Fwd: [ufpj-iran] FT, ToL: Iranian regime 'shows every sign of preparing for an even tougher crackdown'
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Michael Lynn
Dec 31, 2009, 3:25:33 PM12/31/09
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From the UFPJ Iran list.
Mike
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Mark Jensen <jens...@plu.edu>
Date: Thu, Dec 31, 2009 at 1:45 PM
Subject: [ufpj-iran] FT, ToL: Iranian regime 'shows every sign of preparing for an even tougher crackdown'
To: UFPJ-IRAN listerv <ufpj...@lists.mayfirst.org>
NEWS: Iranian regime 'shows every sign of preparing for an even tougher crackdown'
[Riot police "in black and camouflage uniforms were accompanied by plainclothes members of basij" gave "central Tehran and some main squares toward the north of the city" the look of "a conflict zone" on Thursday, the *Financial Times* of London reported.[1] -- The day before, many in a state-organized rally "called for the execution of Mir-Hossein Moussavi," Monavar Khalaj said. -- “'Death to Moussavi' and 'Moussavi is a killer, his execution is necessary' were among the slogans chanted on Wednesday. The rally was shown live on state television and, unusually, the slogans against Mr. Moussavi were also broadcast. Similar rallies were organized across the country." -- Tehran'S prosecutor general, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, "told the state television that hundreds of protesters arrested on Sunday would not be released," Khalaj said. -- "They will face trial as soon as next week on charges of acting against national secruity." -- On Monday night and Tuesday, the government arrested the sister of Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi, the brother-in-law of Mir Hossein Moussavi, and numerous reformist academics, journalists and human rights activists, the *Times* of London reported Wednesday.[2] -- Martin Fletcher said that the regime fears that the burial of a nephew of Moussavi who was assassinated on Sunday "could turn into another massive demonstration" and "has taken his body for 'forensic investigation.' Police claimed yesterday that Seyed Ali Mousavi was killed by 'terrorists,' not the security forces." -- "Far from retreating after Sunday’s bloody scenes, the regime showed every sign yesterday of preparing for an even tougher crackdown." --Mark]
http://www.ufppc.org/us-a-world-news-mainmenu-35/9285/
1.
RIOT POLICE MARCH THROUGH TEHRAN
By Monavar Khalaj
Financial Times (London)
December 30, 2009
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c0bb941a-f559-11de-90ab-00144feab49a.html
TEHRAN -- There was tight security in central Tehran and some main squares toward the north of the city on Thursday with armed police taking to the streets creating an intimidating atmosphere.
The riot police in black and camouflage uniforms were accompanied by plainclothes members of basij -- the voluntary arm of the elite Revolutionary Guards.
Eyewitnesses said the forces were marching and patrolling the streets on motorcycles in groups, making central Tehran look like a conflict zone.
There were unconfirmed reports that the opposition was planning to gather in some parts of the capital city in response to the state-organized rally on Wednesday when hundreds of thousands of government supporters gathered in central Tehran in a show of strength and delivering what seemed like an ultimatum to the opposition.
Many in the state-organized rally called for the execution of Mir-Hossein Moussavi, the opposition leader who ran against President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad in the disputed election in June.
Mr. Moussavi is blamed by fundamentalists for the biggest unrest against the Islamic regime in its history.
“Death to Moussavi” and “Moussavi is a killer, his execution is necessary” were among the slogans chanted on Wednesday. The rally was shown live on state television and, unusually, the slogans against Mr. Moussavi were also broadcast. Similar rallies were organised across the country.
The gathering was a reaction to the opposition rallies on Sunday, when hundreds of thousands marched in the streets of Tehran and other cities, many of them openly chanting against Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader.
State organisations helped to transport their employees to the pro-government rally, while Tehran’s underground offered free travel and authorities printed placards and flags. Free snacks and drinks were also available for demonstrators.
The opposition has been denied permission for protests. On Sunday, the government’s opponents used Ashura, the biggest religious festival in Iran, for their protest.
The regime has responded by accusing them of being disrespectful to the holy day by whistling, clapping hands, setting the Koran on fire, and destroying state property.
“Ashura rioters should be hanged,” the government’s supporters shouted on Wednesday.
The pro-regime gathering insisted that “only” Mr. Khamenei could be Iran’s supreme leader.
Ahmad Alamolhoda, a member of the Experts Assembly which appoints the supreme leader, was the main speaker at the rally. He warned the opposition leaders that they could be charged with “Moharebeh” -- literally meaning “fighting against God,” an offence punishable by the death penalty.
Mr. Alamolhoda referred to the supporters of the opposition as “goats and cows.” The crowd responded with chants of “Moussavi, Karroubi should be executed.”
