The Ashura (December 27) protests across Iran are over. Tens of thousands marched across the country as in the past to show their discontent with dictatorship and human rights violations. They yet again proved that the Iranian struggle is far from over. But after following the protests for almost 200 days, I don’t think that it was just another show of force – but a tipping point in their struggle for one of the most basic of human rights – the freedom to speak one’s mind without fear of repression.
Since June, the people of Iran have come out to streets peacefully and have tried to make their voices heard. And what was the government’s response? Bullets, batons, cables… arrests, injuries, deaths… torture, rape, murder. Few people have been so fearless and devout with their resolve to overturn the tide of tyranny as the people of Iran. Their humanity has been written about and well-deservedly praised. However, let us not have unreasonable expectations from them. They are human after all. And like all humans, they are susceptible to frustration and eventually – anger.
For the first time in 200 days, the Iranian people decided that enough was enough. If the government was going to send goons, then they were going to deal with them the way goons are dealt with. We had seen burning homes, bleeding protesters and protesters being dragged across streets. This time around, we saw burning police cars, bleeding Basijis and riot police being dragged and beaten.
As a human rights activist and an admirer of Mahatma Gandhi, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela, I am strictly opposed to violence. What went on in Iran yesterday was anything but peaceful. Protesters fought back and they fought back hard. The level of violence against protesters may have been high, but it was answered – maybe not as violently, but clearly it was.
This prompted many of my friends and colleagues to question their support for the Green Movement. After all, we were expecting a non-violent revolution – one spurred by peaceful protests. But let us not forget. There is a difference between unprovoked acts of violence against individuals and self-defense. Did we really expect the Iranian people to just sit back and allow the government to kill, maim and arrest people ad infinitum? What would I or you do if someone used violence against us for six months over and over and over again? Are we going to go out and present ourselves as living targets for shooting practice? Or are we going to hang “Hit Me!” signs on our backs to make it easier for our attackers?
I won’t. The problem is that peaceful protests are great. However, they only really work when the opposing side is human enough to not use violence on such a massive scale. The protests in Iran in my opinion have been far from peaceful. It takes two hands to clap. How can we expect the government to repress people and at the same time not expect the people to fight back? This is what happens with bullies at schools. They only attack those who they think won’t fight back.
Next time the Basij, riot police, IRGC and plainclothesmen are out in Tehran during protests, they’ll know that their actions are going to be met with counter-measures. They’ll know that Iranians aren’t just sacks of wheat that they can pound on endlessly and mercilessly. If they fall into protesters’ hands, they should expect the worst.
Ashura’s protests in my opinion started a new phase in the revolution in Iran. The people are no longer going to sit back and watch as the government continues to not listen to their demands. They will come out and if they are attacked, there will be a crushing answer. The security forces can no longer use violence against protesters and then go back home to their children, enjoy a good meal and make love to their women while bleeding protesters lay dying in hospitals which will promptly transfer them to prisons where they’ll be locked in tiny holes for months on end.
The goons should know that in the future when they’re out during a protest in Tehran, that if they attacked protesters, they will go home covered in their own blood and know how it feels. Because if they had felt it before, we wouldn’t have had to hear about Sohrab A’rabi’s body locked away in a morgue for weeks or see Neda Aga-Soltan’s dying eyes. I believe the Green Movement is still fully committed to non-violence – but yesterday they illustrated that their commitment extends to self-defense as well.
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Protests / Unrest
1. A gathering of Mourning Mothers – an Iranian women’s organization which seeks the release of detained protesters – was violently attacked by security force at Laleh Park this afternoon in Tehran. A lot of rumors are circulating about the attack, however, this much can be ascertained with confidence:
- 100 women attempted to gather in the park and were accompanied by a few men as well.
- The park was surrounded just prior to the gathering or right after the gathering started by over 200 policemen and dozens of plainclothes men. They were accompanied by at least 3 empty vans.
- Security forces stopped the gathering from taking place by arresting at least a dozen women and several men, throwing them into vans and taking them to an unknown location. Several sources claiming conflicting numbers. But the number of women arrested was between 10 and 16.
There were rumors that Sohrab A’rabi’s mother may have been arrested today. However, again, as of yet, even partial confirmation could not be obtained from any credible source.
2. Security forces have threatened students at Qom University in Qom to not partake in 16 Azar demonstrations at any cost or they would be detained promptly. They have also sent several armed personnel to monitor students’ activities and also harass them into not participating.
3. Several journalists and bloggers inside Iran have received threats from intelligence agents and other security forces personnel to not report news related to the Green Movement on 16 Azar. Reports indicate that the number of journalists who were harassed may be as high as a two dozen.
4. Internet connection inside Iran – especially in Tehran – has been severely restricted or disconnected by the government. Most web applications such as Yahoo, PalTalk and MSN do not have sufficient bandwidth because of the restriction to connect from inside Iran to the outside world. Since the first appearance of news related to this, the situation practically remains the same.
5. Chants of Allahu Akbar rocked the skies over Tehran tonight once again. There were reports from eyewitnesses from several parts of Tehran and at least one university campus. The chants are scheduled to continue until 16 Azar and possibly beyond.
(Gentle Reminder: I have information on protests routes as well as other information pertaining to the protests on 16 Azar. However, since my blog is regularly monitored by the Iranian government – and even if it was not -, I don’t consider it safe to divulge such information here. I hope this clears out why I’m not announcing that and other information on the Green Briefs. I hope no one minds this.)
* If you know of a protest in Germany re; 15 Azar, please post information on this website that is run by a dedicated Green supporter: http://is.gd/5cBE2
Opposition
6. The Green Movement’s students’ wing has welcomed IRGC statements that they would present students with flowers. The statement adds that students would welcome the gift with warm hands and green shawls.
