Iran Tightens Grip -Nazila Fathi & Michael Slackman
Two weeks after Iran’s disputed presidential election, Mir Hussein Moussavi [pictured], the top challenger, issued an angry statement that underscored his commitment to press ahead — but also his impotence in the face of an increasingly emboldened and repressive government.
But there were also signs of continued resistance. A few conservatives have expressed revulsion at the sight of unarmed protesters being beaten, even shot, by government forces. Only 105 out of the 290 members of Parliament took part in a victory celebration for Mr. Ahmadinejad.
To avoid violent suppression of street protests, people are turning to other ways of expressing dissent. Echoing a symbol of defiance to the shah, the ritual of 10 p.m. rooftop shouts of “Death to the dictator” has been growing stronger by the day.
Some people have begun to identify and embarrass plainclothes agents by circulating photographs of those who beat demonstrators. And protesters have pledged to release thousands of green and black balloons on Friday in memory of those killed in the clashes.
The government continued arresting Mr. Moussavi’s supporters. His Web site reported that 70 university professors were detained after they met with him.
[New York Times]
*
Two weeks after Iran’s disputed presidential election, Mir Hussein Moussavi [pictured], the top challenger, issued an angry statement that underscored his commitment to press ahead — but also his impotence in the face of an increasingly emboldened and repressive government.
But there were also signs of continued resistance. A few conservatives have expressed revulsion at the sight of unarmed protesters being beaten, even shot, by government forces. Only 105 out of the 290 members of Parliament took part in a victory celebration for Mr. Ahmadinejad.
To avoid violent suppression of street protests, people are turning to other ways of expressing dissent. Echoing a symbol of defiance to the shah, the ritual of 10 p.m. rooftop shouts of “Death to the dictator” has been growing stronger by the day.
Some people have begun to identify and embarrass plainclothes agents by circulating photographs of those who beat demonstrators. And protesters have pledged to release thousands of green and black balloons on Friday in memory of those killed in the clashes.
The government continued arresting Mr. Moussavi’s supporters. His Web site reported that 70 university professors were detained after they met with him.
[New York Times]
*
No comments:
Post a Comment