away by a masked police on a motorbike. Currently, Internet, Gmail, Yahoo and Hot mail are filtered. درشيراز 20نفردستگير شدند , تعدادي زخمي وبيش از100گلوله هوائی شليك شد. در ساعت 11 صبح روز چهارشنبه در حالی که مراسم حکومتی روز 13 ابان در شاهچراغ تحت تدابیر شدید امنیتی به پایان رسیده بود درمیدان نمازی و الم شیراز حضور بسیار پررنگ نیروهای امنیتی پلیس و لباس شخصی ها دیده می شد که با تجمع مردم در میدان الم و دانشجویان در میدان پردیس ادامه یافت که ناگهان جمعیت مورد هجوم بسیار گسترده بیش از 50 موتورسوار نقاب دار قرار گرفت. بدلیل کوتاهی مسیر و فاصله بین این دو میدان مردم از هر دو طرف در محاصره قرار گرفتند که در اثرآن اقدام به فرار کردند. حضور لباس شخصی ها که اقدام به تهیه فیلم و عکس از مردم می کردند بسیار مشهود بود .در همین حال تعدادی از دانشجویانی که پلاکاردهای دست سازی به همراه داشتند سریعا دستگیر شدند که همین امر و مقاومت مردم, درگیری را تشدید کرد. شعار های دانشجویان موجب شلیک هوایی و ضرب و شتم آنان گردید که در این میان بیش از 20 نفر دستگیر شدند که همه توسط نیروهای ضد شورش و پلیس بود و لباس شخصی ها فقط فیلم می گرفتند و تهدید به اسپری و گاز اشک اور می کردند. در اثر حمله ضد شورش به یک دانشجو که مشخص نشد به چه دلیل و با چه وسیله ای بود پیراهن وی پاره و غرق در خون شد که وی توانست از دست ماموران بگریزد .اما یک زخمی دیگر را که با سر و صورت خونین افتاده بود مردم قصد نجات داشتند که با موتور پلیس نقاب دار ضد شورش از محل دور شد. هم اكنون اینترنت جیمیل یاهو و هات میل همگی فیلتر هستند
1:05:Mehdi Karubi have been beaten in the 13th of Aban's march by the pro-coup forces.Per the news reports, he has been taken away by his followers from the scene of conflict. مهدی کروبی توسط ارذل و اوباش حامی کودتا در راهپیمایی 13 آبان مورد ضرب و شتم قرار گرفته است. اخبار دریافتی حاکی از آن است که وی پس از این درگیری شدید، با همراهی محافظان خود از آن منطقه خارج شده است
1:10:More than 25 Wounded transfred to Arad Hospital and some to Army Hospital بیش از 25 مجروح به بیمارستان آراد منتقل شده اند
1:20: Heavy Clashes at Valiasr st درگیریهای شدید از خیابان ولیعصر گزارش میشود
1:25:Around 200 to 300 people have gathered in the City Center of Rasht towards the University of Sciences, however, the security and police forces attacked and dispersed them. Again, they headed towards the municipality while chanting anti-regime slogans but these regime forces attacked them severely by electrical batons and beat them with brutality and savagery حدود 200 الي 300 نفر در مركز رشت به سمت دانشكده علوم پايه جمع شده بودند كه نيروي انتظامي و ماموران سركوبگر به آنها حمله وآنها رامتفرق كردند. مجددا جمعيت به سمت شهرداري جمع شدند وشعارهاي ضد حكومتي دادند اما ماموران سركوبگر با باتوم برقي به آنها حمله كرده وشديدا د ركمال بي رحمي مردم را با توم برقي ضرب وشتم كردند
1:35: Tabriz ,Heavy Clashes In Abresan Tabriz. student are protesting at the university درگیریهای شدید در آبرسان تبریز.دانشجویان دردانشگاه تحصن و اعتراض کرده اند
1:45:The people of City of Zahedan, in solidarity and fellowship with the people of tehran and other cities across Iran have risen to the occasion against the regime of coup. In the Liberty Square (Azadi) of Zahedan some people gathered with banners in hand stating anti-regime and protest slogans. Also in Sistan University, the students of Chemistry Department, about 200-300 of them have gathered. مردم زاهدان هم همپا با مردم آزاده تهران وساير شهرهاي ميهنمان عليه دولت كودتا به پا خواسته اند . درميدان آزادي زاهدان تعدادي ازمردم تجمع كرده و دردستشان پلاكاردهايي كه حاوي شعارهاي ضد نظام واعتراضي است دردست دارند,همچنين در دانشگاه سيستان دانشجويان دانشكده شيمي حدود 200-300 نفر تجمع كردند
1:50:Clashes in Rasht,Shiraz,Mashhad,Arak & many other cities درگیریهای گسترده ای در رشت،شیراز،مشهد،اراک و اصفهان گزارش میشود
2:00:Conflict in front of the Politechnic University Dorms in Afarin Street ( In Karimkhan between Vali Asr and Afarin).The situation of Haft Tir, Karim Khan and valiasr is very severe and the conflicts and fighting continues and some of the people are marching towards Vanak درگیری مقابل خوابگاه دانشجویان پلی تکنیک خیابان به آفرین ؛ کریمخان بین ولیعصر و حافظ.اوضاع هفت تیر و کریمخان و ولیعصر بسیار متشنج و درگیری ها همچنان ادامه دارد برخی به سمت ونک در حرکت هستند
Due to difficulties and danger in the streets and the telecommunication being down, our team have been scattered and in safety for a while until a couple of hours later to report accordingly. Based on the emergency reports, we will update Shouresh however, if things are moving as is, we shall have a full report in a few hours. Check Shouresh for further updates
The political situation in Iran today is such that a more advanced and more radical people than the intellectuals and political powers have entered the arena and are expressing their issues and desires in various statements. In this edition I’d like to assign the Editor’s note to a statement published by a group of Iran’s students, who in recent years have represented one of Iran’s political groups. Leftist and socialist students who have called people to the streets to protest against the status quo. These students who time and again have in their protests and activities announced that they stand in solidarity with the workers’ and women’s movements and plan to build strong ties between the classes and various movements.
Sincerely, Saeed valadbaygi