7. Today at his home, Mahdi Karroubi wed Samira Jamshid and detained protester Peyman Arif officially. Samira and Peyman’s families were also present during the ceremony. Arif was detained in the early days of the protests and has been kept in Evin Prison for several months now.
8. Iranian reformist dissident Mohsen Sazegara’s new video about the situation in Iran and the upcoming protests: http://is.gd/5dEcp
9. Again, rumors are circulating regarding Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mahdi Karroubi’s attendance in the 16 Azar protests. I cannot confirm this. I will when I can. Until then, please help quell the rumors if you can.
Government / International
10. Sardar Fazli – Tehran’s IRGC commander – today announced that Basij and IRGC were not responsible for the attacks on the dorms of Tehran University that left several students dead and many injured. However, he added that the University’s chancellor Farhad Rahbar had asked Tehran police to enter the dormitory.
11. On the occasion of the Shi’ite festival of Eid-el-Ghadi, SL Khamenei reduced the sentences or pardoned 793 prisoners from across Iran. The names of prisoners were recommended by Judiciary Chief Sadegh Larijani. No other information regarding names in the list or their offenses could be obtained by any source.
12. Hashemi Rafsanjani today announced that his son Mahdi Hashemi – who left Tehran amid pressure by the government and accusations implicating him in anti-government activities – would not be returning back any time soon. He said that he had asked Mahdi to remain abroad until he has obtained his PhD.
13. Hanif Mazroui – an Iranian reformist journalist – has been awarded a prestigious award in media by the International Society for Human Rights in Germany. The prize was received on December the 3rd.
Arrested / Released / Killed / Torture
14. Report Tahireh Riahy was arrested several days ago by security forces. The news of her arrest has only recent been disclosed. Her whereabouts at this point are unknown. Riahy worked for Tehran newspaper Jahane Eghtesad, which covers financial news.
15. It can be partially confirmed now that Hayedeh Tabesh – a human rights activist – has been arrested from Esfahan today. Her whereabouts are also unknown.
16. Akbar Karami – an academic and theologian from Qom – was also arrested last Tuesday from his home. His whereabouts are unknown as well.
17. Three student activists were arrested from Lahejan City yesterday. Their names are Rehaneh Ansari-fard and Nasibeh Bagheri – both students at Gilan University and Morees Bagheri – an activist and member of Mousavi campaign in Gilan. They were all detained from their homes, some of their belongings were confiscated and were transported to unknown locations.
They were arrested by the Iranian intelligence agency’s personnel.
18. At least two prisoners have died at Evin in the past week. Saheb-Gholi Rajabi died today after being denied treatment for his illness. He had been sick for more than two months. Another prisoner died of unknown causes the week before.
19. Naseh Yousefi – another dissendent imprisoned at Karaj city’s Rajai-Shahr prison – has reportedly been severely tortured by IRGC guards. It is unclear whether he is being treated for his injuries.
20. After being detained once again yesterday, Behzad Nabavi was moved to a hospital in Tehran for treatment. Little is known about his condition and why he was moved.
21. Kazem Rezaie – a student of Shiraz University – and Yahya Tawoosi – another student from the same institution – were sentenced to prison terms today. Rezaie will spend five years and eight months while Tawoosi three years behind bars. Both students are human rights activists. Rezaie was arrested on 13 Aban (November while Tawoosi was arrested when he went to court to follow Rezaie’s case.
22. Iran is set to execute 18 year old Mohammad Reza for a crime he allegedly committed at the age of 15. More information on Reza and his execution here: http://is.gd/5dxuc
(Gentle Reminder: While the Green Briefs are primarily concerned with the Green Movement, as a human rights activist I cannot stop myself from posting information about human rights abuses unrelated to the Green Movement here. Apologies if you feel like I’m advocating more than reporting, but it won’t stop.)
Media
23. In anticipation of the upcoming 16 Azar protests, the Iranian government has taken measures to ensure foreign media outlets cannot report about the events of that day. All permits for foreign news reporters have been revoked for the period of December 7-9 by the Ministry of Culture.
24. The Iranian government has sent four reformist newspapers written warnings to refrain from reporting about conflicts within the Iranian government and other such topics. The newspapers include Aftabe Yazd, Asrar, Hayate Now and Etemaad.
Miscellaneous
25. So what’s REALLY inside Ahmadinejad’s head? State of the Art X-Ray machine reveals the details for the first time: http://bit.ly/4wXakO
26. Khamenei’s picture being burned in Sanandaj University: http://bit.ly/5jbMwn
1. Word out from Iran suggests that protesters are planning on holding protests in as many cities possible. Earlier, it had been reported that protests might be restricted to only a few of the major cities. However, insider reports suggest otherwise, debunking this suggestion.
2. Reports from Tehran also suggest that IRGC has increased the supply of ammunitions to its members in Tehran and might have helped the police with some extra guns as well. No news from the provinces on this, yet.
3. Already universities across Iran have been put under heavy surveillance. Reports from Tehran suggest that in some dorms, armed policemen have been stationed so that students cannot actively plan the protests.
4. Reports from Tehran confirm that some student leaders have asked Tehranis to come out in support of the Green Movement on 16 Azar and gather in front of Tehran University.
5. Supporters of the Green Movement are also planning to intensify chanting on the rooftops starting tonight and continue onto 16 Azar. No video is yet available of these chants, but will be posted as soon as I get my hands on any.
6. The Youth 2 Youth campaign has released a new video in support of Iranian students and the Green Movement on Youtube: http://bit.ly/6DbVNT
Opposition
7. Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mahdi Karroubi are being heavily lobbied by students to make it to the 16 Azar protests at Tehran University. Hundreds of signatures from students are being collected at the moment and are going to be sent in an open letter to both Mousavi and Karroubi. The letter warns that Iran is on the verge of becoming a dictatorship and both men must act to stop it.
