Tag Archives: Government Vigilantes

Video: Students Protest at Tehran Azad University

Reports are coming in of clashes between students protesting against the incarceration of their fellow students, and pro-government Basij. Golnaz Esfandiari quotes an unnamed source: students were chanting “Death to the Dictator” and “Ya Hossein, Mir Hossein.” The following video is purportedly from today’s protest, showing students singing the song from the 1979 revolution, Yare [...]

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Pedestrian: The Man in Sorrow

Source: Pedestrian | April 12, 2010 Ezatollah Sahabi is the 80 year old head of Iran’s Nationalist-Religious political alliance. He has spent years in prison, in both the pre and post revolution eras, and here he reflects on the state of prisons in Iran and laments all the young lives who are unjustly and mercilessly [...]

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The truth about Iran’s campus attack

(Guardian, UK) | February 23, 2010 Saeed Kamali Dehghan Shocking film footage has emerged showing how riot police brutally suppressed protesting Tehran University students Last night the BBC Persian service broadcast for the first time a very disturbing video of the attack by the Basij militia and riot police on Tehran University’s campus just two [...]

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The dust of dissent can still choke this regime

On the surface, “order” has been enforced. But only on the surface. Inside Iran, public anger still burns, flaring up wherever opportunity presents. At the core of the Islamic regime, a struggle has been unleashed that — by stepping off his pedestal into the thick of the fray — the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, has lost his once- undisputed power to bring under control. Far from subsiding, dissent is shaking the regime to its roots.

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Islamic Guards Emerge as Key Power Bloc in Splintered Iran

From its origin 30 years ago as an ideologically driven militia force serving Islamic revolutionary leaders, the corps has grown to assume an increasingly assertive role in virtually every aspect of Iranian society.

And its aggressive drive to silence dissenting views has led many political analysts to describe the events surrounding the June 12 presidential election as a military coup.

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What the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader, Khamenei, really meant to say

“How did you like the fact that with such ease I was able to have 9 of your embassy staff employees arrested and interrogated then released, just like that? I’m keeping one of them. Fair trade. Someone has to pay the price for the blood that has been spilled in the streets. I’m sure you understand.You are free to think of me as: Your Friend.”

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Feature: Instagrams from Iran (picture compilation)

A few pictures from Iran, taken by ordinary people and posted to Instagram

Iran Feature: Former Detainee Sarah Shourd “The Plight of Iranians and 3 Decades of US Foreign Policy”

The incredible thing for me was that so many Iranians worldwide took the time to care about us despite the thousands of other political prisoners they have to worry about. “I’m an Iranian boy ashamed for what our government did to three American hikers,” another message on Facebook says. “I want you to know Iranian people are with you and against their own government. Iran’s regime is not chosen by Iranian people. They kill and torture us and we are all in a very big prison named Iran.”

Iran Feature: The Supreme Leader Is Worried — Three Developments You Probably Don’t Know

Our partner, EAWorldView, has published a ground-breaking piece on Iran’s Supreme Leader. This is a must-read.

Live-blog: Russia, what’s next?

Live-blog: Egypt Elections, Day 1

A historic day: The first post-Mubarak elections in Egypt

Journalist Mona Eltahawy’s harrowing ordeal – beating, sexual assault and arrest in Egypt – in her own words and tweets

“The past 12 hrs were painful and surreal but I know I got off much much easier than so many other Egyptians.”