Scenes from the heroic battle against the Islamic regime of Iran on December 27

A Report by Siyavash Shahabi from Tehran
27 December 2009, Tehran

Around 11.20am furious crowds opened their way toward College Bridge through southern alleys of Enqelab Street. People had already been involved in fighting against the Special Force motor-bikers; in response to continuous use of tear gas by Special Forces people burned the trash bins and blocked the roads. Consequently, people took over the control of the alleys. These were the people that had been barbarically attacked by Special Forces and paramilitary groups (Basij) around Vali-e Asr Junction. Basij forces attacked people using batons, wooden sticks, blades, metal chains, and stones and would fiercely beat anybody they would capture. However, in the alleys around Daneshjou Park motor-bikers and Basij forces could not advance because people attacked them using stones. Young protestors gathered the trash bins from cross streets and brought them to the entrance of the bridge.

People started banging on bins like drums; the drum-like sound had filled the air. A short while later people took the bins to the middle of the street and put them on fire. A Jeep of the police forces was attacked by the people; protestors smashed the windows of the Jeep. From 11.10am on the district was practically under people’s control.

The crowds were chanting “Down with Dictator,” “Down with Khamanei,” “Down with Tyrant, Be it a Monarch or a Supreme Leader,” “Down with Islamic Republic,” “All these Crowds are on the Streets Against the Supreme Leader”…

The first attack of Special Force motor-bikers from the bridge was responded massively by people throwing stones on the forces; Special Forces were pushed to retreat. The crowd under the bridge was in perfect control of the situation and could prevent the forces from advancing. The crowd under the bridge was way larger than the crowd close to the entrance of the bridge toward Vali-e Asr (west) Junction. People tried to block the way using cement blocks, metal side-railings of the bridge, and the railings of the BRT (transit way) line; they led the automobiles toward Enqelab Square (westbound) to prevent Special Force motor-bikers from advancing toward Vali-e Asr Junction. Special Forces and fascist Basij could not advance beyond Vali-e Asr. They were also under people’s widespread attacks from the west side. Special Forces tried to attack the crowds a number of times but they were retreated each time. After we learned that Special Forces were being attacked from west side we realized they were not attacking us (on the east side) but they were escaping the people’s attacks from the west.

During one of the attacks a young man were shot by a Basij militia who was trapped on the bridge; unfortunately, he lost his life. Some women took off their scarves to bandage the wounded but it was too late. They raised their bloody scarves and chanted “Down with Khamanei” while weeping. I do not have the precise number of those who lost their lives but I saw three instances of Basij shooting people: two caused death and one wounded a person. Angry people attacked the Basij Forces and beat them fiercely. I think a person was thrown off the bridge in this clash. I am not sure about this incident, but I know Basij Forces on the bridge were attacked severely by the people.

In the meantime, some Basij and Intelligence members were identified within the crowd; some of them were busy photographing and filming people’s faces. They were also fiercely beaten by people; their apparatuses such as professional photography and filming cameras and walkie-talkies were confiscated by people and thrown into the fire. A photographer was shouting “I am green” but then he was asked why he took pictures of people’s faces. He tried to escape but he was fiercely beaten by the people. Another person who was carrying a radio transmitter and who tried to protect the photographer claimed to be “green” too but he was also beaten by the crowds; his transmitted was also confiscated and thrown into the fire. The two could escape later after severely beaten. As soon as a Basij or Intelligence member was identified, he would be attacked by people, beaten and then released. I tried to save one of these guys from the people but I was beaten myself. People would not accept the idea that someone would protect these guys. A middle-aged woman who wiped my face and head told “these dishonored guys are not human beings; you should not protect them!”