8. Sayed Yaser Khomeini – the grandson of Imam Khomeni – met with Behzad Nabavi at his house today with other clerics. Khomeini expressed joy at his release. It is worth mentioning that Sayed Hasan Khomeini – Imam Khomeini’s son has now been confirmed to have called Nabavi and congratulated him on his release. (This, however, did not go well for Nabavi. Read details in the Arrested / Released… section)
9. Rumors are circulating the perhaps Karroubi has already pledged that he would join the 16 Azar protests. I have so far been unable to confirm this. If and when I can, I would tweet about it as soon as I can.
10. In an interview with the BBC, Ali Agha-Soltan, Neda Agha-Soltan’s father directly accused the Iranian government of killing Neda. According to Ali, no other party shares the blame with the Islamic Republic in this act.
11. The students’ wing of IIPF in East Azerbaijan province released a statement today warning the government against using violence against students. The letter asks the government to promptly release all student activists and stop the campaign of oppression that has been unleashed upon Iranian students after the June elections.
Government / International
12. Ayatollah Jannati – a hard-line cleric allied with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei – gave the Friday prayer sermon in Tehran on Friday. During the sermon, he warned protesters that “fighting the system” would “cost them heavily” and result in their “homelessness.” He added that “those who betray the Revolution and the system will face retribution.” (Courtesy of Radio Farda)
13. Sardar Ali Fazli – the Tehran commander of Sepahe Sayedu-Shuhada, a paramilitary organization linked with the IRGC – announced that they were not expecting much violence on 16 Azar. According to Fazli, they were simply going to give the students flowers. However, he also added they have planned for every possible event and were ready.
14. Ismail Kowsari – a member of the National Security Commission of the Iranian Parliament – today said that security forces had no right to enter university campuses on 16 Azar. According to Kowsari, it was the job of university administrations to allow protests and to ensure security.
15. In more serious news, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced today that he has concrete evidence that the US was trying to prevent the Hidden Imam from descending on earth. (The Hidden Imam is the 12th and final Imam of Shi’ites who is said to return to earth during the final days and usher in the apocalypse)
(Did you seriously expect me to write more on this?)
16. Amnestry International today asked the Iranian authorities to overturn Iranian-American academic Kian Tajbakhsh’s 15 year prison term.
Arrested / Released / Killed / Tortured
17. Behzad Nabavi has been yet again thrown into Evin. He was freed for ten days, but the courts accused him of violating the terms of his freedom by meeting with people other than his family members and ordered him to report to Evin prison. He’s currently enchained again.
18. According to more reports, even though Fariba Pejooh has been ordered to be released by prison and the court has told her family that she is free to go, her captors in Evin’s Ward #209 have refused to free her.
19. The head of Karroubi campaign’s students wing Sayed Bagher Eskoie has been ordered to appear at the office of the Department of National Security. His summons accused him of acting against national security.
20. The Iranian government continues to persecution of ethnic and religious minorities. Today, a Baha’ie citizen was denied release even though his family posted his bail. At the same time, a Baloch dissident who has already been sentenced to death was granted a stay of execution so that he could be further tortured to obtain more information from him.
21. In better news, Isfahan University student Ali Mashmouli and Tehran University student Yashar Darolshafa were released from prison.
Media
22. Iranian political party Freedom Movement’s online news website has been banned by the government. The party was ordered to suspend all activities on their website yesterday by government officials.
Miscellaneous
23. Please support the campaign to make “Iran Protesters” Time’s person of the year by voting on their website. I have written about this before and have urged everyone to back this campaign up. Iranian protesters deserve to receive recognition. Here’s the link to Time’s polling page: http://bit.ly/6MECzi
By Josh Shahryar – http://twitter.com/irantranslator
(Please read this first: Hi, I have finally been able to restart writing the Green Briefs. However, I cannot guarantee that I can write them consistently, so forgive me if there is a short lull from time to time. I want to continue writing as I had promised before, but you never know. Also, it will take me some time to wrap my brain around GB writing again so forgive me again if the quality is not as good as the ones before. It’s been almost three months. As always, almost all the news is gathered either through Iran news sites, reliable sources on twitter or friends in Iran.)
Protests / Unrest
1. Preparations for the 16 Azar (December 7) protest are on the way. Here are some of the highlights of the happeneings:
A) Students at Ilam University in Ilam province have spread leaflets and posters across campus to invite other students to join them in the protest. Here’s one of the posters: http://tinyurl.com/yz4dcuk
B) SMS messages are being sent across Tehran to gather Greens in order to make the protests a success. One such SMS from Isfahan: http://tinyurl.com/ygelbap
C) IRGC and other security organizations have stepped up their presence in Tehran and other major cities in anticipation of the protests. Witnesses report of bus-loads of Basij being brought into Tehran and other cities. Police in Tehran have warned the Green Movement formally that they will be cracked down upon if they took to streets.
2. In anticipation of the protests, the government is continuing to summon students from universities across Iran and warning them not to take part in the protests. Reports from Tehran suggest that many students from Tehran University have been told that they would be promptly arrested if they joined the protests and would be expelled from the university. Six more students of Azad University in Tehran were summoned today to the disciplinary office of warned.
3. A video of students chanting against Safar Harandi on his visit to Ardabil’s Mohaghegh Aradabili University (Date and Time Unknown): http://bit.ly/87PFen
4. Families of detained students from Allama Tabataba’ie University protested in front of Evin prison today after 5 PM. The six students were arrested last Thursday.
