Obama’s message to Iranian protesters: History is on your side.

Over the past week, tens of thousands of Iranians in cities all over the country have been demonstrating against their government in favor of democracy. Protests erupted last week at funeral services for the dissident cleric Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali al-Montazeri, who died December 19, and continued to gather force into the sacred month of Muharram, during which Shia Muslims mourn the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. The Iranian government has responded to these demonstrations with increasing violence — even on the holy day of Ashura, the culmination of the Muharram observances. The demonstrators have refused to be cowed, and the protests have continued to grow into what Iran expert Meir Javedanfar has called “an Iranian intifada.” Speaking from Hawaii earlier today, President Obama offered the following comments in support of Iran’s protesters:

The United States joins with the international community in strongly condemning the violent and unjust suppression of innocent Iranian citizens, which has apparently resulted in tensions, injuries and even death. For months, the Iranian people have sought nothing more than to exercise their universal rights. Each time they have done so, they have been met with iron fist of brutality, even on solemn occasions and holy days. And each time that has happened, the world has watched with deep admiration for the courage and the conviction of the Iranian people, who are part of Iran’s great and enduring civilization.

What’s taking place in Iran is not about the United States or any other country. It’s about the Iranian people and their aspirations for justice, and a better life for themselves. And the decision of Iran’s leaders to govern through fear and tyranny will not succeed in making those aspirations go away. As I said in Oslo, it’s telling when governments fear the aspirations of their own people more than the power of any other nation. Along with all free nations, the United States stands with those who seek their universal rights. We call upon the Iranian government to abide by the international obligations that it has to respect the rights of its own people. We call for the immediate release of all who have been unjustly detained within Iran. We will continue to bear witness to the extraordinary events that are taking place there. And I am confident that history will be on the side of those who seek justice.

Statement by Shiva Nazar Ahari’s Lawyer

Committee of Human Rights Reporters - Only three months had passed from Shiva Nazari Ahari’s release from prison when she was arrested again. She was released on October 28th on a 200 million toman bail (approximately $200,000 USD). Ahari stated that she is being kept in the solitary confinement of section 209 of evin prison.

Shiva Nazar Ahari’s lawyer Dr. Mohammad Sharif said, “I recorded her mandate in her first detention and she was released on bail. In her recent detention, I didn’t get a chance to read the file yet to see if the recent detention is a new case or the bail of the last file is intensified to detention.”

Shiva Nazar ahari was not arrested while committing a crime, so it cannot be a new case. In my opinion, as her lawyer, as long as I have not read her file her detention is the intensification of bail.

Dr. Mohammad Sharif said the following as the reason for the extensive wave of arrests of human rights reporters:

Human rights is not compatible with the existence of governments. particularly, two groups of countries who have a deep enmity with human rights. The first group is those countries which abuse human rights and use it as an excuse to interfere with internal affairs of other countries. The second group includes countries that are not coming from a nation’s will.

Currently five members of the Commitee of Human Rights Reporters are in detention. There is no news on the situation of Kouhyar Goodarzi and Saeed Haeri who are December 21 detainees. The families of Saeed Kalangi and Saeed Jalalifar, the detainees of december 30 are hoping to meet their children in the next few days.

Morgan Freeman Supports iranian's movement

Morgan Freeman shows his support on Human Rights in Iran

Pictures of Freedom movment in Iran 27th Dec

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Iran’s bloody Sunday: At least 8 people killed and 300 arrested in yesterday’s protests in Iran

Several people are reported to be killed by the security forces as thousands of Iranians went into the streets to protest against the Iranian regime.

The protests, on the "Ashura" holiday commemorating the death of Hussein, Shiite Islam’s holiest martyr, were the bloodiest and among the largest since the uprisings that followed the presidential election last summer. Besides Tehran, there are reports about protest demonstrations in Tabriz, Isfahan, Shiraz, Mashad, Arak, Najafabad, and several other towns. According to several official and unofficial sources, people chanted slogans against the whole establishment, such as "Death to Khamenei" and "Death to dictator". Iran Human Rights has also received reports about violent attacks by the security forces in several cities. In some places like Tehran the authorities have opened fire on the demonstrators.

According to the Iranian news agency ILNA, Rajabzadeh, head of the security forces in Tehran wrote in a public statement that " five people are killed and more than 300 people have been arrested during yesterday’s demonstrations in Tehran". One of those killed was Seyyed Ali Habibi Mousavi Khameneh (43), the nephew of Mirhossein Mousavi one of the president candidates in the summer’s elections.

According to the opposition web site "Green Movement" the security forces killed four people in Tabriz (northwest of Iran) and one in Shiraz (south) during yesterday’s protest demonstrations.

According to the same site, name of those killed by the security forces in Tehran were: Seyyed Ali Habibi Mousavi Khameneh (Picture above), Mehdi Farhadinia, Mohammad Ali Rasekhinia, Amir Arshadi and Shahram Faraji.

Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the spokesperson of Iran Human Rights condemned the use of violence by the Iranian authorities and said: "yesterday’s events clearly show that the protests in Iran have entered a new phase. The protests have become continuos and despite use of force and massive crackdown the authorities haven’t managed to retain the control. The Iranian people demand fundamental changes and their demands go far beyond the summer’s presidential elections. The situation yesterday was reminiscent of the 1978 uprising against the Shah" He added: "We are concerned about the escalation of violence in Iran. We are facing a radicalization of the democracy movement which is a natural consequence of the Iranian youth’s legitimit demands being answered by violence and suppression, and the world community not reacting harder towards the Iranian regime."

The two men rescued from the gallow in Sirjan were hanged last night - 14 people arrested in connection with their rescue

The two men, who were rescued by the people from the gallows yesterday morning, were hanged last night December 22 according to the official Iranian news agencies.

Quoting Farajollah Karegar, general prosecutor of Sirjan, the state run news agency ISNA reported that the two men who were convicted of armed robbery were hanged late yesterday evening and 14 others have been arrested in connection with their escape.

Farajollah Karegar admitted that due to clashes with people the authorities’ second attempt to hang the men in public failed and they were transferred to the prison. He also said that two people were killed under the clashes and several cars belonging to the security forces were damaged. The report didn’t mention the location where the two men were hanged. But according to unverified reports they were hanged inside the prison.

"Esmaeil Fathizadeh" and "Mohammad Esfandiarpour" were sentenced to death charged with armed robbery and were scheduled to be hanged in public in Sirjan yesterday morning. But few moments after being hanged they were rescued by the people who threw stones at the security forces and shouted slogans against the Iranian regime. Few hours later both men were arrested by the security forces and their hanging was rescheduled to early evening. But due to heavy clashes between the people and the security forces they were transferred to the prison where it is believed they were hanged.

According to our sources at least 3 people were killed and more than 30 wounded, some of them seriously.

Many people have been arrested in connection to this public uprising and Iran Human Rights is concerned about the well being.

Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the spokesperson of Iran Human Rights, said: "People of Sirjan turned a public hanging into a scene of battle against the authorities. The Iranian regime can not any longer feel safe from public protests, even at the events meant for demonstration of power".