Two videos telling the story of what happened in Iran’s streets on Ashura day 1388, 27 December 2009. This is how the Iranian regime that calls itself Islamic treats its own citizens!
Warning for graphic content!
Part 1:
The picture of a girl at 7:23 is not from Iran.
Part 2:
30 December 2009
27 December 2009
Live reports from Iran 27 December
6 Day - The Day of Ashura
Today is the 10 day of Moharram, the day Imam Hossein and his followers were massacred by an army sent by Yazid I of the Ummawwid Dynasty in Karbala.
These blogs are following today's events live:
Also reporting:
YouTube channels:
High quality pictures:
Today is the 10 day of Moharram, the day Imam Hossein and his followers were massacred by an army sent by Yazid I of the Ummawwid Dynasty in Karbala.
These blogs are following today's events live:
- Josh Shahryar: Daily Nite Owl
- EnduringAmerica
- Street Journalist (English and farsi)
- Iran News Now
- The Hype: Dissected News for a Curious World
Also reporting:
YouTube channels:
- onlymehdi
- onlymehdii1
- peive17
- freedommessenger20
- madyariran
- iran09twitter
- TheBistoon
- l1ssnup Playlist Tehran 27 December 09
- UNITY4IRAN
High quality pictures:
- Madyar's Twitpic
- Revolutionary Road (Facebook)
- ismanews
26 December 2009
Live blogging from the streets of Iran
26 December (5 Day)
These blogs follow today's evets in Iran live:
(Will be updated during the day)
These blogs follow today's evets in Iran live:
- Josh Shahryar: Daily Nite Owl
- Iran News Now
- StreetJournalist
- EnduringAmerica - Videos
- Tehran Bureau
(Will be updated during the day)
19 December 2009
Iran acknowledges prisoners were beaten to death
By ALI AKBAR DAREINI, The Associated Press, December 19, 2009
TEHRAN, Iran -- After months of denials, Iran acknowledged Saturday that at least three people detained in the country's postelection turmoil were beaten to death by their jailers.
The surprise announcement by the hard-line judiciary confirmed one of the opposition's most devastating and embarrassing claims against authorities and the elite Revolutionary Guard forces that led the crackdown after June's disputed presidential vote. […]
The judiciary also said it has charged 12 officials at Kahrizak prison - three of them with murder, but it did not identify them. The prison, on the southern outskirts of the capital, Tehran, was at the center of the opposition's claims that prisoners were tortured and raped in custody.
Full story in Washington Post.
TEHRAN, Iran -- After months of denials, Iran acknowledged Saturday that at least three people detained in the country's postelection turmoil were beaten to death by their jailers.
The surprise announcement by the hard-line judiciary confirmed one of the opposition's most devastating and embarrassing claims against authorities and the elite Revolutionary Guard forces that led the crackdown after June's disputed presidential vote. […]
The judiciary also said it has charged 12 officials at Kahrizak prison - three of them with murder, but it did not identify them. The prison, on the southern outskirts of the capital, Tehran, was at the center of the opposition's claims that prisoners were tortured and raped in custody.
Full story in Washington Post.
BBC: Exclusive interview with Mehdi Karoubi
Jon Leyne, BBC’s Tehran correspondent, sits down for an interview with Karroubi.
Article and video on BBC News
(Video is dubbend in English)
Some quotes:
Article and video on BBC News
(Video is dubbend in English)
Some quotes:
- “The Iranian government is being kept in power by force and will not last its four-year term.”
- "The government's response, the crackdown, has not calmed things down at all. In fact, it's just made the chanting louder. It's just increased the people's demands."
17 December 2009
People arrested on 16 Azar (7 Dec)
More names released according to HRA:
- Azad Uni student from Arak, Zahra Hosseni (Female, 28yrs) arrested at Valiasr is in Evin
- Atefeh Hashemi Moghadam (Female 26yrs) arrested at Enghelab is in Evin
- Shirin Rezaee (Female, 28yrs) arrested at Enghelab is in Evin
- Ali Abasi 30yrs, arrested at Vesal is in Evin
- Emad SoltaniNiya 23yrs, arrested is in Evin
- Benyamin Mazloumi 20yrs, arrested at Valiasr is in Evin
- Mahmoud Heydarzadeh 29yrs, arrested at Hafez is in Evin
- Morteza Mohajeri, 22yrs, arrested at Valiasr is in Evin
- Mehdi Sadeghi 31yrs, arrested around Sharif Uni is in Evin
- Amin Fatemi 20yrs, arrested at Valiasr is in Evin
- Mohamad Hasan Mohtashami Por 25yrs, arrested at Felestin is in Evin
- Alireza Javadi 30yrs, arrested at Enghelab is in Evin
- Ali Babaiyan 26yrs, is in Evin
- Naveed Eghbal Doost, 26yrs, arrested at Valiasr is in Evin
- Saeed Maleki 25yrs, arrested at Enghelab is in Evin
- Mohsen Mir Alavi 30yrs, arrested at Valiasr is in Evin
- Vahid ShahinFar 28yrs, arrested at Felestin is in Evin
- Jamal Nasiri Kohbanani 32yrs, whereabouts unknown
- Maziyar Ghanbarzadeh 26yrs, whereabouts unknown
A Basij Witness Tells His Story
- of election fraud, the following crackdown and sexual abuse
First published on Channel 4 News (UK)
His story confirms reports from victims and human rights groups, who say rape has been used all over Iran in the brutal months since the June election. Some quotes:
“In truth the orders didn’t come after the election. The orders for all that you witnessed came before the election. From three or four months before the election we had attended classes on ideological and political thought and crowd control.”