5. Amir Kabir University Student Yousef Rashidi holding placard in Polytechnic University that says, “Fascist President – Polytechnic [University] Is Not Your Place!”: http://bit.ly/7lj9C4
Opposition
6. There are recent reports that in the past couple of days, Hasan Khomeini has had meetings with Abtahi. Although no date or other information is available, there is a picture being floated around. I cannot independently confirm when the meeting took place or what was discussed. Here is the picture: http://tinyurl.com/yd5bpfs
Government / International
7. Former Tehran Attorney General Saeed Mortazavi is reportedly going to be appointed as the new “Chief Inspector” (Which is considered a very prestigious post and is in effect one of the closest aides to the president) of the President’s office. Mortazavi is accused of being the main government official behind sending prisoners to Kahrizak and their torture. He has also been instrumental in closing down reformist newspapers.
8. Defying orders from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has decline to join meeting of the Expediency Council head by Hashemi Rafsanjani. The announcement comes at a time when the government is seeming applying further pressure on Rafsanjani to openly denounce the Green Movement.
9. Hashemi Rafsanjani today declared that the only way for unity in Iran was through the guidance of Khamenei. He also explained that he has been refraining from attending any meetings outside his work with the Expediency Council. It is worth noting that his son has come under increasing pressure and calls for his arrest and trial have been made by several low-ranking and at least one high-ranking official – Intelligence minister Heydar Moslehi – in the government.
Speaking during a meeting in Mashhad, Rafsanjani admitted that there were serious problems and misgivings in the country. He added that it was impossible to hide these problems and they must be solved.
10. Izzatullah Zarghami – the chief of IRIB – announced today that his plan for the next five years was to further Islamize Iran’s government-run media service. One of his key announcements was that women would no longer be allowed to wear too much make-up while appearing on TV and music programs would be shortened or cut down.
11. Sardar Fazli – the Commander of Sepahe Sayedushadda, another paramilitary force within the Iranian security system – announced today that anyone who is going to cause insecurity in the country must prepare themselves to be killed. He also alleged that Basij did not fire upon protesters during gatherings and protesters have been killed by people other than security forces.
12. Several activists and celebrities have sent a petition to Iran’s United nations mission, calling for the release of three American hikers who’ve been held there since July. The signatories include activist Gloria Steinem, billionaire businessman Richard Branson, actress Mia Farrow, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Arrested / Released / Killed / Torture
13. Dozens of students have been arrested in the past month from across Iran by the government. At least ten of these have been arrested in the past day alone which include student activist Mahdieh Golro. Other detainees include student activist Yousef Rashidi (You can see Rashidi’s picture in the first section holding a placard), blogger and journalist Foad Shams, Tabriz University student Rasoul Alinejad, women’s rights activist Farhad Sharifi and Reza Joshan from Karaj.
14. In the past few days, the government has also arrested three other people on charges related to the protests from Yasuj – one of them belongs to the Baha’i minority.
15. Salman Seema – a political activist who’s been detained for 20 days – has reportedly been severely tortured while in detention. According to his relatives who met him at Evin, several of his ribs have been broken by security guards during interrogation.
16. Economist Saeed Leylaz has been sentenced to nine years imprisonment.
17. In a rare glimpse of hope, activists Mahboubeh Haghighi and Negar Sayeh were released today.
Media
18. VOA talks to arrested political activist Salman Sima’s sister (FA): http://bit.ly/6ZkR6F
19. The government has banned the publication of Kurdistan University’s main publication, ‘Hejan’.
Miscellaneous
20. A Message to Iranians Struggling for Civil Rights from an American Family: http://bit.ly/5r891z
21. Green wall graffiti in the city of Sari: http://bit.ly/7u15nF (via TSI)
22. Lawsuit against Iranian gvt before Montreal court: http://bit.ly/85pSyx
(This report has been compiled through reports by twitter users in Iran and aboard, as well as contacts inside and outside Iran. Media outlets have been credited where used. As reports coming from Iran cannot be fully authenticated if the report confirms something, at best it confirms that several reliable sources agreed upon it. This report is released under Creative Commons (CC) and can be republished under the condition that a link to the original source is provided.
1. The government flexed their muscles today by seizing and closing Mehdi Karroubi’s office. Officials from Tehran’s Attorney General’s office entered the building during the day, forced Karroubi and his staff to leave and confiscated documents, CDs and computers. Until further notice, Karroubi’s office is currently under government control.
2. The office of Karroubi’s newspaper, Etemaade Melli was also raided and closed. Documents, computers, films and CDs were confiscated and the office was locked down. All staff members were forced to give their names, addresses and other information and then sent home.
3. This comes, as the planned protest for September 18 is gaining a lot of support amongst the populace. Karroubi today, yet again confirmed that he would be participating and invited all Greens to participate.
4. The Attorney General’s office also sent officials, to close down the office of the human rights organization Defenders of Detainees’ Rights. Material from the office, located in Tehran was confiscated. Further information in the next Brief.
5. More than a hundred members of detainees’ families gathered under a bridge close to Evin Prison this evening and chanted against the government. They were surrounded and threatened by security forces, but they did not stop chanting. They were joined by more people from the area. The protest lasted for more than an hour.
6. More than a hundred family members of detainees also gathered in front of the Islamic Revolutionary Court – the main judicial body in the country. They were also surrounded by security forces. There were unconfirmed reports of other gatherings and clashes in other parts of the city as well.
7. In Qom, a man was arrested with his family while they were through a busy streeet. Armed plainclothesmen stopped his car in the middle of the road and after meeting with resistance, shot him in the shoulder. He was dragged away while chanting, “Death to Khamenei”. His crime and where the family was taken could not be confirmed.
8. Iran’s Police Chief Esmail Ahmadi-Moghaddam has warned reformists against using September 18 for protesting. According to him, it would only show the true colors of reformists who are going to use the day for political purposes. He said people had accepted the results and rejected that the elections were fraudulent. He also added that no rape had occurred at Kahrizak.