Javan, a newspaper affiliated to the elite Revolutionary Guards, reported on its website that some demonstrators gathered outside Mr. Moussavi’s office and vowed to stay there until the judiciary dealt with him.
The judiciary issued a statment telling ”the elites” -- a reference to the opposition leaders -- to ”distance” themselves from the protesters ”as soon as possible.” Otherwise, they would ”share the crimes and “be held accountable.”
Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, the Tehran prosecutor general, also told the state television that hundreds of protesters arrested on Sunday would not be released. They will face trial as soon as next week on charges of acting against national secruity.
[INSET]
TOP MOUSSAVI AIDE ON HUNGER STRIKE
A senior aide to Iran’s opposition leader, Mir-Hossein Moussavi, has gone on hunger strike after being arrested on Monday, according to a reformist website.
Alireza Hosseini-Beheshti, 47, comes from a family that was once a pillar of the Islamic regime. His father, Ayatollah Mohammad Hosseini-Beheshti, was among the main architects of the Islamic revolution in 1979 and later served as head of judiciary. The ayatollah was killed in 1981 and was officially acknowledged as a martyr.
Before the June election, Mr. Moussavi gathered together a small circle of aides, including Mr Hosseini-Beheshti, who were reputed to have strong revolutionary backgrounds. These aides are now the target for arrest.
2.
World news
Middle East news
IRANIAN REGIME ROUNDS UP RELATIVES OF OPPOSITION LEADERS IN BID TO STOP PROTESTS
By Martin Fletcher
Times (London)
December 30, 2009
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6971053.ece
Iran arrested the sister of the Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi as the embattled regime stepped up efforts to suppress a resurgent opposition yesterday.
Two days after police used lethal force to contain massive nationwide demonstrations, Tehran also lashed out at foreign critics. The Foreign Ministry summoned Simon Gass, the British Ambassador, for a dressing-down. The move appeared to be part of attempts to portray the opposition as a puppet of the Islamic Republic’s Western enemies.
The regime protested at Britain’s “interference in our internal affairs” after David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, lauded the opposition’s “great courage” and lamented the security forces’ “lack of restraint” on Sunday. Manouchehr Mottaki, the Iranian Foreign Minister, declared that Britain would “receive a punch on the mouth” if it did not “stop its nonsense.”
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said that Mr. Gass had “responded robustly . . . and reiterated [Mr. Miliband’s] comments that the Iranian Government must respect the human rights of its own citizens.”
More sinister were the regime’s attempts to silence the opposition by arresting Dr. Ebadi’s sister, as well as the brother-in-law of Mir Hossein Mousavi, the leader of the so-called Green Movement, and numerous reformist academics, journalists and human rights activists.
Unable to arrest Dr. Ebadi -- who regularly denounces the regime from her de facto exile in Europe -- the regime sent four intelligence agents to seize her sister, Nooshin, a doctor, from her home late on Monday night.
“I am not aware of the place of her detention, or the reason for her arrest,” said Dr. Ebadi, who had already had her Nobel medal confiscated and bank account frozen by the regime. “She is not an activist, and her arrest is in fact new pressure to stop my human rights work.”
Bernard Kouchner, the French Foreign Minister, said Dr. Ebadi’s sister was arrested to put “unacceptable pressure on this courageous activist” and demanded the release of all detainees.
The regime also seized Shahpour Kazemi, Mr. Mousavi’s brother-in-law, though he was later released on bail, according to the opposition website Rahesabz.
Mr. Mousavi’s nephew was one of at least eight protesters killed during Sunday’s demonstrations, and the regime -- fearing his funeral could turn into another massive demonstration -- has taken his body for “forensic investigation.” Police claimed yesterday that Seyed Ali Mousavi was killed by “terrorists,” not the security forces.
The regime has attempted to silence at least five other prominent opposition supporters since Sunday, by seizing their relatives, according to opposition websites. They include the sons of Ayatollah Seyyed Jalaleddin Taheri, a leading reformist cleric, and of Mostafa Moin, a former minister and presidential candidate.
Far from retreating after Sunday’s bloody scenes, the regime showed every sign yesterday of preparing for an even tougher crackdown.
Abbas Vaez-Tabasi, a cleric close to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, called the opposition leaders “enemies of God” who should be executed under Sharia. Ali Larijani, the Speaker of the conservative-controlled Parliament, demanded “maximum punishment” for protesters who “hijacked” the religious holiday of Ashura on Sunday.
The Revolutionary Guards warned that those responsible for the unrest “will soon pay the cost of their insolence”, while President Ahmadinejad called the protests a “nauseating masquerade” staged by the U.S. and Israel.