Angry crowds outraged by the death of the young man started to throw stones toward the Special Forces under the bridge. People’s attack was so fierce that the Special Forces could not react to it. They retreated toward our side but they were encircled and attacked from our side too. One Special Forces member was captured by people; the attack was so quick that other members of the force could not save him. People beat him fiercely and set his motor-bike on fire. He was later let go while he was bleeding and wounded on his head. People were chanting “Down with Khamanei,” “Down with Islamic Republic,” “Independent, Freedom, Iranian Republic,” “Freedom, Freedom.” Some thirty members of the Special Forces retreated toward Saderat Bank, Hafez Branch with their motor-bikes and were encircled there. A few meters away people smashed bank windows and were chanting against the regime. People were throwing stones toward Special Forces from both sides and from the top of the bridge. The air was filled with sounds of “Down with Khamanaie,” “Down with Islamic Republic,” “All these Crowds are on the Streets against the Supreme Leader,” “Down with Islamic Bandits,” the cries of the youths, the smoke of burning plastic and tear gas. Together with some of the frontmost young people we ordered the guards to disarm. We warned the guards that if they would not give up their arms they would be killed; we took their batons, bullet-proof vests, helmets, backpacks and other apparatuses they were carrying and threw them among the crowd. Some of the guards begged us not to take their helmets as people would smash their heads; we responded those who kick the young people with their boots, hitting them by their motor-bikes, and breaking their arms and shoulders with their batons and sticks do not deserve anything better.

Link of one of the films about this moment.

We found 20 “on-scene arrest forms” in one of the backpacks and passed some of them to the people. These forms were labelled as “Forms of on-scene arrest of agents responsible for social unrest.” The forms contain identity of the detainee, detainee’s situation when arrested (this is the type of conviction such as throwing stone, chanting, clapping and whistling, blocking the road, etc.), personal belongings such as mobile phone, camera, explanation about the officer in charge of arrest, and his signature. On the lower left corner of the form, in a fainter color, it reads “Vice-presidency of the Intelligence of the Operations of the Second Unit.”

On the back page, there is another form that contains details about “Western Tehran Guide.” It has the title “Order publishing advertisement in Western Tehran Guidebook (Summer Special Issue)” and it contains this address on the top right corner: Shahid Chamran Highway, Modiriyat Bridge, Blvd. Farhang, No. 11, Tel. 20 61 056. The serial number of the particular form that I have is 1621. No doubt that this company is one of the many belonging to Revolutionary Guards (Pasdaran).

While people were throwing stones toward Special Forces they set their motor-bikes on fire. Within a few seconds all the bikes and buildings close by were on fire. People would buzz the doors and would ask the residents of the nearby buildings to come out due to fire. But thanks to the shape and material of the buildings no building was burned. The guards broke the door of a building where they had taken refuge and escaped inside from the fire. If they had not done this and could not escape they would burn in fire.

I personally do not either approve or support such an act (killing people) under any circumstances. However, it is important to maintain a point: some time ago, Asqar Karimi, in New Channel TV, during a live program called upon police and militia forces of the Islamic regime to side with the people and told that there would come a time when they would beg the Worker-communist Party to stop people from killing them since the WPI is opposed to executions. Such a thing happened on December 27. When I was in the frontmost and confiscating the armament of the police forces, they were begging us to stop people from killing them. But who could stop the deep hatred and anger of the people? Some of those in the frontmost line asked the people to stop throwing stones; they suggested capturing guards, taking their photographs and recording their identities. The fear the Special Forces were experiencing was beautiful in the eye of the people. Nobody was happy for use of violence against them. People were happy because they could see that a number of those who are fully armed with the most advanced oppressive apparatuses who would attack anybody regardless of their age were now begging them to spare their lives. People were swearing at these guys and chanting “Seyyed Ali where are your soldiers?” and “This is the fate of those who kill the youth!” This is the message that people relayed to the entirety of oppressive machinery of the Islamic regime.

