Iran bans pro-Mousavi rally

[Turborama]

Source: Al Jazeera English

Iranian officials have refused to permit supporters of Mir Hossein Mousavi, a defeated reformist presidential candidate, to hold a protest against the re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the president.

Pro-Mousavi demonstrators had handed out leaflets calling for a rally in the capital, Tehran, on Monday after the former prime minister appealed for the result of Friday's vote to be cancelled.

"No authorisation for a march or gathering has been issued and any kind of gathering or march is illegal," an interior ministry official told the AFP news agency.

"This statement is being issued after a request was made by Mr Mousavi to hold a march."

Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/06/200961552216376513.html

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Mousavi's letter to Iranians: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/06/2009614142547175118.html

Clashes in Iran reveal deep divide: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/06/14/iran.protests.scene/index.html

[Jack Rabbit]

1. No, Iranians ban Ahmadinejad

!!

[glowing]

2. So, do you think they will all just stay home?

[EFerrari]

3. I doubt it and sincerely hope that injuries and arrests are minimal.

:(

[Fearless]

4. It's about to hit the fan. 20 years since Tienamen. Let's just hope the video gets out.

[azurnoir]

5. These are brave people everything I have read outlines

a brutal crackdown happening in Iran, I admire the will of the Iranian people and can not help but think what if America had reacted this way to the 2004 election

[Turborama]

6. Reuters: Iran says planned pro-Mousavi rally illegal

TEHRAN, June 15 (Reuters) - Iran's Interior Ministry has declared as illegal a rally which supporters of defeated moderate presidential candidate Mirhossein Mousavi plan to hold in Tehran later on Monday, state radio said.

"The Interior Ministry issued a statement and said no permission had been issued for a rally ... The holding of such a gathering would be illegal," said the radio.

"Some seditious elements had planned to hold a rally and by fabrication said they had permission from the Interior Ministry. Any disrupter of public security would be dealt with according to the law," it said.

From: http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSLF277566

[Arrowhead2k1]

7. I heard Mousavi is backing down, calling off the rally.

I hope people don't listen to him. The government is starting to quiver in their boots, and people are going to pussy out? Revolutions aren't supposed to be pretty. Fight for your rights Iranians!

[Turborama]

9. Maybe you're referring to this article?

Iranian protesters call off rally: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8099952.stm

I agree with your sentiments but it sounds like it'll need to be an armed insurrection, what are the gun laws like in Iran?

[rollin74]

10. many are saying that Iranian gov't is spreading false rumors

claiming that the rally is canceled, supposedly its still on but police are out in force blocking roads to prevent people from gathering.

check out: http://twitter.com/persiankiwi

[EFerrari]

11. The Iranian government can't possibly keep up with the American

rumor mill.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

12. Meaning what exactly?

Rumors fly all over. But unlike the Twitter rumors, reputable news sources are reporting that Iran is cracking down on dissidents.

[EFerrari]

13. I'm not suggesting but reflecting on all the horrible rumors

that I've read here today. Tanks in the streets that no one has seen, young children being rounded up and shot, riot police from Venezuela. Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

The propaganda has been catapulting full tilt boogey.

Oh, and here's the photoshopped capper:



Do you think we're meant to take a side or something? :shrug:

[SemiCharmedQuark]

14. Yes. When a government turns on its own citizens and declares protests illegal, I would think that

we would pretty much all be on the "that's wrong" side of the issue.

[EFerrari]

15. Oh, baloney. The government's first job is to keep people safe.

They shut down the violence and now they're looking into fraud. Too bad. We wanted to see tanks, dead children and Venezuelan riot police I guess.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

16. An organized protest constitutes violence? Since when?

[EFerrari]

17. What we have been seeing in the street was not peaceful protest

and the government forces were also far out of line.

We don't even know how many people have already been hurt on both sides.

[nolabels]

18. Don't fool yourself, the government's first job is to retain authority over the masses

And what a surprise, a government that holds an individuals rights as second fiddle automatically resorts to deadly weapons when that authority is challenged.

[EFerrari]

19. So, how many casualties so far? I just looked at more than 200

pix posted in GD and mostly what they show is college students in nice clothes yelling and setting fires. lol

[Turborama]

8. NYT: Iran Bans Opposition Rally as Critics Are Detained

By ROBERT F. WORTH and NAZILA FATHI

TEHRAN — The Iranian authorities denied permission Monday for the opposition to hold a major rally to protest the outcome of Friday’s presidential vote, according to news reports and an opposition Web site, deepening a mood of confrontation as violence and acrimony over the disputed election intensified.

Word spread on Sunday that more than 100 prominent opposition members had been detained; riots erupted in Tehran and other cities; and the triumphant incumbent hinted that his top challenger risks punishment for questioning the result.

Early Monday, security forces raided a dormitory at Tehran University and 15 people were injured, opposition Web sites reported, but there was no immediate confirmation of the incident from the authorities.

State radio reported Monday that the Interior Ministry had given no permits for any rallies, according to news reports. The pro-opposition Ghalam Web site also said permission for a rally Monday had been withheld. But the impact of the reported ban remained uncertain with some people on the streets saying they might gather anyhow to protest the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in what his opponents call a stolen election.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/16/world/middleeast/16iran.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

[Odin2005]

20. Here comes the repressive crackdown.

:(

[struggle4progress]

21. Tehran Rally Attracts Thousands to Protest Ahmadinejad Victory (Bloomberg)

By Ali Sheikholeslami and Ladane Nasseri

June 15 (Bloomberg) -- Thousands of protesters defied an Iranian government ban on a rally in Tehran to protest President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s re-election, as the country’s supreme leader said allegations of vote-rigging should be investigated.

Former premier Mir Hossein Mousavi, Ahmadinejad’s main challenger in the June 12 ballot, attended the gathering to urge the crowd to stay “calm.” The demonstration was prohibited by the Interior Ministry.

Mousavi, 67, said there were “obvious violations” and called for the election result to be scrapped after the official tally gave Ahmadinejad, the incumbent, almost 63 percent of the vote. The former prime minister took about 34 percent. Mousavi told the crowd he is ready to take part in any election rerun, Agence France-Presse reported.

Ahmadinejad, 52, who has insisted the vote was fair, delayed a planned trip to Russia today. Mousavi met yesterday with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who told him to pursue his complaint through legal channels, after the former premier asked the election’s supervisory body, the Guardian Council, to set aside the outcome ...

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a2_NNrc34tpQ

[Javaman]

22. Rally is happening!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3923292#3923498

[Kitsune]

23. Once again Twitter comes through (pics)

http://twitpic.com/7gt6e
http://twitpic.com/7guvo
http://twitpic.com/7guzk