Statement from the Socialist students of the universities of IranAgainst execution, suppression and the shameless sentences against student activists and the workers’ movement
The people’s protest movement against dictatorship and the corruption of Islamic socio-political capitalism continues and in various new forms, moment by moment confusing the dictatorship further. At a time when street campaigns are taking place at long intervals, the student movement has entered the battlefield with the start of the new academic year and every day we witness the successive protests and campaigns that from university to university, in the spirit of solidarity with one another and the movement, has gained momentum and mass appeal. Students have rightly realized that they must adopt the people’s street slogans in universities and in the process pursue the issues and desires of the workers, women, teachers and all sections of society for equality and freedom. The workers’ movement in the past few months following the electoral coup d’etat, has become one of the most critical and most sensitive issues in the social and political arena. On the one hand the economic and living conditions of the workers has made them resort to successive strikes in factories and industrial centres large and small. And on the other the presence of workers in recent protests, though not organized, their public campaign against the dictatorship is linked and a new horizon is open to them. Therefore the workers’ protest and struggle has entered a new phase, towards progress and achievement. The coup d’etat government, from the moment of the people’s eruption, has constantly strived to employ its institutional suppressors to stop this surge. Now that the coup d’etat government is at the peak of confusion and international, regional and domestic disturbance, after it riddled large numbers of freedom seeking people with its bullets, after the killing, the imprisoning, the torture and disappearance of large numbers of women and men who were only seeking equality and freedom, it’s now the turn of the social movements, especially the activists and leaders of the worker’s movement and student’s movement who have been subjected to heavy and shameless prison sentences. Heavy sentences of two to five years that have been issued in the last month. Disciplinary sentences that deprive students from study, alongside enforcing an atmosphere of high security in universities, are the coup d’etat government’s measures against the new conitunuous campaigns and protests of the university students throughout the country that has brought it to its knees. Likewise the arrests of labour activists, suppression of strikes and issue of shameless prison sentences at the hands of the Islamic dictatorship in the pursuit of its project to crush the movement, achieves nothing but an end to protest, the right of the people. The sum of these suppressions, of the coup d’etat government’s efforts, that include political suppression and the suppression of social movements and confrontational initiatives and the removal of social institutions such as NGOs - especially those active in the field of children’s rights and the struggle against the exploitation and shameless abuse of children - create an atmosphere of public intimidation where capital punishment and particularly that of children and young people applies. The death penalty, the hideous tool of organized murder at the hands of dictatorship governments, advances with rash process, the most disastrous form of which is the execution of young people and Iran, in helping the oppressive capitalist Islamic government, was the pioneer of this and has the highest per capita rating. And we have seen how inefficient pressure and formal recommendations from international institutions has been in putting a stop to it. All these desperate efforts on the part of the coup d’etat government demonstrate its troubled state. And neither a return to pre electoral coup d’etat times is possible nor advancement and putting a stop to the people’s protest.that is becoming more radical, by the desperate Islamic capitalist creation of an atmosphere of oppression and intimidation. It cannot build a dam against this movement. Social movements, particularly the worker’s movement will gain strength as they take greater shape and unite with other campaigns and will guarantee their power in the struggle. In the same way the worker’s movement, as with the expectations of the masses in the people’s movement, will be the pioneers of this struggle and take a huge step towards the horizon for the struggle of the past 30 years. The socialist students of Iran’s universities in condemning repression and the shameless sentencing against labour activists and student activists, and the rash and abhorrent executions of the coup d’etat government, defend the people’s anti-dictatorship struggle for freedom and equality and democratic rights. We pronounce our solidarity with the struggle and resistance against dictatorship and all our efforts are for the advancement of the public demands of social, freedom seeking movements. And we will engage fully with all actions that look towards this horizon.