Three to four Basij militias attacked the people from under the bridge and started shooting with their handguns. Two more people were injured. People started throwing stones on them; the Basij militia could escape since they continued shooting. The Basij militia shot randomly; one of the bullets hit a young man’s back. Most probably the bullet hit his spine because he said he couldn’t feel his feet. I could clearly see that the bullet had entered his back toward his spine and the backbones. Three people immediately took him away from the clash scene with a motor-bike.

As the Special Forces and Basij militia attacked again people retreated toward under the bridge and cross streets. This gave the Special Forces that had been trapped in a bank the opportunity to escape. As the trapped forces escaped and the Special Forces started a new attack on people, protestors retaliated by throwing stones; the forces started shooting on people in response. People were clapping and laughing and joking that “our prisoners fled.” The streets were under people’s control once again. However, as the guards and militia kept shooting fiercely people had to retreat and the forces took the control of the bridge. Firefighters immediately opened the way and extinguish the burning motor-bikes.

At 12.30, I and several others went toward Vali-e Asr Street using the cross streets and joined the people there. We were very tired and did not have the power to advance further. The guards and militia attacked people and were shooting at them. A young man named Morteza was hit in his chest; we helped him out of the clash scene into a building. After a while Morteza got better; it was calmer outside; we proceeded toward Vali-e Asr Square and from there toward Felestin Square. From there we started going back toward Hafez Bridge. Special Forces had taken complete control of the neighborhood; no anti-regime slogans, fire and smoke was in the air.

We returned toward Enqelab Square; lots of people were on the streets. Basij hooligans were on the streets and chanted “Hezbollah, Mashallah!” People were laughing at what they called the defeat march of Basij. There were fierce debates among people. Everybody spoke their view and analysis. A number of times I heard people talked about the presence and role of communists in today’s protests and that communists should assume a more central role. Fierce political debates took place on the sidewalks.

We kept advancing toward Azadi Square. Basij militia and Special Forces were present at all junctions and swore at people. We saw lots of forces close by the main building of traffic police of Greater Tehran headquarters. We were surprised seeing so many guards there but as we got closer we saw the trace of people’s attacks on the building and then we realized the extent of the events today. People had attacked the headquarters from two sides. The windows of a bank by the headquarters and the entrance of the building were smashed by stones. On the streets, two automobiles, one of them belonging to police forces, had been set on fire. People had got into more intense clashes with police forces here. The yard of the headquarters was full of Special Forces members. A little further down members of the Leader’s Special Guard’s were all over the place on their motor-bike wearing chemical war masks. They were maneuvering and intimidating people and swearing at them; they were asking people to leave the streets.

As we got closer to Azadi Underpass cars started honking continuously. One officer kicked a car and took the plate off; passengers started fighting with him fiercely; the Basij militia intervened, prevented further clashes and started beating everybody. A female passenger of the car fought hard and got the plate back. The officer tried all he could to push back the woman by punching her, kicking her, swearing at her but the woman eventually got the plate back. The people who surrounded them started clapping and applauding the woman; this made the officer even angrier; he started swearing at people and chanting against them but even the Basij militia didn’t support him. As he started chanting “Down with Monafeq” people started laughing at him; he got angrier but there was nothing he could do. The sidewalks on the two sides of Azadi Street were full of people who tried to cover the demonstration passage from Emam Hossein Square to Azadi Square in their own manner. People cheerfully and openly talked about the role they had taken that day in the clashes right in front of the angry and bewildered Basij militia and Special Forces and would recite the events they had witnessed or heard about. The sound of laughter and cheer of young boys and girls had filled the air of Ashura!

Translated by Siyaves Azeri

People of Iran have moved beyond the pro- system opposition

Hamid Taghvaie

30 December 2009


The 27 December 2009 protest in Iran was a powerful blow to the totality of the Islamic regime. This was a blow not only to Khamanie’s faction and his cronies, but also a blow to Mosavi’s faction in opposition; it was a powerful response to the faction that advocates protecting of the system from opposition.

