Peaceful Protest for Human Rights

by anti-regime pro-iranian anti-imperialist - HOPOI supporter Fri Jul 06, 2007 14:22

"Recently the regime has intensified the suppression and under different chimerical excuses such as dress or hair style they have been beating up and humiliating people in particular the youth on the streets."

The New York Times which reported this 'story' was forced to issue a retraction - the youths were not being singled out because of their hairstyle or clothes. As the NYT was forced to admit (after 'breaking' the sensationalistic story) - "according to widespread Iranian news reports, [the youths were some of] more than 100 people arrested recently on charges of being part of a gang that had committed rapes, robberies, forgeries and other crimes".

Furthermore, from the retraction: "The Times relied on an interview with a researcher for a nongovernment agency that no longer operates within Iran, who said the photograph was evidence of a more visible police role in public crackdowns on what the authorities consider immoral behavior. The reporter then wrongly interpreted what the researcher said as applying to a crackdown on dress, and incorporated the erroneous interpretation into the body of the article, without giving any indication of the source for it.

“These errors could have been avoided with more rigorous editing. The article should not have said that young men had been paraded through the streets for wearing un-Islamic dress, and the headline over it should not have said that dissenters were being paraded as part of the crackdown." (Can you say Iraqi National Congress?)

While such treatment of prisoners is nonetheless to be deplored, it is important to get the facts right - something the 'paper of record' has a pretty bad record on.

Who is organising this protest may I ask?

by pat c - Hands Off the People of Iran Fri Jul 06, 2007 14:29

I see no criticism of US Imperialism in the above piece. I am concerned that any protest which does not also condemn US interference in the region could be seen to be pro Imperialist.

1. Who are the organisers of this protest?
2. Do they oppose US aggression against Iran?
3. Do they condemn the US/UK occupation of IRAQ?

Against US Imperialism and Political Islam!
Victory to the Iranian Anti-Imperialist Opposition!

by pat c Fri Jul 06, 2007 14:46

Vicious attack by prison guards leaves Tehran Polytechnic students in serious condition

By editors of “Militant” - a Persian language youth journal Thursday, 05 July 2007

We recently heard disturbing news about the critical condition of Abbas Hakimzadeh and Ahmad Ghesaban, two Tehran Polytechnic students jailed at the notorious Evin prison. On Wednesday 13 June a number of students were shouting slogans when this provoked a violent reaction from the prison guards.

As a result of this brutal attack Abbas Hakimzadeh, who was hit on the temple, is now in a coma. Ahmad Ghesaban is reported to have concussion and is also in a serious condition.

We urge everyone, particularly students' unions and organisations throughout the world, to protest against this savage act. Please help us to put pressure on the Iranian authorities so these two students receive immediate and full medical attention and that all students are released without charge.

by anti-regime pro-iranian anti-imperialist Fri Jul 06, 2007 15:11

"A protest rally by members of the Tehran bus workers’ union has won the release of the union’s Vice President. Ebrahim Madadi had been arrested yesterday after a renewed bout of anti-union repression by the Iranian regime."

Full: http://www.itfglobal.org/news-online/index.cfm/newsdeta.../1400

"Trade unions in Iran have won a key victory after the International Labour Organization (ILO) called on the Iranian government to amend its labour legislation in favour of trade union pluralism. The ILO was responding to a complaint by the ITF and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) regarding trade union rights abuses in Iran"

Full: http://www.itfglobal.org/news-online/index.cfm/newsdeta.../1388

"In an address to the ITUC General Council meeting in Brussels today, Iranian trade union leader Mansour Osanloo told of the persecution of him and other members of his union in the “Sherkat-e Vahed” company (Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company) by their employers and the Iranian authorities. Osanloo, who was accompanied by a delegation from the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF), described the harassment and intimidation which Sherkat-e Vahed members have been facing, with some members of the union having been arrested 10 or more times, and family members, including young children, being beaten, detained and subjected to inhumane treatment."

Full: http://www.ituc-csi.org/spip.php?article1233&lang=es
Plus short audio interview with Osanloo: http://www.labourstart.org/docs/en/000418.html

"On April 9, 2007, a commanding officer of the Saqez security forces appeared at Mahmoud Salehi's work and asked him to attend at the office of the prosecutor to negotiate with the governor and the prosecutor about this year's celebration of the international workers' day, which was being organized by Salehi and his colleagues. However, in the prosecutor's office, Salehi, the former President of the Bakery Workers' Association of the City of Saqez and a well-known labour activist in Iran, was told that the Kurdistan Appeal Court has reached the final verdict on his May Day 2004 case and that he has been sentenced to one year imprisonment and a three year suspended prison sentence. They immediately put Salehi under arrest."

Full: http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/sh...c=231

"The immediate riots could have been predicted. The news agency IPS reports how, "angry car owners, but also profiteers and professional trouble-makers, rushed to petrol stations, creating long queues and chaos. Quickly, people started to chant harsh slogans against the regime leaders, including Ayatollah Ali Khameneh’i and President Ahmadi Nezhad. As un-guarded pump stations were set ablaze, riots spread. Cars, buses, public buildings and banks were torched in Tehran and all other big cities, triggering nationwide protests." At least 17 petrol stations were set on fire the first night. The regime’s first response was not to back off; some spokesmen blamed US-sponsored rioters. If these protests continue, however, they can force the president to retreat, fearing for his own political future."

Full: http://socialistworld.net/eng/2007/07/01iran.html

Iranians don't need Imeprialist bombs and occupiers to 'liberate' them - they overthrew the Shah, they will overthrow the clerics.

by Feudal castrato Fri Jul 06, 2007 17:02

Sure, we all know the regime in Iran has its issues.

