Live-blogging Iran August 5th, Ahmadinejad Inauguration Day News and Events

[2:12 AM (August 6) Tehran Time]

On the night of Ahmadinejads inauguration as President-Select, the people of Iran protest against the regime by chanting “Allah-o-Akbar!” and “Down with the dictator!” from their rooftops and balconies. One cannot help but feel awe-inspired by their bravery:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_H8EGyzd8o0]

[1:52 AM (August 6) Tehran Time]

A full-page ad has been taken out in the New York times in which an open letter addressed “To Shirin Ebadi and to All the dissidents, the brave men and women of Iran,” telling them not to lose hope. The letter was paid for by the Ellie Weisel Foundation for Humanity.

Wiesel told AFP the letter, which said the election had been “shamelessly tampered with,” was intended to ensure that protestors in Iran “did not feel abandoned.”

“For me, the worst torture is to feel you have been abandoned,” the Holocaust survivor said.

Here is the letter in full:

AN OPEN LETTER

To Shirin Ebadi

and to All the dissidents –

the brave men and women of Iran:

Do not feel abandoned.

Do not lose hope.

The world knows that its physical and spiritual survival is linked to yours.

We, the undersigned Nobel Laureates, strongly condemn the flagrant human rights violations in the wake of the recent presidential election in Iran.

We deplore the violent and oppressive tactics the current regime is using to dissuade protestors from expressing their right to free speech. Your election was shamelessly tampered with and your human rights disregarded. We are outraged by your government’s denial of basic liberties to its people, such as detaining large groups of professors, students and innocent civilians, and denying proper funeral services to victims of its violence. These events, and the decision to ban all international media from covering these events, are blatant violations of the democratic principles your government claims to uphold.

We are well aware that throughout the long and glorious history of the Iranian civilization, your ancestors have often stood firmly against both interference from without and repression from within. Today, once again, you are fighting for a just cause.

We urge President Obama and the world’s political leadership to support, with all means at their disposal, the people of Iran, who deserve to have their votes counted, their voices heard, and their dignity respected.

Richard Axel, Nobel Prize, Medicine (2004)

Baruj Benacerraf, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1980)

Paul Berg, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1980)

Günter Blobel, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1999)

Mario R. Capecchi, Nobel Prize, Medicine (2007)

Aaron Ciechanover, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (2004)

Stanley Cohen, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1986)

ClaudeCohen-Tannoudji, Nobel Prize, Physics (1997)

Elias James Corey, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1990)

Robert F. Curl Jr., Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1996)

John B. Fenn, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (2002)

Edmond H. Fischer, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1992)

Jerome I. Friedman, Nobel Prize, Physics (1990)

Donald A. Glaser, Nobel Prize, Physics (1960)

Sheldon Glashow, Nobel Prize, Physics (1979)

David J. Gross, Nobel Prize, Physics (2004)

Roger Guillemin, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1977)

Leland H. Hartwell, Nobel Prize, Medicine (2001)

Dudley R. Herschbach, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1986)

Avram Hershko, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (2004)

Roald Hoffman, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1981)

Tim Hunt, Nobel Prize, Medicine (2001)

Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize, Economics (2002)

Eric R. Kandel, Nobel Prize, Medicine (2000)

William S. Knowles, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (2001)

Roger D. Kornberg, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (2006)

Harold W. Kroto, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1996)

Finn E. Kydland, Nobel Prize, Economics (2004)

Eric S. Maskin, Nobel Prize, Economics (2007)

John Mather, Nobel Prize, Physics (2006)

Craig C. Mello, Nobel Prize, Medicine (2006)

Marshall W. Nirenberg, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1968)

George A. Olah, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1994)

John C. Polanyi, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1986)

Stanley Prusiner, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1997)

Robert C. Richardson, Nobel Prize, Physics (1996)

Richard J. Roberts, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1993)

Heinrich Rohrer, Nobel Prize, Physics (1986)

Jens C.Skou, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1997)

Hamilton O. Smith, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1978)

Wole Soyinka, Nobel Prize, Literature (1986)

Joseph H. Taylor Jr., Nobel Prize, Physics (1993)

Bishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Prize, Peace (1984)

Betty Williams, Nobel Prize, Peace (1976)

Elie Wiesel, Nobel Prize, Peace ( 1986)

Source: The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity
(http://www.eliewieselfoundation.org)

[12:30 AM (August 6) Tehran Time]

A report has surfaced on Twitter that a twelve-year-old boy by the name of Ali Reza was killed by government forces last week during the 40th day mourning ceremony for Neda Agha Soltan, who was also killed, during protests against the fraudulent presidential election.