They – the pro-system oppositions.*- have tried to project the movement of the people of Iran as a movement for reform within the framework of the Islamic system. Of course people have time and again shown that they do not want to go back to the Khomanie’s era. This was clear for everyone to see earlier in October and November protests, however the 27th was a landmark in this regard which openly and clearly showed that the people in Iran do not believe in any of the factions of the Islamic regime.

This was clear by choice of methods and forms of struggle and slogans that aimed at both factions and whole lot of the Islamic regime.

Khamanie’s faction in power had been preparing the military forces and bajisi groups for months and had rounded up thousands of people before last Sunday. The Mosavie faction in opposition before the 27th had tried to confine the protest within the framework of the religious ceremonies, tried their luck, once more, to limit the people’s protest to defending of the Islam, Khomeini’s era and advocated peaceful protest, religious slogan etc; One other event that was used was death of Montazerie seven days earlier. The Mosavi Faction – the pro-system opposition– had called Montazeri, “the father of human rights in Iran” and were to use 27th as day of commemorating Montazeri.

What actually happened was to upset of these strategy. Men and Women, side by side, took to the streets with a clear political agenda of anti-government slogans and with confronting the military forces such as Pasdaran and Basiji’s and on many occasions arrested these thugs and burnt their vehicles. The protesters also attacked the government thugs who were organised in religious groups for the ceremonies. There were no evidence that people were using the religious ceremonies and religious pretext to say what they wanted. They talked in their own clear language of anti-Khamanie, against the dictatorship and against they totality of the system of Velayat faghih.

This was a revolt with a clear political slogan without any reliance on the slogans and methods of “the pro-system opposition.”

This was a defeat for the Mosavie as they had always advocated peaceful protests; people not only responded to the oppressive forces of the regime by chasing them and made them on occasions to give up and run away; the people also in reality faced off “the pro-system opposition” faction.

When we examine the last Sunday’s events, we see a classic urban revolt against a dictatorship. The video clips of the day show how every street have been barricaded as in classic street battle formation with a more confident masses confronting the oppressive forces.

This situation forced the figure heads of “the pro-system opposition” both n Iran and abroad on many occasions to condemn violence and asked people to keep the protests peaceful. They actually coached their policy in stating that the government forces attacked the dignity of the religious ceremonies of the people by their violence. The same is of course is said by the other faction in power that it was the people who undermined the dignity of Ashura ceremonies.

As far as the people were concerned the question was not about upholding the dignity of religious ceremonies. The issue for people was to confront a brutal Islamic dictatorship and bring it down with all of its military and religious machinery. The Islamic government in Iran realises this; of course the faction in power wants to save the system by naked suppression and brute force, and the other faction wants to lead the movement in the dark alleys of working within the framework of the Islamic system.

The 27th December replied to both of these policies. People know what they want; they know their enemy well and are determined to overthrow this regime completely. This movement can only end with the victory of the people’s revolution against Islamic republic and that day is now not too far away.

----------------------

This is a translation by Fariborz Pooya of the transcript of daily “10 minutes with Hamid Taghvaie” which is a TV program broadcast daily on New Channel satellite TV to Iran and Europe. This episode was broadcast on 30 December 2009.

*Mosavie and Kahroubi and their supporters call themselves protectors of the ststem of the Islamic regime and advocate return to the time of ayatollah Khomeini and early days of the Islamic government – when Mosavi himself was in power.

**Montazeri was one of the main architects of the Islamic system of Velayat fagheh which was the foundation for the government established by Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979 which was the basis of the relationship between Islam and the state as codified in his work Velayat-e Faqih of the government of the Islamic Jurists,"

UNDER THE VEIL OF REPRESSION

By: Mansoor Hekmat
Tyranny and repression unavoidably depict an inverted picture of the political realities of the society. The fall of dictatorial regimes has always resulted in consequences other than what the political observers have expected on the basis of their previous observations. It is quite understandable that in a repressed atmosphere the true character, power and programs of political parties or forces, the balance of power between social forces, the direction and pace of political trends, and, most significantly, the true political and social inclinations of the people, of the various social classes, should not find an accurate reflection.



