Gathering in solidarity with the Iranian people: ”Green Squares for Freedom in Iran”
Speakers:
1. Riccardo Noury, spokesperson for Amnesty International Italy
2. Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, spokesperson for Iran Human Rights
3. Ahmad Rafat, journalist and founder of the Initiative for Freedom of Expression in Iran
The event took place in Rome, Italy on February 14, 2010.
“Democratic changes demanded by the Iranian people are impossible in the frame of the current constitution of the Islamic Republic.” This is what Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, spokesperson for Iran Human Rights, said yesterday at the “Green Squares for Freedom in Iran” gathering in Rome.
In his speech Amiry-Moghaddam talked about the democratic movement which “has shaken the foundations of the regime.” He also drew attention to the critical situation of the movement: “As the regime uses more violence, the movement could run the risk of turning radical and extremist. We are facing the risk of a spiraling violence, and nobody can predict the results.”
Amiry-Moghaddam said that the international community has a huge responsibility in the future developments of the Iranian people’s struggles. He added, “It is fine that western administrations condemn the use of violence by the Iranian regime, but we need to do something more. The international community has to acknowledge the legitimate requests of the Iranian people. A referendum, supervised by the United Nations, is a pacific option that we suggest as defenders of Human Rights.”
Regarding the nuclear issue, Amiry-Moghaddam said: “Nuclear weapons in the hands of the regime are dangerous, especially for Iranians. It is important that the West is aware of this, as long as talks with Iranian authorities continue. Human rights should not be jeopardized in the hope that the regime would delay, even for a short time, the uranium enrichment process. A democratic Iran is the only warranty of a sustainable peace and stability in the Middle East.”
English transcription of video:
RICCARDO NOURY: Thank you to those who have decided to spend Valentine’s Day with young men and women, the Mourning Mothers, journalists, trade unionists, and photographers fighting for human rights in Iran. [Thank you for spending it with] people who since June (also before June) have demonstrated their opposition against a government that has systematically violated human rights for 31 years. If our videos and pictures get passed on in Iran to two different recipients (the government will see that around the world, there are people concerned with the human rights situation in Iran and the Iranians who risk their lives every day to send us information and footage), then this gathering [today] will have been useful.
MAHMOOD AMIRY-MOGHADDAM: Dear friends, for 30 years the Iranian people have lived under persecution, censorship, and discrimination. For 30 years, political opponents have been locked up in prisons to be tortured and executed.
Today, the Iranian regime is fighting for its survival. The wall of fear has been shot: people walk down the streets and shout, “No to dictatorship,” even though they know that they are risking their lives. In the last eight months, we have witnessed peaceful young Iranians rise against the Revolutionary Guards and the Basij forces. The regime has never been so divided. The same men who have been loyal to the regime for 30 years, now are turning their backs. The regime has no legitimacy even among its own supporters.
AHMAD RAFAT: In Iran there are many young people who were not involved in recent post-election events, but were arrested just for walking in a park with their girlfriends or boyfriends, because they were in a car holding hands. [Iran] is a country where it is not even allowed to express affection and feelings, so we can imagine how difficult it is to express an idea.
At this time that I speak to you, there are 67 journalists in prison (I am a journalist too). Iran is the biggest prison in the world for journalists at this time. 109 newspapers have been closed in one year. In the last six months, 62 journalists were forced to leave the country illegally because their newspapers were closed and they were not allowed to write. They crossed the borders of Turkey, Iraq, and Pakistan to seek asylum abroad.
On February 11th, nearly 1,100 people were arrested during an official event organized by the government, just because they were chanting unofficial and “unwelcoming” slogans to the authorities. At least three people died just because they demonstrated.
More significantly, two people who had not even participated in the June post election protests (because they were in jail at the time) were hanged. Another nine people have been sentenced to death for participating in Ashura demonstrations (December 27th). Iranian protesters have never used guns and weapons. They did not want to overthrow the regime. They just asked a question, “Where is my vote?” Nothing more.
I believe solidarity with my compatriots shown by western countries is not adequate at this time. Prime Minister Berlusconi recently issued a statement that stated supporting the Iranian opposition is a duty. I look around and I do not see any support for the Iranian opposition. I see that Iranian students were not allowed to protest in front of the Iranian embassy both in Rome and in Milan on February 11th. If this is called “support,” I wonder what would have happened to the Iranian community in Italy if there had been “no support!” Maybe we would have been locked up for protesting against Ahmadinejad, calling for democracy and freedom, demanding accountability for our vote.
I believe that western governments should focus more on human rights rather than on nuclear issues. Even if [the West] bombards a few nuclear sites in Iran, they will not be able to delay [the productivity] of the nuclear program. Bu if Iran is democratic, the country will not be dangerous to West.
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