Eye on Iran
Protesters continue to pour into the streets like an angry river in Tehran, Iran. They are the supporters of Mir Hossein Mousavi. Mousavi claims that the June 12 presidential election that he lost to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was “rigged” and corrupt. Mousavi and his followers demanded a new and fair election. Mousavi is generally considered the more moderate candidate, one who would loosen restrictions on the people of Iran. Incumbent Ahmadinejad is considered a “hard-liner” who supports severe restrictions based on Islamic law. Many of Mousavi’s supporters are young people who tend to think that Iran should open up more to the modern world. Ahmadinejad is supported by many of Iran’s Muslim clerics and by the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei declared that the presidential election was fair and free from widespread fraud and ordered the protesters to go back to their homes.
The protesters didn’t listen. No international reporters
were allowed to record what was happening in Iran, yet the whole world was able
to see. On Saturday, June 20, images recorded on mobile phones and by hidden
video cameras revealed scenes of brutality and violence. They showed riot
police firing tear gas canisters to break up opposition rallies, protesters
being shot and beaten with clubs, and victims carried off in ambulances.
Protesters were able to secretly upload the photos and videos to Twitter,
Facebook, and YouTube and send them around the world. A blood-soaked video of a
young woman, Neda Agha Soltani, reportedly killed by police, became a symbol of
the protest and its desire for more democracy—even at the price of death.
Iran’s government reported only a few dozen deaths, but Mousavi’s supporters
say the dead likely number in the many hundreds.
Despite stern warnings, hundreds of protesters continue to
take to the streets. “Nothing is certain now,” Hassan Baghernejad, a top
Mousavi aide, told The Washington Post. How the crisis will end, no one knows.
“We must wait and see.”
Photo: Protesters clash with riot police at an anti-government protest in Tehran, Iran on Saturday June 20, 2009. (AP Photo)
Why aren't they counting the votes again? The winner may be correct but it's crucial to tell the public the truth. It's tge truth we want!
Posted by: Tom | July 31, 2009 at 02:50 AM