9. A high-ranking IRG commander, Ali Fazli, said they will be holding meetings with officials in Iranian universities to counter any unrest that might occur as a result of protests planned for next week.
10. Greens are holding prayer gatherings in Tehran, Qom, Tabriz and Shiraz to mark the final days of Ramadan. The gatherings are non-political and are being used by Greens, praying for the release of detainees and the reform of the regime.
11. Yesterday, we reported the government was banning dozens of university students from continuing their education. Today, it has been reported that a women’s rights activist and campaign worker for Mir Hossein Mousavi’s election bid Leila Sehat has been barred from continuing her education at Tehran University.
12. On the occasion of the first Qadr night, Allah o Akbar was heard all across Tehran and other parts of Iran.
13. After the government banned the annual gathering for commemorating Ayatollah Taleghani at Hosseiniya-e Ershad, his family has asked all those who want to gather to come to the office of his son on Wednesday to commemorate the cleric’s life.
Opposition
14. Karroubi’s son, Hossein Karroubi, today said that his father was being intimidated by the government into giving up his support for the investigation of rapes in Iranian detention centers. He said his father was very serious about the cases and was not going to give up that easily.
15. The Imam’s Way faction of MPs released a statement today denouncing IRGC Commander Mohammad Ali Jafari’s accusations against reformists. The statement said that these allegations were baseless and were being pitted against people who had spent their entire lives following the footsteps of Imam Khomeini.
16. Sazemane Mujahidine Enghelab (Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization) today released a statement asking newly-appointed Judiciary Chief Sadegh Larijani to step down if he couldn’t deal with the rampant lawlessness of government agencies. The organization called upon Larijani to step up and deal with the illegal activities of security forces, especially in the aftermath of the elections. They also accused security forces of trying to coerce Javad Imam into confessing by abducting his daughter and holding her for 24 hours.
17. In a meeting with members of reformist student groups, Grand Ayatollah Bayat-Zanjani harshly criticized what had happened in the aftermath of the elections. Zanjani said that power was not the source of legitimacy, but rather legitimacy was the source of power. He added that some think – clearly hinting at the government – that if by playing with words, they could change that. However, he said this had been the monarchy’s ideology and not the Shi’ite Imams’ ideology, which emphasized that no one was above the law.
Government / International
18. Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, sought to quell people’s anger today. Speaking at an Iftar party with a group of MPs, Larijani called for diminishing, and not exaggerating, the political disputes in the country amid what he described as a “critical juncture” in the political arena. Every healthy government and society witnesses “ideological, tactical, and strategic differences of opinion,” he said. “The country is currently going through a complicated phase, and right and wrong are mixed up,” Larijani said.
“If we want to help the country pass this critical situation with little cost [so that] the people are not affected with these differences, we should not create disputes or raise issues that take the [existing] disputes in the society to another level,” Larijani added. He went on to stress, that in situations like this “there is doubt about certain issues; we should heed the Leader’s views and advices.”
19. Khamenei will be leading the Friday prayers on September 11. Since June, this is the first time he is going to be taking the pulpit. Sources inside Iran, strongly suggest he will be calling for another crackdown – possibly against reformist leaders this time.
20. Brigadier Yadullah Javani – the head of IRGC’s political office – in response to criticism over IRGC’s increasing political role, said that the country’s atmosphere had changed and the IRGC no longer viewed itself solely as a security organization. He added, the IRGC would continue to fight with people opposed to the regime.
21. Also today, a high-ranking official, in the intelligence branch of the IRGC, backed Commander Jafari’s statements, that accused reformist leaders of attempting to weaken Khamenei. He said they had clear evidence, which had been handed over to the Judiciary, and in case the necessity arose, it would be given to the public as well.
22. A government source claimed, the attack, on the office of the committee to investigate the plight of detainees, was ordered by Ahmadinejad personally. He added, Ahmadinejad had always been against the committee and wanted to send a clear message out to the reformists.
23. Sources inside the government also indicated, that the new Attorney General of Tehran, does not want the trials of reformist to be broadcast. He also believes that the trial of the perpetrators of abuse at Kahrizak, should also not be tried in public.
24. The governor of Tehran Province Morteza Tamaddon, has said that the National Security Council has appointed a panel to investigate the attack on Tehran Universtiy’s dorm.
25. The Iranian government has reportedly launched an investigation into public complaints regarding the post-election unrest, with a focus on charges of prisoner abuse. The Supreme National Security Council has formed a committee to look into the cases of those who sustained losses, of any kind, after the June 12 presidential elections. The officials are investigating the charges of mistreatment made by a number of detainees who were held at the Kahrizak detention center, which is located in southern Tehran. This committee is not linked to the committee formed by the parliament for the same purpose.
26. Ahmadinejad has reportedly cancelled the nomination of two ministers that he nominated only yesterday. Fatemeh Alia and Ali Zabihi were introduced to the parliament as the ministers of education and energy. However, today, a new letter was sent to the parliament, asking them not to consider either Fatemeh Alia or Ali Zabihi and new names would be sent to them.
27. Ali Motaheri, MP from Tehran, today accused Ahmadinejad of attempting to buy the support of voters who had backed reformists by nominating women for ministerial positions. He said Ahmadinejad might even legalize the use of satellite dishes to appease people.
28. Iran is set to submit a new nuclear package to the West on Wednesday.
29. Tehran has been excluded from the upcoming summit of nations bordering the Caspian Sea. The meeting will be held in the city of Atkau in Kazakhstan on Thursday and will be attended by representatives of Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and the host nation.