[3:52 PM Tehran Time]

Getting more reports of security forces cracking down on female protesters in Baharestan. One eye-reporter tweeting from Iran said that he saw security forces dragging women by their hair towards into white cars, basically abducting and driving them away.

I am not revealing the Twitter accounts of these sources as their lives are in real jeopardy right now.

[3:17 PM Tehran Time]

The following is from a stream of tweets from an Iranian inside Iran on Twitter. They tell a harrowing tale of the protests today, and are the most detailed account of violence that has occurred today that I have found.

Where appropriate I have translated from the Twitter form of shortened words to the full words. I have also inserted words and, in some cases, punctuation, in certain places to add clarity or make the stream more readable. I have also interjected where I felt necessary to add context or clarify/interpret a difficult to interpret tweet. It is now currently 3:17 PM in Tehran.

From an Iranian on Twitter acting as an eye-witness reporter and participant in todays protests:

Sorry it took time to come [to Twitter] for a short time. Security for today was HOT! More dense than before. Every move was different. We tried in Baharestan [but] it was impossible to stop for clips or camera. Every hand move was spotted and beaten. [We] had to move on in and around Baharestan. Not only Basij, security forces and Republican Guard Corps, but black clothed special forces (very brutal, masked sometimes) [were present].

Had [arrived] with friends near Bazaar passage but it was not clear so move[d] on. Did chant before Baharestan, not in main street. [On the] way we spotted some injured [people], already beaten by security forces towards mid Baharestan.

The eye-reporter then has a difficult to interpret tweet that seems to suggest that a particular area that he was passing was full of security forces and that it is impossible for him to stop so he just carried on (walking I assume).

The presence of all security forces was just a first showing, but for you its not important since we did show up! IMPORTANT: We managed to wooo foreign so-called bast. who showed up. We wooed and [other] ppl did too.

By woo, it appears the eye-reporter means to say that he and some others managed to protest against or provoke some foreign (posibbly meaning non-Iranian) forces.

But we got a little bit of punches and had to get out quickly. Security attacked all, after guests left, more brutally than ever.

We went to another place [important] for you to know about: Vanak. [It was] very tense. Around eleven taxis only allowed freely Any car honking [was] beaten. Vanak shops were told [by government forces] to close so as to trap us.

In recent protests since the June 12 presidential election in Iran, many shops and homes have opened their doors to protesters running away from and trying to hide from the basij and government security forces attacking them. The eye-reporter is saying that, in Vanak, the shops were told to close so that protesters in the area would not be able to take refuge in them. IranNewsNow cannot confirm this, but we have no reason to doubt the veracity of the claim at this time.

Some [shops] did not [close]. Sec forces tried to head people towards alleys so they could not gather.

Near Sepahsalar Mosque around 11:30 AM Tehran Time, Eight-hundred to Nine-hundred people in groups resisted and shouted slogans. Though security forces tried to stop, still we gathered and dispersed and gathered again. LOL (laughing out loud), LONG LIVE FREEDOM. (Love u brother).

As usual we were mostly there, more women present, [chanting] mostly mixed but strong slogans from all: “Down with dictator!” One woman was helping another fallen on [the] ground, [who] while badly beaten by brutal security forces, still shouted “Basij, enemy of people!” Clashes were occurring but were dispersed and started again. This time, security forces tried to not ignite clashes but many women [were] arrested. Brave women shouted “LONG LIVE FREEDOM,” and “What is our blood for our freedom?” She and three more [were] dragged away.

Sorry for [my] speed.