“We had received orders a matter of months before that there is jurisprudence, that there is the jurisprudence of the Imam Zaman, (the 13th Imam, who is expected to return like a Messiah) whose incarnation is Ayatollah Khamenei, and that he had announced that for the advancement and development of Islam and the development of the revolution no-one could be more effective than Mr. Ahmadinejad. Therefore the order came that Mr Khamenei has him in mind, that Mr Khamenei has Mr Ahmadinejad in mind for the presidency and so he must be announced as the winner. “It’s he who is best suited to this revolution, order and Velayat Faqih (Iranian system of Islamic jurisdiction)”
“For us who were responsible for the ballot boxes the order was this: that Aqa’s [Khamenei's] wish is for Ahmadinejad to win. For illiterate people and those not able to complete their ballots, you must do so for them and complete them accordingly (for Ahmadinejad), no matter who their vote was intended for. Same with blank votes.”
“When the voting was over, the boxes were opened, but not all of them. A few were opened and counted, then we received another order to send the boxes to the main centre.”
“Because a reaction was expected, we had been ordered from before the election for all security forces to be ready for the following day.[…] The command was that we were to prevent any gathering of people to take shape.”
“Any hint of protest was to be firmly supressed. […] In our view, it was not a protest against the issue but a protest against Ayatollah Khamenei himself.”
We had orders “to attack everyone without restraint or mercy regardless of age. It was made clear, there was to be no difference between child or adult, men and women. Proper attack, without warning, or any discussion.”
“In the clashes, anyone who was wounded would be arrested. If they couldn’t catch them they’d get someone else. They would arrest anyone they could. It made no difference who it was. Wounded, not wounded. If they were activists, all the better. Young children, young adults. The treatment of them – the mode of attack and length of attack on them left me in shock.”
“The command was to arrest as many 12-18 year olds as possible and bring them back. This group caused the most trouble so the idea was not to give them any opportunity to congregate. Many were arrested. Again, several locations had been prepared to take them and keep them there.”
“They had some containers ready. They had arrested some youngsters and were asking them their age and were separating them accordingly. Over 18s went into to one container and the under 18s into the several other containers. The number of children under the age of 18 was greater. They filled three or four containers of some 25 people in each.
“Then we heard noise from the yard. […] The sound of screams and pleading and crying. We didn’t understand what was going on. […] I couldn’t believe that they would want to do such a thing: to rape.”
“It’s as if it’s replaying in front of me. The faces, the screams are with me every moment. […] They were pleading, they were crying, they wanted help, but my brother is a more senior authority than me. We went to see what was happening.”
“We asked what all the noise was about. They said “Nothing, this is Fath ol Moin (aid to victory). We said: ‘What do you mean, what are you doing? Who’s in there?’ […] ‘What’s happening, why are they crying?’
“My relative was furious and very frustrated. He was very angry. When we got there he said: ‘What is this? Sexual abuse is a serious crime. Who gave this order? Who authorised this? Haji calmly replied with a smile: ‘This is Fath Al Moin. It’s a worthy deed. There’s nothing wrong with it. Why are you complaining?’
“My relative said again: ‘Is there anything more filthy than this, more ugly than this? With children, these are children, they haven’t done anything. They’re from our own home town.’
“The pain and the shame in front of people and before God. […] We really saw ourselves as upstanding and separate from others. We really believed that what we did was correct, that we were serving the people, that we were serving God and that our mission was nothing but worshipping God.”
“Now I’m left with my conscience punishing me for what I did. I hope that God and people forgive me.”
Part 1:
Part 2:
Full English text on Channel 4 News
Also on the blog StreetJournalist
First published on Channel 4 News (UK)
His story confirms reports from victims and human rights groups, who say rape has been used all over Iran in the brutal months since the June election. Some quotes:
“In truth the orders didn’t come after the election. The orders for all that you witnessed came before the election. From three or four months before the election we had attended classes on ideological and political thought and crowd control.”
“We had received orders a matter of months before that there is jurisprudence, that there is the jurisprudence of the Imam Zaman, (the 13th Imam, who is expected to return like a Messiah) whose incarnation is Ayatollah Khamenei, and that he had announced that for the advancement and development of Islam and the development of the revolution no-one could be more effective than Mr. Ahmadinejad. Therefore the order came that Mr Khamenei has him in mind, that Mr Khamenei has Mr Ahmadinejad in mind for the presidency and so he must be announced as the winner. “It’s he who is best suited to this revolution, order and Velayat Faqih (Iranian system of Islamic jurisdiction)”
“For us who were responsible for the ballot boxes the order was this: that Aqa’s [Khamenei's] wish is for Ahmadinejad to win. For illiterate people and those not able to complete their ballots, you must do so for them and complete them accordingly (for Ahmadinejad), no matter who their vote was intended for. Same with blank votes.”
“When the voting was over, the boxes were opened, but not all of them. A few were opened and counted, then we received another order to send the boxes to the main centre.”
“Because a reaction was expected, we had been ordered from before the election for all security forces to be ready for the following day.[…] The command was that we were to prevent any gathering of people to take shape.”
“Any hint of protest was to be firmly supressed. […] In our view, it was not a protest against the issue but a protest against Ayatollah Khamenei himself.”
We had orders “to attack everyone without restraint or mercy regardless of age. It was made clear, there was to be no difference between child or adult, men and women. Proper attack, without warning, or any discussion.”
“In the clashes, anyone who was wounded would be arrested. If they couldn’t catch them they’d get someone else. They would arrest anyone they could. It made no difference who it was. Wounded, not wounded. If they were activists, all the better. Young children, young adults. The treatment of them – the mode of attack and length of attack on them left me in shock.”
“The command was to arrest as many 12-18 year olds as possible and bring them back. This group caused the most trouble so the idea was not to give them any opportunity to congregate. Many were arrested. Again, several locations had been prepared to take them and keep them there.”
“They had some containers ready. They had arrested some youngsters and were asking them their age and were separating them accordingly. Over 18s went into to one container and the under 18s into the several other containers. The number of children under the age of 18 was greater. They filled three or four containers of some 25 people in each.
“Then we heard noise from the yard. […] The sound of screams and pleading and crying. We didn’t understand what was going on. […] I couldn’t believe that they would want to do such a thing: to rape.”
“It’s as if it’s replaying in front of me. The faces, the screams are with me every moment. […] They were pleading, they were crying, they wanted help, but my brother is a more senior authority than me. We went to see what was happening.”
“We asked what all the noise was about. They said “Nothing, this is Fath ol Moin (aid to victory). We said: ‘What do you mean, what are you doing? Who’s in there?’ […] ‘What’s happening, why are they crying?’
“My relative was furious and very frustrated. He was very angry. When we got there he said: ‘What is this? Sexual abuse is a serious crime. Who gave this order? Who authorised this? Haji calmly replied with a smile: ‘This is Fath Al Moin. It’s a worthy deed. There’s nothing wrong with it. Why are you complaining?’
“My relative said again: ‘Is there anything more filthy than this, more ugly than this? With children, these are children, they haven’t done anything. They’re from our own home town.’
“The pain and the shame in front of people and before God. […] We really saw ourselves as upstanding and separate from others. We really believed that what we did was correct, that we were serving the people, that we were serving God and that our mission was nothing but worshipping God.”
“Now I’m left with my conscience punishing me for what I did. I hope that God and people forgive me.”
Part 1:
Part 2:
Full English text on Channel 4 News
Also on the blog StreetJournalist
16 December 2009
Amanpour: update on Iran
CNN, 10 December 2009
CNN's Christiane Amanpour looks at the international community's relations with Iran following continued student protests. Her guests are:
Link to CNN video
Wall Street Journal: Iranian Crackdown Goes Global, by Farnaz Fassihi (14 Dec 09)
CNN's Christiane Amanpour looks at the international community's relations with Iran following continued student protests. Her guests are:
- Farnaz Fassihi, from Wall Street Journal, who recently published an investigation about the global monitoring and harassment of Iranians abroad by Iran authorities.
- John Limbert, Dep. Assistant Sec. for Near East and former US hostage.
- Shirin Neshat, filmmaker and artist
Link to CNN video
Wall Street Journal: Iranian Crackdown Goes Global, by Farnaz Fassihi (14 Dec 09)
13 December 2009
Desperately looking for a change
A Twitter activist on the reformist movement in Iran (7 Dec)
Source
We shouldn’t forget that ordinary people have been scared with all rights to speak up their minds in over 30 years. They need some time and encouraging examples to defeat that and it is exactly what’s happening in Iran since the Election. Iranian people have once again refunded their so long lost self-confidence. People have desperately looked for a change during the last 28-30 years and any attempt for more freedom has been crushed. After the serial arrests/executions of the political opposition at the end of the 70s and the 80s no opposition worth mentioning has excited inside Iran. The reformist movement gave people some hope of improvement and involved the student activists and the students have supported it since the start. It has been the safest way, NOT the fastest, but again the safest way to implement changes and ideas for the students (and the people) since NOTHING else has been allowed. The reformist movement in Iran is very complex and includes so many ideas and interests, for its survival it can’t deny the “Valihe Faghih” but it has been pushing the limits since the death of Khomeini. The Students are women rights movement, human rights activists, socialist and etc… Students are probably the most radical supporters of the Reformist movement and have paid a high price for that. Elderly people who experienced the 1979 Revolution and the Iran – Iraq war are more cynical, most of them didn’t even want to vote in the last three presidential elections, but each election younger has tried to involve them. The reformist movement has helped to regroup and reorganize a solid opposition at the grassroots level in Iran which has grown day by day despite the crackdowns, arrests and many disappointments.