Iran under the Islamic regime is a living example of a repressed political environment with a flawed political profile and concealed history-making trends. Judging by appearances, the present and future political personages of Iran should be sought among the likes of Khatami[1], Yazdi[2] and Soroosh[3]. Apparently, ‘worker’ and ‘communist’ are not forces present at the center of political stage. Apparently, what determines the fate of Iran is Khatami’s smile and Khamenei’s health condition. Apparently, the discourses determining Iran’s future are the regurgitations, over and over again, of the categories of the Iranian Constitutional Revolution [of 1905-1911, in general,] and Mullahfied versions of [one of its two chief demands, that is,] ‘House of Justice’ [or Judiciary, in particular,] that saturate the pages of the seemingly ‘influential’ press media churned out by the circles of seemingly ‘alternative thinkers’ close to the regime itself.



News reporters and news fabricators, professors of Eastern studies, experts of Western states, nationalist parties, Third-Worldist, smitten-by-the-East groups and groupings that have for a long period been stricken by the self-described-communist syndrome for reasons beyond their own control, they are all eagerly staring at that jumbled scene, that distorted picture, and receive their conceptions, beliefs and inspirations from it. If we believe them, Iran stands at the threshold of yet another Islamic salvation! Domesticated Mullahs, together with an Islam perfumed with the rose-water of ‘modernity’, together with Muslim-enough alternative thinkers and alternative-thinking-enough Muslims, together with laws originating in Islam and a law-respecting Supreme clergy, these are supposed to usher Iran, through a gradual process devoid of any revolution or disturbance, into the era of the second Islamic Republic. This is [supposedly] the ‘civil society’ which, to the minds of the practicing-Muslim Bazaar merchant and his Western-educated sons, the Iranian people have been longing for over the past century and, indeed, deserve. Iran is supposedly moving along this route!



Behind the scene of this extravaganza, however, the real history moves in a different direction. One should look farther, put the ear to the ground and feel the tremors of the foundations of this reactionary system. The current battle in Iran is not between hard Islam and soft Islam, or between the theocracy under the rule of the Supreme Clergy and the theocracy under the rule of law, but between freedom and tyranny, reaction and Islam in all their forms. In the developments lying ahead the personages in the foreground will quickly become irrelevant and disappear. In the camp opposing Islamic reaction we will then not find today’s petty reformists but the ranks of communism, consistent democratism, labor egalitarianism, consistent, that is, anti-religion, secularism, modernism, and thorough liberation for the women. These are the true inclinations of the great majority of the Iranian people which lie hidden under the veil of repression today, and are working to build the political future of the country.

First published in Iskra (organ of Kurdistan Committee of the Worker-communist Party of Iran), No.3, April 4, 1998

Translated by Jamshid Hadian


[1] The so-called ‘smiling Mullah’, figurehead of the farcical state made ‘reformist movement’ who became president for two terms between 1997 and 2001.

[2] The Secretary General of Freedom Movement of Iran, a non-clerical Islamic-nationalist organization whose former Secretary General, Mehdi Bazargan, was commissioned by Khomeini to form the first government of the Islamic Republic. Ibrahim Yazdi was Foreign Minister in Bazargan’s cabinet. The organization was pushed into opposition against its will, only to remain at the service of the regime, following the fall of its government subsequent to raiding the American Embassy in the Summer of 1979.

[3] Abdolkarim Soroosh, an extreme right-wing Islamic philosophy scholar, a senior architect of the so-called ‘Cultural Revolution’ of the Spring of 1980 aimed at cracking down on the Left at the universities across the country during which dozens were killed and disappeared by the regime’s thugs and scores injured. He, along with many other architects of the nascent regime’s repressive security, military and paramilitary organs, then joined the so-called ‘reformist movement’ of 1997-2001.

