Protests in Iran - July 09 - live blogging

Today July 9, 2009 Iranian silent protesters headed towards Tehran University to mark the anniversary of the 1999 student uprising that violently crackdown by militia and so many people killed. Also these protests are continuation of dissent over fraudulent presidential election results on June 12.

Following footages are from today protests from Keshavarz Blvd.:

First militia blocked the road ways toward Tehran University then Basij militia resorted to violence to disperse people. People reported gun shots around Tehran University area.

This video is from protests in North Karegar St.:

Today people chanted "God is great", "Death to dictator" and "Coup government, Resign, Resign". Armed forces including riot police, security forces, Revolutionary guards and Basij militia, attacked people. Today they extensively used tear gas. So far most people got beaten by clubs and batons today.

On this video it shows that armed forces blocked a road way:

This video shows armed forces deployed on Enghelab (revolution) st. – Ferdowsi Sq.:

On this video people chanting "Mojtaba (Khamenei's son) we wish you dead, before becoming supreme leader". There is consensus that Mojtaba is behind of engineering of election and he is the one who controls of Iran's anti-protest militia.

You might wanna read these three pieces “In Iran, New Demonstrations Bring New Violence", “Iran protests flare on anniversary of 1999 riots” and "Protesters in Iran met with tear gas, batons" about today’s protests.

Protests in North Karegar Ave. just above Enqelab (revolution) Sq:

I got this message that Amirkabir University dorm is ransacked by Basij militia.


In this video people are chanting "We are children of war (They mean Iran-Iraq war), if you fight we'll fight back!":

People are running from armed militia but still they shout “death to dictator!” will regime be able to shutdown people forever? I am sure not.

In following video protesters in intersection of Taleghani and Valiasr St. are heading down to Valiasr St. that anti-riot forces attacked people with tear gas:

In this video, you see riot police and plainclothes militia arrested a protester. Commotion is going on there. Then it shows militia and police attacking cars on the Enqelab (revolution) street:

Tonight people chanted on their rooftops a little stronger than other nights. I guess it has to do with people’s presence on streets which gave everyone a little more strength and hope for resistance.


Also if you wanna know what was like back then in 1999 student uprising, I guess following videos would help a bit:

Photo Slideshow

People & Power - Iran: inside the protests

Al Jazeera came up with an insider look on aftermath of Iran's June 12 presidential elections and the crisis. It covers stories of violence against protesters, students and journalists.

This film, from French documentary maker Manon Loizeau, gives a unique behind-the-scenes perspective on the protests and the Iranian government's tough response.

At 17:22 a fully accredited journalist from Canada reports that he was beaten and arrested by security forces. I hope those leftists who still bashing these reports, stop fantasize and accept that these events are really unfolding whether you accept the reality or choose not to!

V for Victory

Now that government brutally crackdown on protests, protests have moved to a new level, spraying on walls and writing on paper currency are among them. Following photos are from a young couple who share their dreams in better tomorrow with protesting hand in hand. She takes photos as soon as he finishes spraying on wall.

It reads: "V Mousavi"

It reads: "V Death to dictator"

I manipulate a little of V for Vendetta to explain the V in photos:

The V stands not for victim, villain, vengeance, vendetta or vaudevillian. This V is a vestige of the “vox populi” has been vacant, vanished but now vivified. It is a verdict vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin, van guarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. It stands for Victory held as a votive not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous.

Photos courtesy of Eyes Wide Open

Song of Our Neda by Fraser Sutherland

Fraser Sutherland a Canadian poet and editor sent his poem about Neda's murder. I sent his poem to a friend of mine and he replied me back: “Let Fraser know that although he is far far away from here but your poem and support will ease our pain of losing brothers and sisters in this fight”.

Here is the poem:

Song of Our Neda

- Neda Agha-Soltan, killed in Tehran 20 June 2009
After the Farsi of Fereshteh Molavi

Go, run, clap, my friends,
You have become the cry
Of a woman named Neda
Who is about to die.
Oh, Neda, don’t look at me,
It is the end you see.

Your head is bare, your hair is free,
Your slim body’s beauty doesn’t hide,
Your face is a crimson flower,
Your lips are closed, your eyes are wide.
Oh, Neda, don’t look at me,
It is the end you see.

Hot asphalt, hard asphalt,
This is the blood-drenched street
In the court of the insane.
Blind sky, deaf sky is where we meet.
Oh, Neda, don’t look at me,
It is the end you see.

Motorbikes, motorbikes, motorbikes
Are the beating of your heart.
Batons, batons, batons
Are the beating of your heart.
Oh, Neda, don’t look at me,
It is the end you see.

Pounding boots, boots, boots,
Are the beating of your heart.
The bark of guns, the bark of guns
Are the beating of your heart.
Oh, Neda, don’t look at me,
It is the end you see.

Take pity on our beaten hearts
That’s now the beating of your heart.
Neda, Neda, Neda,
Oh, Neda, don’t look at me.
Oh, Neda, don’t look at me,
It is the end you see.

Hot asphalt, hard asphalt,
This is the blood-drenched street
In the court of the insane.
Blind sky, deaf sky is where we meet.
Oh, Neda, don’t look at me,
It is the end you see.

Your head is bare, your hair is free,
Your slim body’s beauty doesn’t hide.
Your face is a crimson flower,
Your lips are closed, your eyes are wide.
Oh, Neda, don’t look at me,
It is the end you see.

Go, run, clap, my friends
You have become the cry
That Neda and Iran
Are about to die.
Oh, Neda, don’t look at me,
It is the end you see.

- Fraser Sutherland

Digital dissent vs. bullets and batons

Eric Campbell from Australian ABCNews has an insight look into current crisis in Iran, cyber dissidents, Basji militia and citizens that under extreme censorship on media eventually became correspondents. I highly recommend this 25 minutes report. For windows version click on photo.

Other formats click here and find "Play video".

Freedom, Glory, Be Our Name

Yet another beautiful song and video in solidarity with Iranian people cause for freedom and democracy.

we will burn your temple to the ground
we will tear all your prisons down
your gallows will be set for burning
just before one last hanging

we will erase your name, we will show no restraint

Freedom, Glory, Be Our Name
Freedom, Glory, Be Our Name

Take a look at their website to download the track free of charge.

Teheran Girl - a song to Iranian people and freedom

Samavayo is a "Heavy Rock Band" from Berlin, Germany. They have dedicated following song in support of Iranian people and their freedom. Thank you.

This video contains disturbing graphic content, please be warned if you are going to watch it.

They wrote on their homepage:

We want to show our solidarity with the people in Iran and therefore we offer the Iranian people our song "Tehran Girl" for download! We support the Persian freedom and democracy movement!

Storm or counter strike shutdown Tehran?

Today, people supposed to strike and don’t show up at work in Tehran but by declaring two days off due to dust storm, authorities managed to stop people from striking at the first place. People are saying this is government plan to neutralize strike. This theory makes a little sense because we know that dust storm came from Iraq and Saudi Arabia which hits west and south western areas of Iran rather severely, yet authorities didn’t shutdown any cities except for Tehran. Hmm!

Reality check: Tehran is extremely polluted city, seriously it is hard to breathe in normal working days, so setting aside of what controversial theorists would say, it would be safe and rational to call it off in this situation. So why didn’t they shutdown Shiraz and Isfahan cities? They are polluted too, not as much as Tehran but still they are very much polluted cities, yet authorities left them on their own and public offices are very much active there!

I leave the conclusion for you.

Power-cling: A political animation about Iran crisis

A political animation by Mark Fiore about Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Ayatollah Khamenei and current crisis in Iran.

Mark in his YouTube page writes:

Why stick to an old revolution when you can have a dictatorship? Learn about what's happening in Tehran and find out about companies like Siemens and Nokia.

United for Iran, global action day

Hadi Ghaemi director of International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran asks your help to:

Join us on July 25, 2009 for a rally in your city in support of the Iranian people and in condemnation of the human rights abuses being committed by the Iranian government. Learn how you can get involved by emailing Hadi Ghaemi at united4iran@gmail.com.