Something has been in the air in Iran for the last couple of years and having AN as president has only intensified it. The majority of the people united determined to get rid of AN this summer and dared to hope for a better Iran and The rigged election pulled the trigger.
I can’t speak for everyone but now after 5 months fight with the coup I am certain that the majority of the people lead by the students want to have secularism Iran. The majority of the people have desired a secular democracy in Iran for a long time, but now they (Greens) know that they can achieve it and the way to do it has been through reformist and will be for some more time and anything else would be stopped quite easily & violently by the coup-maker even more violent than now. You can just hear it through the chants and slogans in every protests that things are changing in Iran. Each slogan includes a powerful message to the Coup and to the world but mainly to other people in Iran. Don’t be afraid we can do this.. Velayate Faghih’s time is over. We passed the redline June 2009. No return, no surrender. We must just keep fighting patiently until the day... The victory will be ours soon …
/Mani
(I have made some small corrections in the text)
Source
We shouldn’t forget that ordinary people have been scared with all rights to speak up their minds in over 30 years. They need some time and encouraging examples to defeat that and it is exactly what’s happening in Iran since the Election. Iranian people have once again refunded their so long lost self-confidence. People have desperately looked for a change during the last 28-30 years and any attempt for more freedom has been crushed. After the serial arrests/executions of the political opposition at the end of the 70s and the 80s no opposition worth mentioning has excited inside Iran. The reformist movement gave people some hope of improvement and involved the student activists and the students have supported it since the start. It has been the safest way, NOT the fastest, but again the safest way to implement changes and ideas for the students (and the people) since NOTHING else has been allowed. The reformist movement in Iran is very complex and includes so many ideas and interests, for its survival it can’t deny the “Valihe Faghih” but it has been pushing the limits since the death of Khomeini. The Students are women rights movement, human rights activists, socialist and etc… Students are probably the most radical supporters of the Reformist movement and have paid a high price for that. Elderly people who experienced the 1979 Revolution and the Iran – Iraq war are more cynical, most of them didn’t even want to vote in the last three presidential elections, but each election younger has tried to involve them. The reformist movement has helped to regroup and reorganize a solid opposition at the grassroots level in Iran which has grown day by day despite the crackdowns, arrests and many disappointments.
Something has been in the air in Iran for the last couple of years and having AN as president has only intensified it. The majority of the people united determined to get rid of AN this summer and dared to hope for a better Iran and The rigged election pulled the trigger.
I can’t speak for everyone but now after 5 months fight with the coup I am certain that the majority of the people lead by the students want to have secularism Iran. The majority of the people have desired a secular democracy in Iran for a long time, but now they (Greens) know that they can achieve it and the way to do it has been through reformist and will be for some more time and anything else would be stopped quite easily & violently by the coup-maker even more violent than now. You can just hear it through the chants and slogans in every protests that things are changing in Iran. Each slogan includes a powerful message to the Coup and to the world but mainly to other people in Iran. Don’t be afraid we can do this.. Velayate Faghih’s time is over. We passed the redline June 2009. No return, no surrender. We must just keep fighting patiently until the day... The victory will be ours soon …
/Mani
(I have made some small corrections in the text)
7 December 2009
Live blogging from the Streets of Iran
16 Azar, 7 December
Follow these blogs for live updates from today’s protests in Iran:
Street Journalist
Enduring America
Iran News Now
Iranian.com (farsi)
Homylafayette
-also following:
http://livingdocuments.wordpress.com/
France24international
Follow these blogs for live updates from today’s protests in Iran:
Street Journalist
Enduring America
Iran News Now
Iranian.com (farsi)
Homylafayette
-also following:
http://livingdocuments.wordpress.com/
France24international
29 November 2009
28 November 2009
We all want to know who is responsible
- for the arrests, torture and killings
A collection of tweets from the last 24 hours by a Twitter activist.
- Kianoush Asa's family has written to Parliaments's Fact Finding Commission requesting answers re his death. Kianoush participated in the mass peaceful protest of June 15. Eyewitness says he was shot once in his side. For nine days Kianoush's family tried to find his whereabouts. They contacted Evin and all possible places he could be. Kianoush's body had been turned over to coroner's office on 6/18. His family identified him on 6/24. The family says Kianoush had also been shot in his neck and his mouth was full of blood. Not only Kianoush's family wants to know, we all want to know, where was he shot again, and who shot him? We all want to know why while his body was at the coroners office, his family wasn't notified?
- We all want to know who was responsible for so many murders and why have they not been arrested.
- We all want to know why this regime continues to arrest journalists, students and activists.
- We all want to know who tortured and killed Amir Javadifar in Kahrizak.
- We all want to know who tortured and killed Mohsen Rooholamini in Kahrizak.
- We all want to know who is responsible for the death of the Kahrizak doctor. His parents say he wasn't suicidal.
- We all want to know why a death sentence was given to a 27 year old kurdish activist after a short trial.
- We want you to know, regime, that life has value and is given to us by God and that you have no right to take it away so easily.
25 November 2009
Maziar Bahari: Witness
CBS, 60 minutes, November 22, 2009
Recently freed after four months of interrogation and torture in Evin prison, Iran, Newsweek reporter Maziar Bahari tells his story to Bob Simon, including his forced TV-confession, and videos from the post-election protest.
Link to CBS.news video
About the revolutionary guards:
Recently freed after four months of interrogation and torture in Evin prison, Iran, Newsweek reporter Maziar Bahari tells his story to Bob Simon, including his forced TV-confession, and videos from the post-election protest.
Link to CBS.news video
About the revolutionary guards:
"These guys are in charge of your life, and they are stupid!"
22 November 2009
Maziar Bahari explains his detention in Evin prison
- with Fareed Zakari on GPS (CNN)
CNN interview with Maziar Bahari who spent 118 days in Evin prison, in solitary confinement:
CNN interview with Maziar Bahari who spent 118 days in Evin prison, in solitary confinement:
Part 1:
Part 2:
Also read Bahari’s article in Newsweek
118 Days, 12 Hours, 54 Minutes
- in Evin prison
"Evin Prison, June 21, 2009 (around 10 a.m.)
The interrogator sat me in a wooden chair. It had a writing arm, like the chair I'd had in primary school. He ordered me to look down, even though I was already blindfolded: "Never look up, Mr. Bahari. While you are here—and we don't know how long you're going to be here—never look up." All I could see from under the blindfold was the interrogator's black leather slippers. They worried me. He had settled in for a long session."
The interrogator sat me in a wooden chair. It had a writing arm, like the chair I'd had in primary school. He ordered me to look down, even though I was already blindfolded: "Never look up, Mr. Bahari. While you are here—and we don't know how long you're going to be here—never look up." All I could see from under the blindfold was the interrogator's black leather slippers. They worried me. He had settled in for a long session."
A letter from a bahai’ prisoner
Haleh Rouhi (English + farsi)
In May 2006, a group of over 80 dedicated individuals were arrested in and around the city of Shiraz. They were involved in a teaching project benefiting underprivileged children of several neighborhoods. The volunteers taught the children basic personal hygiene, moral principles and kind ways to interact with others, including parents and siblings. At first children came only slowly to the volunteers, some with their pocket knives ready! Their attitude soon changed. They even started getting up early on the days of their class to tidy the open field, clearing away the garbage and debris, sprinkling water to reduce the dust in their gathering area and generally preparing the field for their class.
The volunteers had obtained permission from the Islamic authorities of the city to conduct their activities. Muslim members of the group were immediately released. However, 54 Bahais were detained for a few days, but later released on bail. In August 2007, these Bahais were tried by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court. They were charged with offences relating to state security.
Three of them, namely, Raha Sabet, Haleh Rouhi and Sasan Taqva, were sentenced to four years imprisonment for organizing illegal groups and propaganda on behalf of groups that are opposed to the Islamic regime. The other Bahais in the group received a one year suspended sentence provided they participate in a three year Islamic studies course, much of which consists of anti-Bahai propaganda, to which students are not allowed to respond.The essay below is written by Haleh Rouhi, one of the three Bahais sentenced to 4 years of imprisonment.
In May 2006, a group of over 80 dedicated individuals were arrested in and around the city of Shiraz. They were involved in a teaching project benefiting underprivileged children of several neighborhoods. The volunteers taught the children basic personal hygiene, moral principles and kind ways to interact with others, including parents and siblings. At first children came only slowly to the volunteers, some with their pocket knives ready! Their attitude soon changed. They even started getting up early on the days of their class to tidy the open field, clearing away the garbage and debris, sprinkling water to reduce the dust in their gathering area and generally preparing the field for their class.
The volunteers had obtained permission from the Islamic authorities of the city to conduct their activities. Muslim members of the group were immediately released. However, 54 Bahais were detained for a few days, but later released on bail. In August 2007, these Bahais were tried by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court. They were charged with offences relating to state security.
Three of them, namely, Raha Sabet, Haleh Rouhi and Sasan Taqva, were sentenced to four years imprisonment for organizing illegal groups and propaganda on behalf of groups that are opposed to the Islamic regime. The other Bahais in the group received a one year suspended sentence provided they participate in a three year Islamic studies course, much of which consists of anti-Bahai propaganda, to which students are not allowed to respond.The essay below is written by Haleh Rouhi, one of the three Bahais sentenced to 4 years of imprisonment.
