Iran: Green Brief #39 (July 25) Latest news from Iran

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http://iran.whyweprotest.net/green-brief/20429-green-brief-39-july-25-a.html


Green Brief #39 (July 25)

Protests / Unrest

1. The most wide-spread protests in the history of humanity were held today in support of Iranian’s rights. (Not in terms of numbers, but in terms of how many and where they were held.) Thousands of people took part in more than 100 cities across the globe. As words cannot describe this event, you are welcome to see a slideshow of the event: United4Iran's Photostream

For the mammoth Green Scroll in Paris, click here: YouTube - Green Scroll in Paris - Ey Iran - Paris, Mur de la Paix, 25 Juillet 2009

One Green Brief team member reports that during Green Day’s concert in New York, pictures of Iran’s Green Movement were repeatedly shown in the background. Here’s a link to a picture, courtesy PocketDiplomat: Solidarity for Iran during Green Day Concert � Pocket Diplomat

(Several friends and team members of the Green Brief wrote letters about their experiences during the protests - I’m thankful for everyone’s participation. I personally took part in a protest and met with some members of the Baha’i community as well)


2. The protesters in Dubai, however, were told by the government to stop. When they didn’t comply, they were forcibly dispersed by the police. It has been partially confirmed that at least one protester was detained.

3. Hundreds of Iranians rallied in Vanak and Azadi Squares and many other parts of the Tehran today. Protesters chanted anti-government slogans and asked for the release of detained protesters. In the scorching heat, people were served with green soft drinks. Protesters were attacked by plainclothesmen and anti-riot police and several many were severely beaten at Vanak and Azadi. Many others were arrested. The families of detained protesters held a gathering in front of Evin Prison again.

4. Mousavi’s camp has reportedly requested the government to issue a permit to hold a mourning ceremony for the slain on Thursday which coincides with the 40th day of Neda’s death.

5. Protesters have now started to write Ahmadinejad’s name on garbage bags.


Opposition

6. Iran’s PressTV reports: “A Tehran court has found Iranian Minister of Industries and Mines Ali-Akbar Mehrabian guilty of fraud after he registered someone else's invention in his own name.
The verdict came after plaintiff Farzad Salimi filed a complaint against former municipality officials Mehrabian and Mousa Mazloum over the dishonest registration of an invention dubbed "Safe Room for Earthquakes" in their names.”

7. Ayatollah Mousavi Ardabeli has issued another statement asking the government to release all detainees that have not broken the law. He claimed that the government was losing people’s trust because of the detentions.

8. Ayatollah Ali Mohammad Dastegheyb has issued a statement condemning a letter released in the name of members of the Assembly of Experts that criticizes Rafsanjani. He asked them to immediately renounce the letter and apologize to Rafsanjani.

9. Ayatollah Zanjani has reportedly issued a fatwa calling for a boycott of Ahmadinejad’s inauguration.

10. Leaders of the reformist camps have written a letter to Grand Ayatollahs of Iran to break their silence over the election and the post-election events. Mousavi, Khatami and Karroubi – the principle signatories – asked the Ayatollahs to stop the government from breaking the law and committing atrocities against the people of Iran.

11. In a separate statement released today, Karroubi condemned the wide-spread beatings of women during protests. He accused the security forces of specifically targeting women. Later during a meeting with members of his party, he said that they needed to become firmer in response to the deteriorating situation. He also announced a restricting of the party shortly.

12. It has been confirmed that even though Ayatollah Vaez Tabasi – the most eminent cleric in Mashhad – didn’t greet or meet Ahmadinejad during his visit to that city, he had actually come to the airport to receive Rafsanjani when he visited the city last week.

13. Mohammad Reza Naseri Shohan – a high-ranking member of Etemaade Melli Party in Ilam province – was summoned to appear in court by the judiciary.


Government / International

14. 13. After his appointment as Ahmadinejad’s senior Vice President was revoked, Mashaie has now been appointed as Ahmadinejad’s Chief of Staff and senior advisor.

15. 14. Even though it was earlier reported that the Ministers of Intelligence, Health, Labor and Culture had all been sacked, we can only confirm the sacking of the Minister of Intelligence Mohseni Ejaie at this point. Reports suggest the he may have been sacked because he was partly opposed to detainees’ confessions being broadcasted on IRIB.

16. 15. Partially confirmed reports also suggest that the commander of the Basij, Hossein Taleb is going to be appointed as Ejaie’s replacement in Ahmadinejad’s new cabinet. Taleb has been accused of being the mastermind behind torturing detainees and obtaining confessions from them.

17. Sayed Ali Jafari – the Commander of IRG – has yet again accused reformists of attempting to stage a velvet revolution. He claimed that greatest dangers to stability in Iran came from elements inside the country.


Arrested / Released / Killed

18. Mohsen Rohul-Amini's father today said that Mohsen had died after being tortured profusely. According to Mohsen’s dad, his jaw had been broken and after bleeding for days, he’d developed meningitis and died as a result.

19. Amir Javadifar - a protester who was detained – has died at Evin. It cannot be confirmed yet whether he died under torture. Family has been told to collect his body on Sunday. He was 24 and a student of Qazvin’s Azad University. It has been reported – but not confirmed – that another detainee Mojtaba Samenezhad has died under torture at Evin.

20. Prisons in Iran have become a hotbed for infectious diseases as the number of detainees soars. The Ministry of health has reported in the past few days, at least 2,000 shots have been sent to prisons across Iran. At least two prisoners have so far died of meningitis in detention. Families of protesters who have died or have been badly injured after torture at Evin are only granted custody of their loved ones or their bodies if they promise to not lodge a complaint against the prison.

21. A number of intellectuals including Fariborz Rayis Dana arrested as they attended a gathering to commemorate the anniversary of Iranian poet Ahmad Shamloo's birth.

22. The staff at Evin Prison told families of detainees today that the names of none of the detainees they were seeking information about were in the prison’s computerized database.

23. We had reportedly earlier that some detainees were being kept at a make-shift detention center that used to serve as a drug rehabilitation center. Reports now suggest that deep holes have been ground inside the building’s main yard and prisoners are lowered and kept in the holes for days at a time without food or water.

24. Detained reformist Saeed Hajjarian is reportedly

25. Detained journalists, Masood Bastani and Mahsa Amrabadi were allowed to meet each other briefly today. Mahsa is heavily pregnant.

*One blogger made some pictures of how Iranian banknotes might look like when the Green Movement succeeds. (That’s right, WHEN, not IF.)

**(Apologies for the lateness and briefness of the brief. My commitment to this cause has NOT and WILL NOT change. But as everyone kept telling me to take a break, I have decied to spend some time with a friend to cool off a little bit. kudos to her and thank you all for your vigorous support!)

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