Class character of the current revolution

This resolution was adopted at the 7th congress of Worker-communist Party of Iran earlier in December 2009

1- The movement that began June 2009 in Iran, and goes on strongly as ever, is a revolution aimed at bringing down the Islamic Republic to reach freedom, equality and welfare for all. As far as its genuine content and the objective circumstances that have given rise to it are concerned, the present revolution has its origin in the class opposition between the bourgeoisie and the working class, and can be victorious only by ending the former’s political and economic domination.

2- The formation of the current revolution per se is indicative of the working-class horizon, or alternative, enjoying the upper hand over right-wing scenarios such as “reconstruction”, “gradual transformation”, “regime change”, and other nationalist-ethnic-religious alternatives. The formation of the revolution confirms and firmly establishes the working-class perspective with respect to the most fundamental transformation of the status quo. It also bears out the fact that revolution is the most desirable as well as viable way to destroy the regime of Islamic Republic and liberate the whole society from political and economic domination of the bourgeoisie. The formulation and publicization of the said perspective as well as ceaseless practice for its realization by the workers’ class-political representative, i.e., Worker-communist Party of Iran, has itself been instrumental in the formation of the current revolution.

3- The formation of revolution in Iran opens an active and effective front for beating back such reactionary movements as political Islam, the militarism of the Western’s bourgeoisie, and the corresponding socio-political theories like cultural relativism, multi-culturalism, and so on. The Iranian revolution turns the human being and the universal humanist values into the focal point of the class struggle between the world proletariat and the world bourgeoisie, and thus presents the honorable, civilized people of the world with a bright, promising perspective. The current revolution enjoys therefore a high capacity for enlisting the support of the world working class as well as the public opinion of the freedom-loving people across the globe.

4- The working class is the only class that is both willing and able to bring the present revolution to victory. For, on the one hand, the emancipation of the working class from exploitation and the domination of the bourgeoisie is objectively, actually, pending the emancipation of the whole society from the prevailing poverty, suppression, discrimination, oppression, and repression. On the other hand, the people’s demands, their ideals, namely women’s liberation, emancipation from the clutches of religion, cultural emancipation, modernity, unconditional political and social freedoms, eradication of poverty and securing welfare for all are represented only by the working-class perspective, [reflected in] the working class [party-political] program. The demands and ideals of the citizens at large are, for all practical intents and purposes, achievable only through the realization of the socialist objectives, the socialist program, of the working class. In the process of the present revolution the working class can, and should, rally onder its standard the great majority of the citizens, overthrow Islamic Republic, and realize [the slogan] “freedom, equality, welfare”.

5- The working class can position itself at the head of the current revolution only through its political party. Advancement, deepening, radicalization and the eventual victory of the revolution is pending the people embracing the party of the working class as the representative of the masses’ critique, their dissatisfaction with, and their objections to, the status quo, as well as accepting it as the leader of the mass struggle for the overthrow of Islamic Republic. Such a party should, firstly, represent the political and social objectives of the revolution, and make its presence felt in the field of the fight over the political power, and, secondly, be accepted as the leader by the society. Under the political circumstances in Iran, Worker-communist Party of Iran enjoys the said characteristics, and possesses the necessary capabilities to obtain the position of the leader of the revolution.

6- Worker-communist Party of Iran fights with all its might to advance, strengthen, organize, lead and bring to victory the present revolution. The Party calls on all activists in the workers’ movement and all revolutionaries in the student and women’s liberation movements, as well as in all other protest movements of other sections of the society to get actively involved on the basis of the Party’s policies, and to join its ranks.