United for Iran

Please spread the word in your blogs, radio and news stations and if you didn't find the will to do anything about this human rights crisis in Iran, please listen to this song.


Hat tips: View from Iran and United4Iran

Islamic Iran propaganda about protests

Islamic Iran’s state-own media was busy long time before election but let’s look at one of their recent attempts to associate protests against fraudulent election result with foreigner agencies, particularly CIA.

In above video, Islamic Iran compares Iranian protests with the Venezuelan coup attempt of 2002. Any impartial observer would know that it is ridiculous to compare these two events, for following reasons:

• Coup in Venezuela was done by military that led to pro-Chavoz uprising.
• In Iran pro-Ahmadinejad armed forces brutally suppressed anti-Ahmadinejad uprising which were protesting for their votes, or it is better to say anti-fraud-election protests.
• Also Carmona was a pro-US government but Mousavi is not pro-US, he is moderate but he is not pro-American. In fact, if he was pro-US, he couldn’t stand any chance to get approval of Guardian Council for presidential candidacy at the first place. The Guardian Council has barred anyone that they suspect that would be a threat to Islamic revolution.

By comparing death of the women in Venezuela and in Iran, PressTV pushing lies to the extreme, I am just fed up that they are airing false information about people who got shot in Venezuela and Iran. There are established facts that people who got shot in Venezuela, specially the woman in the footage at 2:27, wiki states:

There is no consensus as to who was responsible for the deaths on April 11, 2002, and this remains one of the most controversial issues in Venezuelan politics today. The opposition version of events puts the blame on Chávez, or at least on his supporters. Several private television channels in Venezuela showed footage (following photo) of people using handguns to shoot from the pro-Chávez counter-march being held on Puente Llaguno, an overpass that crosses one of central Caracas's busiest avenues; it is unclear who they are shooting at but the commentary and juxtaposition with separate video of the dead made for a clear story. These shooters were four pro-Chávez political activists identified as Rafael Cabrices, Richard Peñalver, Henry Atencio, and Nicolás Rivera. They were captured by the police and jailed for one year as they awaited trial, but charges were dropped before the trial began. Rafael Cabrices died from a heart attack three years later, August 30, 2005.

Courtesy of Wiki

In case of Neda Agha Soltan young Iranian lady, with commentary and juxtaposition of two separate videos of the dead we can see that armed forces from up the street shot at the direction that Neda and her music teacher were walking down the street:

Also in “Who killed Neda?” we have interview of the doctor who was right in the scene. If you didn’t watch the footage of Neda’s last moment, click here.

I asked following questions from Islamic regime’s propagandists but still none of them come up with an answer. These questions say it all:

Why only protesters got shot? Why most of them got shot in head, neck and chest? If people (or as state-own media puts it rioters!) had gun, why they didn’t shoot any Basij militia? Why didn’t they defend themselves in front of Basij militia snipers? Why didn’t they shoot riot police? Video footages speak loud and clear that armed forces are the one who shoot at people.

Press TV stop lying!


Hat tip: IranNegah

Cartoonists’ view of Iran’s election crisis

Cartoonists inspired by fraudulent election results in Iran, post-election crisis, protests and violent suppression of protesters. Here I have collection of them which I am not sure who exactly draw them to give them credit although most of them have signatures. So if you have more info about these cartoons please write here in comment box then I can update this post. Thanks.

Satisfaction by Mana Neyestani, an Iranian cartoonist

While they fight for freedom, Islamic regime accuses people for spying for foreign countries and/or acting against national security!

Since International journalists banned from reporting of protests and then deported from Iran, young tech savvy Iranians became citizen journalists and report from the streets.

They brutally suppress any voice about Democracy.

Basically says it all, a fraction between two sides. I meant, one. Oh, I am just confused. Kidding! It is a fraction in hierarchy of theocratical power structure

This is my favorite and says how Iran governs by Ayatollahs!

Jack Ohman, copyright 2009 Tribune Media Services

Dwane Powell, copyright 2009 Creators Syndicate

Hat tips: Ahmad Rafat and The Week, link 1 and link 2

A song to free my land

A beautiful song that asks world to hear out people’s voice that are being silenced!

In YouTube page, it explains:

This is a song from the Youtube user "freemylandsong". He wrote,composed and sang for the brave people of Iran. The world now sees the will of the people to get their Freedom. Please send this song and video to all the people you know and leave a note of encouragement to help the people of Iran.

I didn't put original video here because it would show graphic photo of Neda at first so here is the link for original video.

U2 goes green, in support of Iran

Well, we know Bono always is ready to take on issues and crisis that takes place around the globe and this time he wasn’t indifference about suppression and regime’s violence in Iran.

On July 02, 2009 he sang “Sunday Bloody Sunday” in Barcelona and on the green screen, you can read a Persian poem.

And the battle's just begun
There's many lost but tell me who has won
The trench is dug within our hearts
And mothers, children, brothers, sisters torn apart

Thanks U2!

Prague supported green movement

Probably it was the first demonstration against “violence and suppression of protesters in Iran” that initiated and managed by non-Iranians and I should say by proud and freedom loving Czech citizens in Prague. I wish I could extend my hand, shake your hands and thank you, you!

That demonstration took place on June 25, 2009.

Hat tips: Prague Monitor and photos

Emotional journey and our frozen moments

Take a few minutes and watch this video. I always embrace new ideas and this one is so cool and different. It smells like a fresh air if I may say write so.

See that’s what I am talking about every scene, picture, song or drawing could affect our emotions like this movie. The moment freezes when the man crashes with car and fall on the ground. The moment froze for most of people when they saw Neda died in her blood. Whether we like it or not, we carry emotions with ourselves so we can change, or bring change or do terrible mistakes afterward. But now we can decide to do something about it, to move forward without holding back or to stay back and give in. The choice is ours although I know I am not gonna stop, so it is up to you then to decide which way you are gonna go.

I guess I kinda associate everything with current events around me, and perhaps sometime I am getting overboard. Let me know then.

But Producer of the file describe it:

SURFACE is an experimental film, exploring the emotional journey from an underground urban perspective.

This 'urban symphony' transforms human actions and street objects into beats that harmoniously compose a grand audio and visual composition. The film emphasizes the ideas of ‘point of contact’, ‘human identity’ and notion of ‘live footprints’. Click here for more info about film.

United For Neda Song

I know the footage of Neda’s death shocked people thousand miles away from Iran, around the globe. I know many wanted to help somehow, some with their heart felting support messages, some with their green icons and return tweets, and some took their instruments in their hand and once again reminded all of us, how valuable is freedom and no one should get killed like Neda.

On the youtube page, Mams Taylor producer of this song explains:

Mams Taylor produced and wrote United For Neda after he saw video footage of the young demonstrator shot and killed by the Basji during the Iranian crackdown in June. He brought together Irans most elite entertainers, poets, thinkers, actors and singers in one harmonious voice pleading for freedom, featuring three of Irans most iconic singers Dariush, Satar and Morteza. If you believe in human rights for Iran and for the world, download the song and share it with your friends.

Iranian police’s thuggish behavior

State-own media have been pointing finger at protesters for destroying properties and people’s cars on streets since June 13, but following videos proves otherwise.

In one video, you can clearly see that plainclothes Basij militia along riot-police throw stones at people inside of houses while other police breaking cars’ windows.

Iranian People call them thugs, not police.

Reject Islamic Guardianship once for all

Inside Iran people chant "death to dictators" and outside of Iran, they peacefully hold their signs. If regime wouldn't shoot people with snipers, I bet we had millions of this sing everywhere on streets in Iran, but hey, when they shoot innocent bystanders and they tortured and raped protesters that arrested in last two weeks, people only have luxury of chanting "death to dictator"!

A young woman holds caricature drawings of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (L) and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during a demonstration by approximately one thousand mostly-expatriate Iranians on June 21, 2009 in Berlin, Germany. The demonstrators were protesting the increasing violence in Iran as well as what they see as manipualted election results in favour of incumbent Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Photo courtesy of daylife

I hope that this young lady and other protesters know that Islamic republic has produced more of these kinds of dictators in establishment and in Islamic schools. Islamism ideology has proven to be radical and fanatic in behavior. Listen, my fellow citizen, I am not bashing your religion at the meantime, I do disagree with religious ideologies for some obvious reasons but now what I am trying to say is; grownup people don’t need guardians, so be careful and please reject the whole idea of Islamic guardianship.

In memory of fallen

A group of young musicians got together and made this song in memory of Neda and fallen people during protests after fraudulent presidential election.

It starts with smooth rap in English language lyrics and it ends in Persian folklore genre and lyrics.

Militia snipers shooting people

Since protested started for the fraudulent election results, unofficial reports suggest more than 150 people have been killed by Basij militia backed by revolutionary guards. Iranian state-own TV says 17 people killed and they accused terrorists for killings. But hey what can we expect? Since Ahmadinejad called protesters “Dust” and state-own TV accused people for vandalizing and spying of foreign services; of course they would deny regime’s militias are killing people and they are responsible for terrors on streets.

This video clip shows Baisj militia shooting with snipers from a roof at protesters on June 20, 2009.

It seems they had "shoot to kill" order because most people got shot in head or above chest which it proves regime took repressive measures to shutdown protests.

Related videos: Shot, killed by Basij militia on June 20 and Behind the scene of a protest

Ghoba Mosque Protest

Despite government permission to demonstrate at Tehran’s Ghoba mosque to honor an assassinated cleric, armed forces were turning people back on the main street (Shariati st) on June 28, 2009. Also armed forces clashed with protesters around Ghoba mosque and in Tehran streets.

In this video people heading towards the mosque and chanting "death to dictator":

This video shows people chanting in front of the mosque:

This video shows one of presidential candidates, Karroubi joins to protesters. It seems Mousavi didn't attend to demonstrations; it is rumored that he is arrested:

Protesters chanting in support of Mousavi and karroubi in streets around the Ghoba mosque:

Here there were clashes among protesters and armed forces but in this video some of protesters stop people from harling stons at armed forces. They say we are all Iranians; Protesters try to gain compassion of armed forces by reminding them that they are child of the very same country so they shouldn’t beat protesters. Basically protesters are trying to shake their conscience.

This video shows inside of the Ghoba mosque:

Armed forces on the streets of Tehran

Armed forces are everywhere on the streets of Tehran on June 28, 2009.

Stand By Me

Wow, Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Iranian singer Andy sing "Stand by me". The beginning of lyrics is in Persian language but it turns to English very soon and it is wonderful.

I have always asked for artists to come forward and take part in moving society. We all know how icons can easily motivate people to do the right thing. I am happy and thankful to see these guys are sending this nice message out there.

By the way, I have to pay my tribute to Michael Jackson. He was an icon and no one would deny it. I would say he set new grounds for music industry and forever changed it. Iranians love him, specially middle class and above that could have access to his shows and songs.


Hat tips: Iranians for Human Rights and Democracy and minatalebli

Militia playing with fire, getting on fire

This video shot on June 20, 2009 when a group of Basij militia shot live bullets towards protesters from rooftop of a mosque so people set the mosque on fire. I should explain that most of mosques are Basij militia stations in Iran.

Winston reported that 8 basij militia died in mosque fire.

I predicated the day that Iranians realize how religious tyranny got power from their religious belief so they would turn back on the religious non-sense and destroy religious signs, symbols, mosques and clergies. I guess my dream slowly, very slowly is coming true. I guess Iranians are getting out of religion a bit and that’s a good start to get rid of theocracy.

Dark ages didn’t disappear by chance, Europeans suffered centuries under oppression of religious tyranny and when people realized that religion has kept them from growing, they got rid of it and they paved the way for modernization.