Mohammad Ali Abtahi was released this morning
- on a $700.000 dollar bail
Former Vice President Mohammad Ali Abtahi was released this morning on a $700.000 bail (about €470.000 or £425.000) after 160 days in prison. This is not a permanent release. He now has 20 days to submit his appeal, and may still face six years in prison.
"Mohammad Ali Abtahi is the most senior reformer to face imprisonment following the disputed presidential election in June. Abtahi was vice president for parliamentary and legal affairs during the 1997-2005 presidency of Mohammad Khatami.
Abtahi made televised confessions after his arrest in which he admitted provoking people to riot. His family and fellow reformers said the confessions were obtained under duress. Abtahi was a top adviser to pro-reform cleric Mehdi Karoubi, who finished fourth in the presidential elections." (Guardian UK)
This is the first picture taken of Abtahi after his release:
Abtahi has also posted on his blog. http://webneveshteha.ir/ He says he will soon return to updating the blog on a daily basis and thanked everyone for their support.
But as soon as he had updated his blog it was hacked.
This afternooen he also received a vist from former president Mohammad Khatami.
Sources:
*****************
Afterthought:
All this money! 425.000 pounds! In which pockets do they end up?
21 November 2009
Nazanin Afshin-Jam on Human Rights in Iran
From HumanRightsUN on YouTube
Please watch and listen!!
Part 1:
Part 2:
Mohammad Ali Abtahi sentenced to six years in prison
According to english.mowjcamp.com:
(Quoting full article)
Iran’s former vice-president Mohammad Ali Abtahi has been sentenced to 6 years in prison.
In an interview with ayandenews website, the daughter of Iran’s former Vice
-president has denied previous reports about her father’s release. Fatemeh Sadat Abtahi told ayandenews that this morning, Mr Abtahi had gone back to his house accompanied by 5 individuals who conducted a search of the house and then went to court afterwards where he was informed that he would be facing a six year prison sentence for his alleged role in the aftermath of the rigged elections in June.
Following the court appearance, Abtahi was then moved back into the notorious Evin Prison where he has been held since mid-June when he was arrested. Mr Abtahi’s lawyer hopes to secure his client’s release on bail tomorrow.
Abtahi was one of the well-known political figures who were forced to make false confessions in the first round of show trials that were held following the election turmoil.
The senior reformist politician is being investigated for charges that include acting against internal security, advertising against the Islamic Republic of Iran, insulting the President, disrupting public order by taking part in illegal gatherings and withholding classified documents.
**************
Update 22 November:
The news about Abtahi’s sentence was reported by several news agencies today:
8 November 2009
Update on Mohammad Ali Abtahi
Still in prison despite TV-confession
Mohammad Ali Abtahi has not been released from prison despite giving a televised confession. Abtahi, a cleric, was one of Iran's most prominent political bloggers. He was also a member of Assoc. of Combatant Clergy, and a senior adviser to Karroubi and Khatami. Before his TV confession (in August), Abtahi had been fed false news, for example with fake newspapers. But he has since been able to get a clearer picture of developments in the country. He is now resisting interrogators and refusing to update his blog with info fed by the regime. It is reported that this is the reason for his continued detention. The regime also fears he will say he confessed and posted on his blog under duress if he is freed.
By @homylafayette on Twitter 6 November
Mohammad Ali Abtahi has not been released from prison despite giving a televised confession. Abtahi, a cleric, was one of Iran's most prominent political bloggers. He was also a member of Assoc. of Combatant Clergy, and a senior adviser to Karroubi and Khatami. Before his TV confession (in August), Abtahi had been fed false news, for example with fake newspapers. But he has since been able to get a clearer picture of developments in the country. He is now resisting interrogators and refusing to update his blog with info fed by the regime. It is reported that this is the reason for his continued detention. The regime also fears he will say he confessed and posted on his blog under duress if he is freed.
By @homylafayette on Twitter 6 November
Mehdi Karroubi on the 13 Aban protests
- and the current political situation
13 Aban - or 4 November - is the annual commemoration day of the takeover of the American Embassy in 1979. The green movement had long planned to hit the streets on this day, and they were met with brutality, violence, tear gas and arrests.
13 Aban - or 4 November - is the annual commemoration day of the takeover of the American Embassy in 1979. The green movement had long planned to hit the streets on this day, and they were met with brutality, violence, tear gas and arrests.
In this video Mehdi Karroubi, one of the opposition leaders, tells of his own experience trying to take part in the protests and comments on the current situation in general. He ends his comments with these words directed at the Iranian regime:
“I feel that these policies would create problems for the situation of our people, and it looks like the government is lost and does not know what to do. And I understand this to be my responsibility to clarify things even if they bring repercussions, for which I do not care. This dual policy is going to erode people’s trust and tomorrow, they will not believe our words. They should not.”