Around 12:30PM, before return[ing] near TIR and UNI, we saw our friends group there and tried to head people towards UNI. Had to get them towards UNI for other students already near there to join. People were beaten and distracted.

Coming back once more around Junction Mojahedin and Baharestan. Security forces and black-clothed [vigilantes] were attacking women mainly! And trying to abduct and also beat [them] badly. One girl again was trying to get away. I saw she had a camera and a few pictures. I think she was caught trying to pin [the pictures] on walls. Not sure, but a couple of boys circled the sec forces and were trying to get [rescue] her. We had to leave but it was so haaaaard. My friends went to help. The decision for me to leave was so different but I was asked by another who is more experienced to leave. They stayed (God help them). I just know they shouted “Let’s go guys, time to show we are the kids of battle!” MA BACHE HAYE JANGIM! He started singing to give spirit “Tir zadin, Tabar zadin…”: [The full chant in English]: “You axed us and you shot us but our resolve will not go!”

The eye-reporter is saying that people are sending the regime a message that even though the regime is using axes to attack them, and is also shooting them, the people will not let go of their resolve. He ends with one last tweet for now:

And here I am [on Twitter]. But I am going [back outside] again. We have much to do for tonight. I see you later. GOD IS GREAT and we are all ONE.

God help them. Please share this story with as many people as you can. E-mail the link. Post it on Facebook. Share it with your Twitter followers. Support the protesters that are risking their lives by staying informed and spreading the word. Let your politicians and the media know that you want them to focus on the civil rights movement known as the Green Movement or Green Wave in Iran.

[1:32 PM Tehran Time]

Several videos are surfacing via Mehdi Saharkhiz’s Youtube and Twitter:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZYoeARtkao]

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MNCR45Cjmg]

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0giNm9U3dDA]

Notice the relatively heavy police presence in the streets. Also notice the red motorcycles in the video. They look like the same ones in the picture below.

[1:00 PM Tehran Time]

Ahmadinejad was “inaugurated” in the Iranian Parliament or Majles today, in a day of expected protests and potential conflict in Iran.

It is more difficult than during previous protest days to determine what is real news from the misinformation being spread by various sources with agendas out-of-line with those of the Green Movement (also called variously, Green Wave, Green Tsunami, Sea of Green, Ocean of Green, Green Uprising and Green Revolution). The Green Movement started a home-grown, grass-roots level wave of political optimism in Iran that coalesced around the main reformist candidate, Mr. Mir Hossein Mousavi. It has since metastasized into a broadly based civil rights and freedom movement in Iran, demanding no less than a system that is free of political prisoners, is more socially open, modern, peaceful and importantly–secular. A system with checks and balances, and a government that puts the requirements of the Iranian nation ahead of those of Islamic fundamentalist extremists hell-bent on confrontation with the world (both inside and outside of Iran).

There are reports of heavy security forces present throughout Tehran in key squares, centers and streets. A report has been circulating, unconfirmed at this time, of people having taken over a police station in the Bazaar. Another variation on this is that the police in the Bazaar are siding with the people. If either of these are true it means the protests have reached a new level since the presidential election was rigged on June 12th. There are also reports of police allowing some people, primarily women, to protest in front of the Majles building.

An interesting video has surfaced on a blog by this person:

Name: Azarmehr
Location: London, United Kingdom

Last time I was in Iran, was during the Islamic “cultural revolution”. I hated what was taking place in front of my eyes. Illiterate gangs of thugs attacking students and academics and telling them how a university must be run! Book stalls being attacked, with books torn up and burned. I knew then that I had to do something to get rid of this scourge of clerics who had seized power in Iran. My main objective in life is to help establish a secular democracy in Iran. I believe the best way forward for Iran to be based on four pillars of Democracy, Secularism, Nationalism and Meritocracy. Most countries that have adopted these principles have been prosperous, why shouldn’t our people be one of them?

It appears in the video that people are attempting to get handcuffs off of someone whom the above bloggers claims had been arrested and subsequently rescued by people from the police.

Click here to view the video: Rescue of Iranian Protester

And here are the first pictures I’ve seen from today: