By Bobby Rajabi
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East
TEHRAN, Iran – On February 11 Iranian opposition demonstrators clashed with security forces throughout the country. The clashes took place as the country celebrated the thirty first anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Opposition protesters chanted anti-government slogans in Tehran’s (the Iranian capital) neighborhoods. Security forces fired teargas at large crowds in major city squares to disrupt the actions of the protesters
Opposition leaders Mir Hossein Moussavi, who lost the greatly contested June 2009 Presidential election to incumbent Mahmoud Ahmedinejad and Mehdi Karroubi both aksed supporters to turn out for a peaceful demonstration to mark the anniversary of the revolution. Karroubi’s son reported that his father was attacked by pro-government agents. Additionally, Karroubi’s brother was arrested by government agents.
Unconfirmed reports said that Moussavi was prevented from joining a rally against the Ahmedinejad government. Additionally, the reports claim that Mousavi’s wife, Zahra Rhanvard was “beaten” by government forces. Reformist former President Mohammad Khatami was also reportedly attacked. His brother, Mohammed Reza Khatami, and wife, Zahra Eshraghi, the granddaughter of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, were reportedly arrested but later released.
Witnesses report that the protests that too place throughout Tehran only turned violent after security forces began firing teargas at the members of the crowd. Additionally, security forces chased down opposition protesters with motorcycles. In other parts of town reports came that protesters tore down pictures of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Clashes between security forces and opposition protesters also took place in a number of other cities in Iran. One such clash took place in the southern city of Shiraz where violent clashes took place between security forces and students who had turned out in the main square to demonstrate. Other anti-government protests were reported in the cities of Tabriz and Isfahan.
The disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad in June 2009 plunged Iran into its worst political crisis since the 1979 revolution. The election was surrounded by reports of voting irregularities and rigging. The opposition to the Ahmedinejad government has repeatedly refused to the fight off the streets despite deadly crackdowns.
For more information, please see:
Al Jazeera – Rallies Mark Revolution Day – 12 February 2010
AFP – Iran Marks Revolution Day Amid Tight Security – 11 February 2010
BBC – Hundreds of Thousands Back Iran Revolution – 11 February 2010
Voice of America – Iran Protesters Clash With Security Forces – 11 February 2010