Arrested / Released / Killed / Torture
30. Some rape victims have taken their cases and evidence to Ayatollah Javad Amoli in Qom, who is the interim Friday prayers Imam of the city. It has been reported, that after the seizure of Karroubi’s office and its subsequent closure, Ayatollah Javad Amoli and Ayatollah Yusuf Sane’ie have opened the doors of their offices to anyone who has a complaint of abuse, torture or rape. Both have promised to pursue the cases.
31. There were three high-profile arrests today. A clear sign the government is going to broaden its crackdown on reformists. First, a senior aide to Mousavi, Alireza Beheshti – the son of Ayatollah Beheshti, who was one of the leaders of the Islamic Revolution – was arrested. He was Mousavi’s representative in the reformist committee, investigating the deaths, arrests and the condition of detainees in the aftermath of the elections. He was arrested by order of Tehran’s Attorney General by security forces.
32. Later in the day, Morteza Alviri, Mehdi Karroubi’s representative on the same committee, was arrested from his home. His home was thoroughly searched and many documents together with other material was confiscated. This comes after the office of the committee, of which Alviri and Beheshti are members of, was attacked yesterday and almost everything from the office was confiscated by the order of the Attorney General.
33. Also arrested was Mohammad Dawari, a journalist and the editor of Sahaam News, a news website close to Karroubi. He had also been working with Etemaade Melli newspaper after the Chief Editor, Mohammad Ghouchani was arrested by the government.
34. A day after 300 journalists wrote to the new Attorney General of Tehran, asking him to stop illegal actions by his office and allow reformist newspapers to publish again, 15 signatories of the letter were summoned by the Ministry of Intelligence and threatened. The journalists were also told they were no longer allowed to travel outside of Iran.
35. Reporters Without Borders called for the release Ali Asguar Jamali, a blogger and doctor based in the northern city of Qasvin. Jamali, who was arrested along with other activists for “inciting actions against national security including protests and insults against government officials by means of publications and meeting,” as reported by the news agency Fars on 2 September. A Qasvin judge was quoted by Fars News as saying that Jamali was arrested as the head of a group of activists and as a “doctor having immoral relations with his patients.” The court also claimed that “alcohol and evidence of membership of counter-revolutionary groups were also found in his office.”
36. There were reports today that at least 30 people were arrested by security forces from Shohada Square where a gathering was held. This news could not be confirmed.
37. New reports, arriving from Tehran, indicate the government has created at least one clandestine security force unrelated to other security organizations solely for arresting dissidents. This force is tasked with searching and arresting low-key reformist organizers of protests.
Media
38. Raja News – a conservative news outlet, which is a strong backer of Ahmadinejad – today published an article complaining that protesters were using buses in Tehran as a stage for protests. According to Raja, people were chanting from buses while they were going through the streets of Tehran, creating unrest!
International Protests / Events / Warnings / Efforts
40. An event is being organized in Brussels in remembrance of people who’ve been wrongfully killed by the Iranian regime in the past 30 years.
For Information Call: 0032 486 48 43 65
41. Transportation info: Maryland & Virginia to NYC For Sep 23 Protest: Here
42. A fundraising event is being held in Richmond, California for the New York City protests on September 23 and 24.
[I](If you, your friends or your organization are holding events, protests or doing something else related to the Iranian election internationally, please send me an email with details and I will give you coverage. (Will only cost you 10 million dollars!) My email is: dbosca@gmail.com
This page contains a listing of external mirrors of the GB, as well as various information about the GB. Links to translations are also encouraged: http://aic.openmsl.net/wiki/index.php/Green_Brief
- A hearty thanks to S joon for helping me out with proof-reading and very valuable tips. Also, a BIG THANKS to all the translators who’re spending their precious time on getting this to as many people as possible.
(This report has been compiled through reports by twitter users in Iran and aboard, as well as contacts inside and outside Iran. Media outlets have been credited where used. As reports coming from Iran cannot be fully authenticated if the report confirms something, at best it confirms that several reliable sources agreed upon it. This report is released under Creative Commons (CC) and can be republished under the condition that a link to the original source is provided.
(This Brief also has material from September 6 included, but since most of September 6 was covered in September 5, I did not repeat most of the news.)
Protests / Unrest
September 7
1. At around 4:30 PM Tehran time, security forces entered the office of Mousavi’s campaign committee, who are pursuing the fate of detainees, without any warrants or court orders. They confiscated all documents and material inside the office and took it with them to an undisclosed location. When asked about a warrant or court order, the security forces told the office personnel that the confiscated documents and material were not going to be returned, so there was no need for a court order or a warrant.
The committee, which is headed by Alireza Beheshti – the son of Ayatollah Beheshti – had been set up by the Mousavi campaign to investigate the cases of the detainees to determine the number of casualties as well as investigating disappearances and other issues related to violence against protesters.
The committee’s office was one of the few places, where people could come, file complaints and speak of violence against them. This was important as security organizations have turned a blind eye towards victims and in some cases, even arrested the victims who complained.
2. The government has banned the annual gathering to commemorate Ayatollah Taolghani. The gatherings for Shabe Qader at Imam Masooma’s Shrine in Qom, will continue as planned. However, instead of the usual speakers; Ayatollah Amini, Ayatollah Javad Amoli, Ayatollah Ostadi and Nategh Nouri, this year, the speakers will be pro-government clerics; Ahmad Khatami, Ayatollah Sediqi, Dr. Rafi’ie and Alireza Panahiyan. Reports had indicated that the Greens were going to join the gatherings and this appears to be an attempt by the government to stop the Greens from having venues to gather.
3. Reports indicate that dozens of people gather in different parts of Tehran every night and chant against the government. These gatherings are quick and simultaneous.
