NiteOwl’s GreenBrief #60

The Green Brief #60 (August 20 – Mordad 29)

I’m NiteOwl AKA Josh Shahryar – twitter.com/iran_translator on twitter. I’m a journalist and a human rights activist and NOT Iranian. This is a compilation of news from Iran that I’ve gathered through twitter and Iranian sites that were advertised on twitter. Remember, this is all from tweets. (My work is released under Creative Commons (CC).)

These are the important happenings that I can positively confirm from Thursday, August 20 – Mordad 29.

In German: http://tinyurl.com/nhzc3a

Protests / Unrest

1. Reports indicate that on Thursday night, dozens of youngsters gathered on streets in the Apadana district of Tehran and chanted against the government and Ahmadinejad. The timing coincided with Ahmadinejad’s speech and his introduction of the new cabinet. Protesters chanted “Death to Dictator”, “Our pain is your pain; join us!” and sang Yaare Dabestani – a patriotic song. Apadana district is where deceased protester Sohrab A’rabi lived.

2. Thursday also coincided with the 40th day of his murder and his family held a short ceremony at Beheshte Zahra. The family later released a statement saying that they didn’t want to create unrest, thus, they didn’t invite people to join them in the ceremony.

3. Reports indicate that factions within Qom, who are displeased with Grand Ayatollah Sane’ie’s support for the reformists, are planning on holding a protest to denounce him. Leaflets have been distributed across the city for this purpose. There is also word that supporters of Sane’ie will be gathering in front of his office to counter the protest. No word of when the protests will be held has reached out yet.

4. Sane’ie in the meantime, has asked people not to gather in his support, saying that this would give a tool to those who wanted to create tensions.

5. Reports have also surfaced that people all around Iran chanted against Ahmadinejad and the government during his speech last night. According to confirmed sources, chants were heard throughout Tehran. In several parts of Tehran, people gathered on streets and chanted. People in their cars and motorbikes honked their horns in support.

6. There are reports of chanting from other cities in Iran as well; indicating the Sea of Green is very active in many places throughout Iran. Cities include Isfahan, Shiraz, Ahvaz, Abadan, Kermanshah and Qazvin.

7. Unconfirmed reports indicate that the government is still reviewing whether it should close universities for a semester for fear of student protests. It had earlier been dismissed by the government that such a plan was being considered.

8. Mohammad Araghi – the commander of IRG in Tehran – has alleged that over 300,000 people had formed a clandestine organization called “Vote Organization” or “Sazemane Rai” that had orchestrated that mass protests after the elections. He added the organization had been formed before the elections.

9. Confirmed reports indicate the police violating people’s right to privacy in Iran. According to these reports, the police are frequently entering homes forcibly and break down the doors if no one opens the door to them. Most of the time, these operations take place without any warrants – a clear violation of the Iranian constitution.

A picture of police climbing over a door: http://www.mowjcamp.com/files/file/19809

Note the green graffiti on the wall that says, “Marg Bar Khamenei” (Death to Khamenei)

Opposition

10. Fatemeh Rake’ie, the Secretary-General of the Innovative Muslim Women’s Society, today said that Mir Hossein Mousavi’s new movement was a representation of Imam Khomeini’s ideals. Rake’ie, a former MP, said Mousavi was expected by Iranians to lead the reformists and those in search of change.

11. 72 alumni and current university students have sent a letter to the members of the Assembly of Experts calling for the removal of Khamanei.

Government / International

12. Ali Larejani – the speaker of the Iranian Parliament – today said the parliament was ready to receive Mehdi Karroubi’s complaints and evidence. Larejani added that they would hear Karroubi’s words and would contact the victims through their phone numbers and addresses, after they’ve been given to them by Karroubi. He further said that they had no desire to keep secrets from the people and this would be done efficiently and transparently.

13. Mahmood Ahmadinejad today in his speech said that the Ministry of Intelligence had not done its duty, thus, the unrest took place. He didn’t blame Mohseni Ejaie – the former Intelligence Minister – personally. He also added that change was needed in the ministry. He added that “God willing we will get to a 70-million strong intelligence system.” (Gestapo anyone?)

In another part of his televised speech, Ahmadinejad criticized deputy speaker of parliament Bahonar for saying that five of his ministers would possibly be rejected by the parliament and said that it was not a good thing for the country.

Ahmadinejad during his speech said that he really liked the husband of Marzieh Dastjardi – the proposed Minister of Health – and sometimes thought he was like a peach and felt like eating him:

Link to video (Farsi):

14. Confirmed reports indicate that Tehran’s Attorney General Saeed Mortazavi – another government official thought to be responsible for the suppression of protesters, arrests and tortures – will be replaced by Morteza Bakhtiari – a former head of Iran’s Prisons Department.