The regime held rallies in various cities to show support for Ayatollah Khamenei, and to demand that opposition leaders be punished for fomenting unrest. State-controlled television said that the rallies were spontaneous.
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From: Mark Jensen <jens...@plu.edu>
Date: Thu, Dec 31, 2009 at 1:45 PM
Subject: [ufpj-iran] FT, ToL: Iranian regime 'shows every sign of preparing for an even tougher crackdown'
To: UFPJ-IRAN listerv <ufpj...@lists.mayfirst.org>
NEWS: Iranian regime 'shows every sign of preparing for an even tougher crackdown'
[Riot police "in black and camouflage uniforms were accompanied by plainclothes members of basij" gave "central Tehran and some main squares toward the north of the city" the look of "a conflict zone" on Thursday, the *Financial Times* of London reported.[1] -- The day before, many in a state-organized rally "called for the execution of Mir-Hossein Moussavi," Monavar Khalaj said. -- “'Death to Moussavi' and 'Moussavi is a killer, his execution is necessary' were among the slogans chanted on Wednesday. The rally was shown live on state television and, unusually, the slogans against Mr. Moussavi were also broadcast. Similar rallies were organized across the country." -- Tehran'S prosecutor general, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, "told the state television that hundreds of protesters arrested on Sunday would not be released," Khalaj said. -- "They will face trial as soon as next week on charges of acting against national secruity." -- On Monday night and Tuesday, the government arrested the sister of Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi, the brother-in-law of Mir Hossein Moussavi, and numerous reformist academics, journalists and human rights activists, the *Times* of London reported Wednesday.[2] -- Martin Fletcher said that the regime fears that the burial of a nephew of Moussavi who was assassinated on Sunday "could turn into another massive demonstration" and "has taken his body for 'forensic investigation.' Police claimed yesterday that Seyed Ali Mousavi was killed by 'terrorists,' not the security forces." -- "Far from retreating after Sunday’s bloody scenes, the regime showed every sign yesterday of preparing for an even tougher crackdown." --Mark]
http://www.ufppc.org/us-a-world-news-mainmenu-35/9285/
1.
RIOT POLICE MARCH THROUGH TEHRAN
By Monavar Khalaj
Financial Times (London)
December 30, 2009
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c0bb941a-f559-11de-90ab-00144feab49a.html
TEHRAN -- There was tight security in central Tehran and some main squares toward the north of the city on Thursday with armed police taking to the streets creating an intimidating atmosphere.
The riot police in black and camouflage uniforms were accompanied by plainclothes members of basij -- the voluntary arm of the elite Revolutionary Guards.
Eyewitnesses said the forces were marching and patrolling the streets on motorcycles in groups, making central Tehran look like a conflict zone.
There were unconfirmed reports that the opposition was planning to gather in some parts of the capital city in response to the state-organized rally on Wednesday when hundreds of thousands of government supporters gathered in central Tehran in a show of strength and delivering what seemed like an ultimatum to the opposition.
Many in the state-organized rally called for the execution of Mir-Hossein Moussavi, the opposition leader who ran against President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad in the disputed election in June.
Mr. Moussavi is blamed by fundamentalists for the biggest unrest against the Islamic regime in its history.
“Death to Moussavi” and “Moussavi is a killer, his execution is necessary” were among the slogans chanted on Wednesday. The rally was shown live on state television and, unusually, the slogans against Mr. Moussavi were also broadcast. Similar rallies were organised across the country.
The gathering was a reaction to the opposition rallies on Sunday, when hundreds of thousands marched in the streets of Tehran and other cities, many of them openly chanting against Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader.
State organisations helped to transport their employees to the pro-government rally, while Tehran’s underground offered free travel and authorities printed placards and flags. Free snacks and drinks were also available for demonstrators.
The opposition has been denied permission for protests. On Sunday, the government’s opponents used Ashura, the biggest religious festival in Iran, for their protest.
The regime has responded by accusing them of being disrespectful to the holy day by whistling, clapping hands, setting the Koran on fire, and destroying state property.
“Ashura rioters should be hanged,” the government’s supporters shouted on Wednesday.
The pro-regime gathering insisted that “only” Mr. Khamenei could be Iran’s supreme leader.
Ahmad Alamolhoda, a member of the Experts Assembly which appoints the supreme leader, was the main speaker at the rally. He warned the opposition leaders that they could be charged with “Moharebeh” -- literally meaning “fighting against God,” an offence punishable by the death penalty.
Mr. Alamolhoda referred to the supporters of the opposition as “goats and cows.” The crowd responded with chants of “Moussavi, Karroubi should be executed.”
Javan, a newspaper affiliated to the elite Revolutionary Guards, reported on its website that some demonstrators gathered outside Mr. Moussavi’s office and vowed to stay there until the judiciary dealt with him.