An example of such a protest from September 03 in Shahrake Gharb:
August 06 from Vanak Square:
September 06
4. Flyers are being distributed across Iran for the protest on September 18. Reports indicate that since the backing of reformists, people have started to organize in mass numbers, in order to make the protest as successful as possible. Pictures of flyers: آسمان دیلی نیوز � اهم اخبار � پخش اعلامیه راهپیمایی 27 شهریور در سطح شهر تهران
5. Dozens of students from across Iran, are losing their right to study in universities, as the government starts to punish them, for taking part in protests. Reports indicate that these students, are being suspended from their universities or outright barred from ever joining higher education facilities because they have either been photographed during protests or have been detained.
Tabriz, Shiraz and Tehran are the main cities where this is happening.
Opposition
September 7
6. Former President Seyed Mohammad Khatami, today said that they were opposed to those, who in the name of fighting Western liberalism, were using fascist tactics and totalitarian ideas to force people, to where they thought was best. He warned all those who cared, to think of rebuilding national solidarity and yet again restore trust that the current system could help solve the problems.
He hinted that he was in favor of Islam remaining in the government, yet he was opposed to those who were using it to commit wrongdoings. Speaking about the current crisis, he said they believed the election was a great opportunity, which had been wasted. He said that people had hoped, to come forward and take part in the election and this could have been an event to restore people’s trust.
His speech indicated that, if in the coming months, nothing was done to right the wrongs that had been committed, then it would be too late to reform the affairs.
7. On September 5 Grand Ayatollah Safi-Golapyegani visited the Imam Sajjad seminary in Qomm, to meet and confer with Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem-Shirazi. The meeting, which took place on September 5, was held behind closed doors. According to Ayatollah Golpayegani’s official website, the two Shia Sources of Emulation, discussed and reached a mutual decision on different issues. Safi-Golpayegani had previously called the elections ‘a grand lie’. Makarem-Shirazi has yet to take sides. Makarem-Shirazi however, refused to congratulate Ahmadinejad and did not show up to meet him on his first visit to Mashhad.
8. Other reports coming in from Qom, indicate that clerics are slowly gearing up to get involved. According to these reports, pro-Khamenei clerics are attempting to gather support for Ahmadinejad, on the grounds that Khamenei has backed him, while opposing clerics are declaring Khamenei’s authority null and void.
After reports of the meeting between Grand Ayatollah Yusuf Sane’ie and Grand Ayatollah Montazeri, it has now been confirmed that Sane’ie has also met with Ayatollahs Safi-Golpayegani, Mousavi Ardabeli, Shabiri Zanjani, Bayat Zanjani, Mousavi Tabrizi, Sayed Javad Shahristani (who is the representative of Grand Ayatollah Seyed Ali Sistani of Iraq) and Said Hasan Khomeini.
Reports also confirm that in the past two months, Ayatollah Shabiri Zanjani has met with Ayatollah Sane’ie and Ayatollah Montazeri. Ayatollah Bayat Zanjani met with Sane’ie, on the day his office was reportedly about to be attacked by pro-government forces.
Sane’ie and Zanjani’s meeting, reportedly resulted in both clerics reaching the conclusion, that clerics needed to take sides and show opposition to the atrocities being committed in the name of Islam. Sane’ie’s meeting with Montazeri’s was also about the same issue. It has now been reported, that both clerics discussed actions that could be taken in solidarity with other clerics.
9. Ayatollah Sane’ie, in a meeting with students, called all allegations levied against reformists during their trials a lie. He added that no one, should stay silent when it came to people’s rights and that their rights needed to be defended.
10. The Assembly of Qom Seminary Scholars and Researchers, in reply to IRGC Commander Ali Jafari, released a statement saying, making the system healthier was more important than saving the system.
The Assembly, which is composed of reformist clerics, asked the government to immediately release all political prisoners, openly apologize to all victims of the unrest, compensate all those who have lost property, put all political, judicial and military personnel and individuals, who have committed illegal acts on trial, prosecute them and stop all lies against politicians, clerics and scholars.
11. The Combatant Clerics Association, also released a statement saying that the Association, intended to file legal complaints, against Commander Jafari and accused him of violating Imam Khomeini’s will.
12. The Islamic Iran Participation Front has released a statement, condemning IRGC Commander Ali Jafari’s statements, in which he accused several high-ranking reformist leaders of attempting to weaken Khamenei. The reformist party asked for legal action against Jafari and accused him of slander.
13. Ali Hoseiniyan – an MP, who is a member of the Imam’s Way faction of parliament and is considered Rafsanjani’s de facto representative in parliament – also blasted Jafari and asked the military court to prosecute him for slander. In response to Jafari’s accusations against Rafsanjani’s son, Mehdi Hashemi, Hoseiniyan asked Jafari where he was, when Hashemi was a toddler and went to meet his father in prison during the Shah’s rule.
September 6
14. Ayatollah Bayat Zanjani accused some elements in the government of attempting to purge Imam Khomeini’s ideals from the government and said that soon, they might close the doors of Khomeini’s shrine on people. He expressed grave concern over the government’s discontinuation of Shabe Qadr gatherings at Khomeini’s shrine.
15. Shirin Ebadi – Iranian women’s rights activist and a Nobel Prize Laureate – asked those who wished to participate in the protests globally, in support of the Sea of Green, to post questions on her Facebook page. Readers can post their questions on her Facebook account’s wall. Link: Shirin Ebadi | Facebook
16. MP Hossein Hashemian – the head of Imam’s Way faction of MPs in the parliament – also blasted Jafari and called his accusations lies. He also indicated that several officers in the IRGC, were planning on tending their resignations because of his statements and because of the IRGC’s increasing role in politics.
Government / International
September 7
17. Farhad Tajari – a member of the committee to assess the events in the aftermath of the elections and detainees – told Mehr News, the committee had held a meeting with the new Attorney General, Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi and discussed some of the weaker modes of conduct by prison guards. He said they had discussed the release of individuals whose crimes were forgivable, like university students and lecturers, whose role had been not so influential.