15. Reports have emerged that Ahmadinejad’s pick for Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi, is wanted by the Interpol. He was listed in an international arrest warrant issued by an Argentine judge on November 9, 2006 for being a suspected participant in the Argentine-Jewish Mutual Association bomb attack in Buenos Aires in 1994. Vahidi is also considered by many to be the founder of IRG’s Lebanon Corps.

Link to Vahidi’s wanted page on Interpol’s website: http://tinyurl.com/nzj44f

16. Kazem Seddiqi will now be appointed to the list of clerics leading Friday prayers; while this week’s prayers will be lead by Ahmad Jannati – reports indicate.

17. Conservative MP Hamid Rasa has published an OP-ED severely criticizing Ayatollah Sane’ie’s speech in Gorgan, calling him the Imam of Zarar Mosque – a prayer center established by enemies of Mohammed who claimed to be Muslims which was later destroyed by Mohammed’s decree.

18. Reports indicate that Hamid Reza Foladgar – a member of the Article 10 Commission on Political Parties – has said that any political party joining the Green Path of Hope would lose its permit to operate.

19. The Supreme Audit Court of Iran has convicted Esfandyar Rahim-Mashaei, of a series of financial charges. He was sentenced to two months suspension from his government post, the Jomhuriye Eslami daily reported on Thursday. The paper did not give further detail on the nature of the charges, but said they were in connection with the period that Rahim-Mashaei served as the head of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handcrafts and Tourism Organization.

20. Kerman Friday prayers Imam Hojjatoleslam Seyyed Yahya Jafari, has also said that Mehdi Karroubi should get 80 lashes for raising the issue of rape. He criticized Karroubi for not sending the letter to then head of Judiciary Hashemi Shahroudi instead of Rafsanjani.

Arrested / Released / Killed / Torture

21. Short report by Mehdi Saharkhiz on what happened to one of the victims of violence during peaceful protests: http://onlymehdi.tumblr.com/post/167723567

22. Journalist Emsael Azadi’s son Mohammad Azadi, was arrested last night in front of Etemaade Melli newspaper. Mohammad’s father spent several hours begging and going from one department to another to get his son’s insulin to him as he has diabetes. At one point, during his search to find his son’s whereabouts, he was told by security officials his son should die because he had written slogans against the government. He was finally able to get the insulin to him; but is still unable to locate where he is being kept.

23. Security forces broke into a Baha’i woman’s house on Wednesday, in the city of Sari, searched her house without a warrant and took her away using a search warrant that had been issued for a date three weeks ago. The 24 year’s whereabouts are unknown.

24. Mostafa Tajzadeh contacted his family today telling them he might remain imprisoned throughout Ramadan – the Islamic holy month of fasting which is starting on Saturday. Faizullah Arab-Sorkhi also called his family for the first time after 45 days of being in detention.
(Correction: In the last Brief, we erroneously reported that Ramadan would be starting next week.)

25. The families of three Americans arrested in Iran, while on a hiking trip, have yet again pleaded with the Iranian government to free their loved ones. They asked the Iranian government to grant the three Americans consular access. They have also created a website and will update information about the detainees’ whereabouts:
Link: http://www.freethehikers.org

Media

26. Reports from Tehran’s Islamic Court have emerged, that Keyhan has not been banned. Abolhasan Pour-Hosseini – an official from the court – told IRIB that no such order had been given. Earlier it had been reported, that a court in Iran, had banned Keyhan after complaints by Mousavi and the order had been referred to Attorney General Mortazavi for his approval.

International Protests / Events / Warnings / Efforts

27. A flash protest against Nokia, near Madison Square Garden in New York and another protest in front of Nokia’s flagship store in New York today.

Full report: http://tinyurl.com/lwy5pv

28. PLEASE READ THIS FOR YOUR SAFETY’S SAKE: Safeguard Your Personal Info and Your Finances! – Why We Protest – IRAN

29. For an unofficial list of upcoming protests in the US: Protesting for Iran until they don’t have to

30. For a list of protests that are being planned in Germany, please visit this link: Julia’s Blog: Protests and rallies in Germany (subject to change w/o notice) (Courtesy of @jkshalmani)

31. A to the point website for help traumatized Greens: Healing the Green Soul

(If you, your friends or your organization are holding events, protests or doing something else related to the Iranian election internationally, please send me an email with details and I will give you coverage. (Will only cost you 10 million dollars!) My email is: dbosca@gmail.com

To Helpers

– Info on republishing the Green Brief: For Bloggers, News Sites and Forum who want to republish the Green Brief Plesae Read! – Why We Protest – IRAN

– Information on Tor: Tor Browser Bundle

This page contains a listing of external mirrors of the GB, as well as various information about the GB. Links to translations are also encouraged: Category:Green Brief – Anonymous Intelligence Collective

– (A list of all the Green Briefs): The Green Briefs

– A hearty thanks to Sahar joon and S joon for helping me out with proof-reading and very valuable tips. Also, a BIG THANKS to all the translators who’re spending their precious time on getting this to as many people as possible.