Iran Update, 1 Aug 09
Events in Iran that have been reported to World Threats.
A nurse at the haft-e-Tir hospital said that about 18 people from the July 30 demonstrations were admitted there. Most of their injuries were above the neck. The majority were later transferred to private hospitals. Three of the injured were reported to be in critical condition.
The head of the security forces for the Tehran area said that some 50 people were arrested during the demonstrations following the 40th day mourning gathering in Beheshte Zahra Cemetery and the demonstrations following. Other reports say that the number was much higher than 50.
Last night, July 31, people in many parts of Tehran chanted “Allah Akbar” and “death to the dictator” from 10 PM to 10:30 PM.
As reported here, Iran has begun to try more than 100 activists for post-election activities.
Some of the most prominent politicians of the pro-reform movement, including a former vice president, were among the defendants brought before the court in gray prison uniforms. A number of them delivered confessions, according to the Iranian media.
They included several prominent reformist opposition activists. Among them were former Vice President Mohammad Ali Abtahi, former government spokesman Abdollah Ramezanzadeh, former Vice Speaker of parliament Behzad Nabavi, former Deputy Foreign Minister Mohsen Aminzadeh and the leader of the biggest reformist party, the Islamic Iran Participation Front, Mohsen Mirdamadi.
Opposition groups are claiming that confessions were gained through torture and that the accused do not have access to lawyers for their defense.
Analysis. Large scale protests continue against the election of Ahmadinejad. These protests are genuine expressions of the distress of a large part of the population that their votes were ignored. The regime is doing its best to stifle the opposition through massive violence against protesters. It is not succeeding.
The regime is also claiming that “foreign forces” are involved in sparking and maintaining the level of unrest. This appears to be false at the moment. These claims are most likely an attempt by the regime to place blame somewhere besides itself. This tactic is not working.
Unrest will continue at some level for the foreseeable future. In the face of this unrest, the regime will probably use increased brutality against protesters. It may also generate external events designed to increase tensions in the area as a means of redirecting public interest.