The video has English subtitles
Link to full English translation (Enduring America blog)
5 November 2009
The opposition movement is very much alive
4 November: Iran continues to stand firm against the forces of dictatorship
This video was made by two Twitter activists.
This video was made by two Twitter activists.
4 November 2009
BBC Newsnight report on the protests 4 November
The opposition movement is far from being crushed
After weeks of relative silence the protests flared up again all over Iran on 4 November. Hundreds of protesters were arrested or beaten up in the streets. The opposition movement is still very much alive!
From the video: The opposition leaders are following the crowd. They are not leading the people.
1 November 2009
Iran criticizes West for human rights violations
From: Iran's state television network, 31 October 2009
This is what Iran's state TV broadcasts when young protesters and political prisoners are tortured and killed in Iranian prisons. As one Twitter activist said: "Want to get mad? Read this!!"
(The article is quoted in full. I’m sure they don’t mind.)
“Iran has criticized the US, Canada and the EU for human rights violations before the General Assembly's Third Committee at UN Headquarters in New York.
“Racial and religious prejudice have increased in the EU countries in the past few years,” IRNA quoted the Iranian delegation as saying on Friday.
“Muslims and religious minorities are verbally and physically attacked and are often barred from job opportunities,” the delegation added.
According to the Iranian delegation, Muslims are even deprived of performing their religious rituals in public places and are prevented from following the Islamic dress code.
The Iranians went on to say that police in the EU countries have "resorted to torture and violence which have been mentioned in various UN committees.”
The delegation also referred to the human rights violations in Canada, saying that native Canadians face "severe prejudice with a lower standard of living in comparison with others.”
“Native women are the victims of police violence and rape. They are kept in mixed prisons in which they are inevitably bothered by either their cellmates or prison staff,” they added.
Referring to cases of human rights violations in the United States, the Iranian delegation said “according to UN reports, ethnic minorities and residents who are originally from Africa or Latin America are the victims of prejudice and deprived of human rights.”
The Iranian delegation also touched upon Israeli atrocities committed against Palestinians and deplored Washington's unconditional support for Tel Aviv.
“The US government fully supports Israel's brutal actions, murders, tragic tortures and inhuman behavior against the Palestinians,” they concluded.”
This is what Iran's state TV broadcasts when young protesters and political prisoners are tortured and killed in Iranian prisons. As one Twitter activist said: "Want to get mad? Read this!!"
(The article is quoted in full. I’m sure they don’t mind.)
“Iran has criticized the US, Canada and the EU for human rights violations before the General Assembly's Third Committee at UN Headquarters in New York.
“Racial and religious prejudice have increased in the EU countries in the past few years,” IRNA quoted the Iranian delegation as saying on Friday.
“Muslims and religious minorities are verbally and physically attacked and are often barred from job opportunities,” the delegation added.
According to the Iranian delegation, Muslims are even deprived of performing their religious rituals in public places and are prevented from following the Islamic dress code.
The Iranians went on to say that police in the EU countries have "resorted to torture and violence which have been mentioned in various UN committees.”
The delegation also referred to the human rights violations in Canada, saying that native Canadians face "severe prejudice with a lower standard of living in comparison with others.”
“Native women are the victims of police violence and rape. They are kept in mixed prisons in which they are inevitably bothered by either their cellmates or prison staff,” they added.
Referring to cases of human rights violations in the United States, the Iranian delegation said “according to UN reports, ethnic minorities and residents who are originally from Africa or Latin America are the victims of prejudice and deprived of human rights.”
The Iranian delegation also touched upon Israeli atrocities committed against Palestinians and deplored Washington's unconditional support for Tel Aviv.
“The US government fully supports Israel's brutal actions, murders, tragic tortures and inhuman behavior against the Palestinians,” they concluded.”
17 October 2009
Stop Child Executions!
- and Release Innocent Prisoners!
Thousands of people are injustly arrested, tortured, raped, and possibly even executed in Iran. Many of these victims are only minors. We must stop these injustices. Think of your own daughters, sons, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, friends, etc and ask yourself if it were them, or better yet if it were you, would you not want someone to help? Please sign petitions and act loudly against such acts. We accomplish so many things peacefully. We must all join in an stop this injustice done to our fellow humans. The song is called "Coma" and it is by Buckethead feat. Azam Ali and Serj Tankian.
A video made by @thesilentdove
Thousands of people are injustly arrested, tortured, raped, and possibly even executed in Iran. Many of these victims are only minors. We must stop these injustices. Think of your own daughters, sons, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, friends, etc and ask yourself if it were them, or better yet if it were you, would you not want someone to help? Please sign petitions and act loudly against such acts. We accomplish so many things peacefully. We must all join in an stop this injustice done to our fellow humans. The song is called "Coma" and it is by Buckethead feat. Azam Ali and Serj Tankian.
A video made by @thesilentdove
The first years after the revolution ...