Long live the mass campaign against dictatorship! Long live freedom and equality! Long live socialism!
Iranian band Kiosk might be exiles from their country of origin, but that has not stopped them from becoming symbols for a new generation of Persian music fans.
The band started out in a basement in Iran nearly 18 years ago. It is a story that is familiar to many contemporary musicians in Iran. Many bands decide to go literally underground, wary of the government's strict censorship laws, and limited tolerance of criticism, setting up makeshift studios in underground basements of friends and families. The band's lead singer and songwriter Arash Sobhani says that these makeshift studios are called "kiosks" - which is where the band's name comes from. Speaking to the BBC World Service, he says there are thousands of them all around the Iranian capital, Tehran. "Fifteen years ago there was no music stores and even carrying a electric guitar was not something you'd want to do on the streets," he explains. This type of cultural restriction sent many young musicians and bands into hiding.
>Fraught with danger Even releasing albums is fraught with danger, particularly if the lyrics are seen to be critical of the government or the clergy, making it very difficult for musicians playing modern or western to make a living in Iran. "That's why we have the underground music movement in Iran... people are really connecting to these kinds of lyrics and music," Sobhani says. These days he says the situation has improved a little, but there is still a long way to go. "Its got better because the population started to get younger and the government had to allow for some of these things, but still, compared to the number of bands and musicians we have inside Iran the situation is not good," he says. For Kiosk, the strict laws and censorship eventually forced them to move overseas. The band has been based in the US since 2006, they have just released their third studio album Global Zoo and these days their studio and their fan base is very much above ground. Last year they were awarded the Best Blues Band of 2008 by the World Academy of Arts, Literature, and Media. Their music is a distinct blend, mixing the traditions of blues, country and Persian music. Their sound might be a long way from underground, and its folksy style belies its serious, political content.
>Global zoo The band's guitarist and manager Babak Khiavchi says the band does not want to be tied to any particular genre, they prefer to simply play the music they like and is fun for them. "We are trying to go our own alternative direction which is different from the mainstream Persian pop music scene which is mostly cheesy lyrics and recycled ideas and dance music," he says. But he also is quick to point out that despite the fun they are having, their lyrics are a social commentary on the issues that affect the daily lives of Iranians all over the world. "We feel that there is a lot more potential in music for talking about social and cultural problems," he says. "It doesn't matter which country we are living in right now, we do feel like we are modern day gypsies, but we still have the same problems that we used to have as a culture whether in Iran or outside Iran." The band says the album's title Global Zoo is a reflection of not just Iran but the world. "When you look at the world it's more really a zoo, it's not even a jungle - you're captured you're in a cage and monkeys are running the world and so it's more like a zoo than a village," explains Sobhani. With the benefit of distance, does the band ever feel like they would like to return to Iran? There are after all presidential elections scheduled for June, and Iran's former president, and pro-reformist, Mohammad Khatami has said that he is planning to run in them. BBC correspondents say he has a good chance of unseating the current President, conservative Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. "Its very unpredictable, there's no really easy way of doing long term planning when it comes to Iran and its regulations," Sobhani says. And to make matters worse, Iran still remains in the eyes of many in the West, a global pariah, part of former US President George W Bush's axis of evil. "[The Iranian government] keep changing their statements every day. Its more like mind games than talking about facts and statics," says an exasperated Sobhani. "The whole world is really confused about Iran. Do we have a bomb or we don't have a bomb? We don't know either!"
Kiosk is a Persian Blues/Rock/Jazz band established by some friends , some years ago in a basement somewhere in Tehran.
Kiosk has never been limited by music style or location. It continues to evolve and experiment by using music and lyrics to express itself and connect to its worldwide audience.
Saeed Valadbaygi
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