The judiciary issued a statment telling ”the elites” -- a reference to the opposition leaders -- to ”distance” themselves from the protesters ”as soon as possible.” Otherwise, they would ”share the crimes and “be held accountable.”
Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, the Tehran prosecutor general, also told the state television that hundreds of protesters arrested on Sunday would not be released. They will face trial as soon as next week on charges of acting against national secruity.
[INSET]
TOP MOUSSAVI AIDE ON HUNGER STRIKE
A senior aide to Iran’s opposition leader, Mir-Hossein Moussavi, has gone on hunger strike after being arrested on Monday, according to a reformist website.
Alireza Hosseini-Beheshti, 47, comes from a family that was once a pillar of the Islamic regime. His father, Ayatollah Mohammad Hosseini-Beheshti, was among the main architects of the Islamic revolution in 1979 and later served as head of judiciary. The ayatollah was killed in 1981 and was officially acknowledged as a martyr.
Before the June election, Mr. Moussavi gathered together a small circle of aides, including Mr Hosseini-Beheshti, who were reputed to have strong revolutionary backgrounds. These aides are now the target for arrest.
2.
World news
Middle East news
IRANIAN REGIME ROUNDS UP RELATIVES OF OPPOSITION LEADERS IN BID TO STOP PROTESTS
By Martin Fletcher
Times (London)
December 30, 2009
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6971053.ece
Iran arrested the sister of the Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi as the embattled regime stepped up efforts to suppress a resurgent opposition yesterday.
Two days after police used lethal force to contain massive nationwide demonstrations, Tehran also lashed out at foreign critics. The Foreign Ministry summoned Simon Gass, the British Ambassador, for a dressing-down. The move appeared to be part of attempts to portray the opposition as a puppet of the Islamic Republic’s Western enemies.
The regime protested at Britain’s “interference in our internal affairs” after David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, lauded the opposition’s “great courage” and lamented the security forces’ “lack of restraint” on Sunday. Manouchehr Mottaki, the Iranian Foreign Minister, declared that Britain would “receive a punch on the mouth” if it did not “stop its nonsense.”
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said that Mr. Gass had “responded robustly . . . and reiterated [Mr. Miliband’s] comments that the Iranian Government must respect the human rights of its own citizens.”
More sinister were the regime’s attempts to silence the opposition by arresting Dr. Ebadi’s sister, as well as the brother-in-law of Mir Hossein Mousavi, the leader of the so-called Green Movement, and numerous reformist academics, journalists and human rights activists.
Unable to arrest Dr. Ebadi -- who regularly denounces the regime from her de facto exile in Europe -- the regime sent four intelligence agents to seize her sister, Nooshin, a doctor, from her home late on Monday night.
“I am not aware of the place of her detention, or the reason for her arrest,” said Dr. Ebadi, who had already had her Nobel medal confiscated and bank account frozen by the regime. “She is not an activist, and her arrest is in fact new pressure to stop my human rights work.”
Bernard Kouchner, the French Foreign Minister, said Dr. Ebadi’s sister was arrested to put “unacceptable pressure on this courageous activist” and demanded the release of all detainees.
The regime also seized Shahpour Kazemi, Mr. Mousavi’s brother-in-law, though he was later released on bail, according to the opposition website Rahesabz.
Mr. Mousavi’s nephew was one of at least eight protesters killed during Sunday’s demonstrations, and the regime -- fearing his funeral could turn into another massive demonstration -- has taken his body for “forensic investigation.” Police claimed yesterday that Seyed Ali Mousavi was killed by “terrorists,” not the security forces.
The regime has attempted to silence at least five other prominent opposition supporters since Sunday, by seizing their relatives, according to opposition websites. They include the sons of Ayatollah Seyyed Jalaleddin Taheri, a leading reformist cleric, and of Mostafa Moin, a former minister and presidential candidate.
Far from retreating after Sunday’s bloody scenes, the regime showed every sign yesterday of preparing for an even tougher crackdown.
Abbas Vaez-Tabasi, a cleric close to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, called the opposition leaders “enemies of God” who should be executed under Sharia. Ali Larijani, the Speaker of the conservative-controlled Parliament, demanded “maximum punishment” for protesters who “hijacked” the religious holiday of Ashura on Sunday.
The Revolutionary Guards warned that those responsible for the unrest “will soon pay the cost of their insolence”, while President Ahmadinejad called the protests a “nauseating masquerade” staged by the U.S. and Israel.
The regime held rallies in various cities to show support for Ayatollah Khamenei, and to demand that opposition leaders be punished for fomenting unrest. State-controlled television said that the rallies were spontaneous.
_______________________________________________
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