Tweeted by @arianirani October 10th
The first years after the revolution Khomeini ordered execution of monarchist....we did not care....We were not monarchists!!
The first years after the revolution Khomeini ordered execution of monarchist....we did not care....We were not monarchists!!
A few years later...Khomeini ordered the execution of MK...we did not care....we were not MK!!
A few years after...Khomeini ordered the mass execution of Bahaiis...we did not care...we were nor Bahaii!!
Later...Khomeini ordered the execution of communists (Toudeh Party) ...We did not care...we were not communists!!
Under Rafsanjani.... political dissident have been assassinated...we did not care...we were not political dissidents!!
Under Khatami ...Iranian intellectual were victim of chain assassination ...we didn't care....we were not intellectuals!!
Today Ahmadinejad ...is hunting for the rest of us....shall we still say that we do not care!!!
That reminds me of an old saying: "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing"!!!
First they came for ...
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak out for me
Source Wikipedia
Scream Now!!
Justice Islamic Republic Style
Seven Bahai’s facing execution in Iran October 18!! - i.e. Tomorrow!!
Warning. Graphic Images.
This video was posted on YouTube by @shariatmadari as a response to this video:
Please go to this link to help save these lives!
4 October 2009
30 September 2009
Torture in Iran - CBS 60 Minutes
April 5, 2009
What really happened in Iran after the election
50 min documetary, via @onlymehdi
Unfortunately no English subtitles, but the video tells a powerful story on its own.
26 September 2009
At least 200 killed in Tehran alone
- in the wake of the post election unrest
The documents suggest that at least 200 demonstrators were killed in Tehran, with 56 others still unaccounted for, and that 173 were killed in other cities. These are several times higher than the official figures. Just over half of the 200 were killed on the streets. […]
The documents also suggest that a chain of unofficial, makeshift prisons has been set up across Iran where rape and torture are common practice. In Tehran alone, 37 young men and women claim to have been raped by their jailers. Doctors’ reports say that two males, aged 17 and 22, died as a result of severe internal bleeding after being raped.
Times online has done some excellent reporting on human rights violations in Iran in the wake of the post election unrest. On September 18, the paper revelaed that they had been given access to several documents suggesting that the killings, rape and torture stories that have leaked out of Iran since June, is part of a systematic program ordered by the highest authorities and aimed at breaking the opposition.
Excerpts from the article:
Times online. September 18, 2009
[…] The Times has been given access to 500 pages of documents […] They suggest that security forces have engaged in systematic killing and torture to try to break the opposition.
“The use of rape and torture was similar across prisons in Tehran and the provinces. It is difficult not to conclude that the highest authorities planned and ordered these actions. Local authorities would not dare take such actions without word from above,” wrote one investigator, in a coded reference to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader.
Mehdi Karoubi, 72, a defeated presidential candidate, said: “These crimes are a source of shame for the Islamic republic.”
Western non-governmental organisations said the documents corroborated what they were hearing from Iran […]
“We are repeatedly receiving credible reports of harsh beatings, sleep deprivation and alleged torture to extract false confessions in Iranian jails,” said Steve Crawshaw, UN director of Human Rights Watch. “Iran has fallen off the front pages but this doesn’t mean the situation is improving. On the contrary, we very much fear it is getting worse.”
The documents suggest that at least 200 demonstrators were killed in Tehran, with 56 others still unaccounted for, and that 173 were killed in other cities. These are several times higher than the official figures. Just over half of the 200 were killed on the streets. […]
The rest of Tehran’s 200 known victims died in custody […] In three quarters of the cases, the victims’ families were told nothing about their whereabouts and were denied permission to hold proper funerals. The opposition claims that dozens were buried in unmarked graves in Behesht-e Zahra cemetery. […]
The documents also suggest that a chain of unofficial, makeshift prisons has been set up across Iran where rape and torture are common practice. In Tehran alone, 37 young men and women claim to have been raped by their jailers. Doctors’ reports say that two males, aged 17 and 22, died as a result of severe internal bleeding after being raped.
Many of the male rape victims also spoke of beatings, being subjected to forms of sexual humiliation including riding naked colleagues, and living in their underwear and in filthy conditions. Some testified that prisoners were subjected to torture including beatings, electrocution and having their toenails torn out. […]
Female rape victims were mostly held for days, not weeks, like the men. Some said that their jailers claimed to have “religious sanction” to violate them as they were “morally dirty”.
Almost all, male and female, testified that they were ordered to say nothing of their ordeal or they would face more of the same.
The documents detail other systematic abuses: violent raids on student dormitories, attacks on the homes of suspected opposition sympathisers and the widespread intimidation of medics. They cite instances of security forces storming hospitals and ordering doctors not to treat injured demonstrators, not to record deaths by gunshot and to suppress medical reports indicating rape or torture. […]
[Karroubi]: “There are no few stories about the rape of girls and boys in prison. I say to myself three decades after the revolution and two decades after the death of the Imam [Ayatollah Khomeini] — what place have we reached?”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)