He also said the second category of detainees, who had an influential role in the events after the elections, had been detained, without a long-term detention permit and not enough evidence had been provided to prosecute them. Therefore, he said, it was asked, they be put on trial and their cases pursued quickly, so they could be punished or released.
He asked Ahmadinejad, to provide evidence against those, he had claimed, were responsible for the mistreatment of detainees. Earlier in the day, Ahmadinejad at a press conference, said the mistreatment of detainees in detention centers, as well some arrests and the attack on universities, were by elements linked to violence, who had infiltrated the ranks of security forces.
18. Khamenei asked Ahmadinejad, to listen to criticism by supporters of the government. Sources claim it was in reference to his attempt at appointing female ministers.
19. “The government should have a deeper, wiser and more effective presence in all fields and defend national interests and the ideals of the Islamic establishment,” Ahmadinejad said, during the first meeting of his new cabinet. He also introduced Fatemeh Alia and Ali Zabihi to the parliament, as the proposed ministers of education and energy. The third vacant cabinet seat, the position of welfare minister, has yet to be filled. It is worth mentioning that Fatemeh Alia, is the fourth woman Ahmadinejad has proposed as a cabinet member, after the appointment of one minister and rejection of two by the parliament.
This comes as many clerics and at least one conservative MP, has asked Ahmadinejad not to nominate more women to the cabinet.
Arrested / Released / Killed / Torture
20. The identity of five new casualties of Sea of Green have been revealed. According to sources, the new casualties include Mohammad Naderipour from Serjan and Majid Kamali from Imamshahr. Naderipour was a member of Mousavi’s campaign in Serjan. The other three have only been identified by their last names. As soon as full information is at hand, we will post.
21. Tehran Bureau reports:
“One of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s photographers, who had been violated in Kahrizak, personally informed the Leader about the incident, leading to the closure of the detention center. He was arrested during the post-election unrest and taken to Kahrizak where he was violated and tortured.
According to the source, he reportedly told the Leader, ‘What they did was inhumane and in violation of all human rights… When they did those things to me, in my eyes it was you who was doing them.’ It was after hearing his accounts that the Leader ordered the closure of the notorious detention center.
During the election, he worked as Mir Hossein Mousavi’s documentary maker and was one the cameramen who made Mousavi’s campaign films.
22. According to Saham News, Mehdi Karroubi, disputed claims made by two members of the special judiciary committee, tasked with investigating jail rapes, that he had presented them with no documented proof of his allegations. The opposition cleric turned over a medical report on one jail rape victim, tortured in detention and signaled his readiness to turn over more proof.
“I offered them three documents at the meeting,” Karroubi said. “The first was a video statement by the individual who has gone missing because of threats issued by the representative of Judge Saeed Mortazavi. My second document was about the [sexual] assault of a woman. The third was a document about one man who was subjected to various calamities after his arrest and I offered a CD and the medical examiner’s report on him as well. In that session I also offered two verbal reports as well.”
Karroubi went on to elaborate, on the two oral reports he had offered at the meeting. “One of the reports was about Taraneh Mousavi… I told them her family [is so scared] after the incident that they refuse to even let the girl who was with their daughter on that day [when she was taken] into their home anymore… [I told them] that you, as the officials of this country, must visit the family yourselves and find out the truth of [the] matter… Go to Karaj city’s Imam Khomeini Hospital and seek the doctor’s opinion about the injuries on this girl’s body… I gave them a second report as well.”
September 7
23. Seven Christian converts, who had been detained for more than three weeks have been released on bail.
24. Zahra Towhidi has been released.
25. Saeed Shariati has reportedly spent Thursday night’s Iftar dinner with his family and then has been promptly taken back to prison. Abtahi was allowed to do the same a few days ago.
26. Atefeh Imam – the daughter of detained reformist Javad Imam – was arrested on September 7 from Taloghani Avenue, but released today.
September 6
27. Idris Ariashokoh and Ziauddin Saboori – two senior officials at the Ministry of Interior – have been detained for the past 80 days. News about the detention has only now surfaced.
28. On Saturday, a young man was beaten and injured by security forces at Laleh Park and later arrested.
Media
September 7
29. Saeed Hajjarian, Saeed Shariati and Atrianfar have been forced to take part in a round table discussion on IRIB by the government. During the discussion, the speak of why they changed their views. It will be broadcasted by IRIB soon.
September 6
30. Keyhan has called Mousavi’s demands, from his 11th statement, a plan that has been written by the CIA.
31. IRIB broadcasted a documentary on Kahrizak, which was slightly more impartial, yet refrains from following the more serious allegations levied against the detention facility. It is worth mentioning that the documentary shows Kahrizak, after it has received a fresh coat of paint and has been considerably cleaned up.
Miscellaneous
32. Shajarian joined the Green Movement with a new masterpiece called put down the gun
33. Social Gaming with Conscience! Play4Iran: Here
34. A cartoon sent by Iranian cartoonists to the 9th Bi-Annual Caricature Festival in Tehran:
International Protests / Events / Warnings / Efforts
35. Greens in Stockholm breaking Nokia cell phones: Here
(If you, your friends or your organization are holding events, protests or doing something else related to the Iranian election internationally, please send me an email with details and I will give you coverage. (Will only cost you 10 million dollars!) My email is: dbosca@gmail.com
This page contains a listing of external mirrors of the GB, as well as various information about the GB. Links to translations are also encouraged: http://aic.openmsl.net/wiki/index.php/Green_Brief
- A hearty thanks to S joon for helping me out with proof-reading and very valuable tips. Also, a BIG THANKS to all the translators who’re spending their precious time on getting this to as many people as possible.
while Tawoosi was arrested when he went to court to follow Rezaie’s case.