But this one sided, inaccurate article, coming at this point in time, without balanced condemnation of US activities is designed to feed into anti Iran sentiment, muddy the waters with untruths, and help to give legitimacy to american calls for regime change / invasion / cessation of legal uranium processing (according to terms of NPT which the USA totally ignores) / cia activity inside iran.

Bad and all as Iran is, Iranian women have more rights than their counterparts in Saudi Arabia and some other conservative Muslim countries. They can drive, vote and run for most public offices.

I'll be expecting a similar article from you in the near future arranging a march against the worse human rights abuses that occur in saudi arabia.(not!)

While we are organising marches, lets also have a march against human rights abuses, executions and religious supression in the US too. Fundamentalism and government killing of minorities is fundamentalism and government killing of minorities right? Anyone join me? :)

I'm surprised you didn't allude to wiping israel off the map (y'know, the thing which ahmadinejad never said)

This article and march are clearly just anti-Iran propaganda and I suggest that it should be taken with a large pinch of salt!

Here's a few handy links with information about iran.
You'll get fuck all from the article above.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_and_Government_of..._Iran

by pat c - HOPI Fri Jul 06, 2007 17:10

This piece is about Iranian Socialist Yassamine Mather who opposes US & UK nuclear weapons as well as opposing the Iranian regime. For more info on the Anti-Imperialist Iranian Opposition go to url at end of this comment.

Iranian Socialist Yassamine Mather from HOPI presented a paper on Iran's nuclear programme at the Faslane academic blockade and conference held outside the Faslane nuclear weapons base near Glasgow in Scotland on June 27. Scholars and students from universities across the UK, Sweden, Spain and other countries took part in this event aimed at pushing for Britain to comply with its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty of 1968. One of HOPI's founding members, Professor Bridget Fowler (University of Glasgow), was among those arrested at the demonstration.

by Emma - RAR Fri Jul 06, 2007 19:08

The protest is being organised by Iranian themselves one who has been here six years living as an asylum seeker and still waiting at humanitarian grounds themselves - its not organised by any of your usual lefties groups and it would be a good chance Pat and others to actually meet Iranians here who may be interested in hands off Iran campaign the above piece is being circulated around the Iranian community in Farsi and English - the protest isn't a cynical or usual have one protest meeting and forget about it these guys are serious and want as much help as possible so come out and show some solidarity - if you want to contact any of the guys for more information email them or get in contact with myself or RAR they appreciate any support people willing to give.

by Free Iran - Free Iran Sun Jul 08, 2007 01:34 freeiran.ie at gmail dot com

hi all,
just to mention that one of the slogans of this protest is:
no to war, no to appeasement. i'm an iranian myself and i didn't see the need to mention that we are against the attack and invasion US, UK or any other country because i thought it is clear for everyone that supporting invasion of external forces is so treacherous to any nation. there has never been an external army attacking the other country for the benefit of that nation.
it is definitely the right time for this event as while we are discussing it right now thousands of human beings are being tortured severly.
i'm coming from iran and i know what is going on inside the prisons in there. i'm strongly against the imperialism but that doesn't allow me to be selfish and for that excuse i forget the human beings being crushed under torture and not hear their screams. the priority is to save the nation under opression first and at the same time i have to say that it is so foolish to think the fanatic people ruling Iran are against the imperialism as they have been providing the maximum level of benefits of the imperialism. if it was otherwise, i promise you my friends, that they had been overturned by the imperialists! i can arrange to discuss this further if anyone needs more information.
we just want the western governments to cut off the supports off the murderer regime that is rulling in Iran. we demand freedom and democracy for the Iranian regime. who might think that this is pro-imperialism? who has ever expperienced the real torture? just to get the taste of it turn on the iron and when it is hot leave it on some part of your body for just one minute!! and then you are begining to get familiar with a very simple and normal torture, let the more severe ones!!! who can claim being pro-freedom and against the human rights abuse and then support stoning, removing eyes, chopping off parts of body, beheading...?
i'll try to upload some photos of the victims of torture with this message. these are just a small corner of what is really going on in Iran under this fascist regime. look at them and see what you think yorselves. there are videos that shocks even us that come from Iran. i can share them with whoever is interested.
the dictator regimes support imperialism directly and indirectly, this has been going on forever. we, normal people, demand freedom and basic human rights. we are right and i'm telling you, my friends, that the nations are always right and the dictator regimes are wrong.
we strongly condemn dictatorship.
if we were in Iran now, we wouldn't have this web-site and not a slight chance to make any movement against the wrong system. i have lived in many different countries and i'm telling you compared with anywhere Iran under this religious dictatorship is just a hell! you have to go and live and see it for yourself. you can't really talk about fire if you haven't ever touched it.
best regards
Free Iran

the real face of Iranian regime

eye removal

mass graves of political opposers

tortured to death

public hangings

by EK Sun Jul 08, 2007 18:24

It's fucking crazy that people are demanding they come out and state their opposition to US imperialism, when the grouping is clearly anti-war. this isn't a front supporting US Agresion in the region, can Political Islam not be questioned by the left?

full solidarity to this group.

by pat c - HOPI Sun Jul 08, 2007 18:45

Apologies. It wasnt clear who was organising this demo. As you know some Iranian opposition groups are in favour of US intervention. Even the Peoples Muhadjeen who heroically rose against the Theocracy have now compromised themselves and Neo-cons are fundraising for them.

Your demo deserves support.

Down with the Islamist butchers!