Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East
TEHRAN, Iran – On April 27, Iran’s main opposition leaders called for protests to take place on the anniversary of the disputed June 12, 2009 presidential election. Opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi came to the decision after a April 27 meeting, according to Karroubi’s website. The Sahamnews website reported that the leaders “insisted on staging a demonstration on June 12…and called on all reformist groups, organisations and parties to send their requests for this to the interior ministry.”
The meeting between Karroubi and Mousavi was called to discuss the current situation in the Islamic Republic with respect to government activity. The two opposition leaders came to the conclusion that “the government’s performance was negative in all fields –political and economic.” The two also spoke of their opposition to the government’s imprisonment of reformists and corruption by the Iranian vice president. Mousavi said that “these acts are anti-Islamic, I truly don’t understand how they will answer to God.”
As a result of this assessment, the two men called for “the pubic’s participation in peaceful demonstrations on the anniversary of the presidential election.” The two urged opposition groups and political parties to send requests asking for permission to march on the anniversary to the Islamic Republic’s Interior ministry. The Interior Ministry has repeatedly denied such requests in the past.
The election marked the re-election of incumbent Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who defeated both Mousavi and Karroubi. Immediately after the election came claims of voter fraud and accusations of vote-rigging. What followed were protests in streets of the Islamic Republic’s major cities. Security forces cracked down on protesters. Dozens of protesters were killed and hundreds were rounded up and arrested. Those who were put on trial, including journalists and human rights advocates, received stiff sentences for their involvement.
The last major protest against the Islamic Republic’s government came in December where eight protesters were killed. Hard line government authorities have branded those involved in the protest movement as being involved with a sedition perpetrated by Iran’s enemies. These enemies allegedly include the United States and the United Kingdom.
For more information, please see:
AFP – Iran’s Opposition Plan Protests on Poll Anniversary – 27 April 2010
New York Times – Iran: Opposition Calls for Protests – 27 April 2010
Voice of America – Iran Opposition Leaders Call for Election Anniversary Rallies – 27 April 2010
Washington Post – Iran Opposition Urges Vote Anniversary Rally: Website – 27 April 2010