The preconditions of the victory of the current revolution, and the determination of the future system of government

This was a resolution that was adopted at the 7th congress of Worker-communist Party of Iran earlier in December 2009


1- The real, objective content of the present movement, as far as its political objective is concerned, is the overthrow of Islamic Republic. As far as its social ideals are concerned, the real, objective content of the present movement is liberation from poverty, exploitation and class discrimination; emancipation of women; Cultural Emancipation of the youth; modernism and secularism; abolition of torture and execution; annihilation of repression and oppression - in a word, the realization of freedom, equality and welfare for all. The current movement, as far as its objective goals, its real content, is concerned, is a radical left revolution, that is, a humanist revolution for a humanist society.

2- The overthrow of Islamic Republic signifies total destruction of the state machinery together with all centers of power, from the House of the Supreme Leader to the circles around Imams and Ayatollahs everywhere, to the medley of state, Mafia-like Foundations and Organizations; annihilation of all organs of suppression composed of each and every intelligence organization, prison, court and torture site together with all security, military, paramilitary and police forces; revocation of the Constitutional and all other laws of the Islamic Republic. The revolution will be victorious only if it persists and focuses on the overthrow of the regime of Islamic Republic in this genuine, all-round sense.

3- Under the present circumstances the advancement and [eventual] victory of the revolution is, first and foremost, pending the widening and deepening of its humanist content, its humanist tendency, as well as the rallying of masses around a leading force that represents the deep-rooted protest at, or critique of, the existing order from the stand point of unconditional freedom, equitability, and humanity. The revolution has to obtain the leadership, the political organization, necessary for the overthrow of Islamic Republic and its replacement by the direct rule of the people.

4- As far as the form of the struggle is concerned, a significant precondition for the revolution to advance and be victorious is that it becomes more and more clearly defined and firmly materialized. It should go beyond mass demonstrations - various layers and sections of the society should articulate their objections in their own name, in various fields, and in various forms. The current form of advancement of the revolution, that is, recurrent mass demonstrations, should become more and more firmly based on ever-extending, standing organizations of different sections of the society in order to benefit from centralized, nation-wide political and practical leadership.

The central components of the above-mentioned delineation are as follows:

I- Ever more sections of the working class join the struggle; the working-class movement challenges the state; workers’ protests, meetings, strikes, and rallies develop further; veritable workers’ organizations, including workers’ councils, be established.
II- Various sections of society carry out their protest, their struggle, in their own social line-up and with their own social identity. Workers, women, students, intellectuals, teachers, office workers, physicians, nurses, families of political prisoners and those of the martyrs, and all other discontented strata of the population be organized in various institutions, e.g., societies, committees, unions, associations, councils, and so on, and appear at the scene of struggle with their own radical declarations, manifestos, calls of various sorts, announcements, and so on.
III- Local organizations, such as covert cells, overt societies and councils, local committees, etc., form in order to organize and lead the struggle at regional and neighborhood levels.
IV- Committees for the organization and co-ordination of strikes and demonstrations form at factories, universities, schools, offices, and hospitals.

In view of the above, Worker-communist Party of Iran

a- declares its resolve to form the political and practical leadership of the revolution, and calls upon all the revolutionaries and masses of people who desire the overthrow of Islamic Republic and the radical transformation of the present order to unite around the Party’s policies and slogans, as well as to join its ranks.
b- calls upon all opposition forces to support the struggles of the masses, as well as to relentlessly fight for the overthrow and total destruction of the regime of Islamic Republic.
c- declares that any degree of conciliation and/or compromise with the regime, any effort made with the aim of saving the present order in one form or another, any striving for sparing any part or any faction of the state is a practical measure taken against the people’s movement for freedom. The Party will oppose any such conciliatory measures, thwart, and expose them.
d- considers any resort to, and/or reliance on, religious, national and ethnic prejudices, as well as fabrication of identities on the said bases, an obstacle placed in the path of the people’s movement, the people’s revolution for freedom. The Party will condemn such policies and slogans and stand up to them.
e- calls upon all progressive and consistently democratic forces around the world to support the revolution of the people of Iran, and to struggle for global condemnation and isolation of Islamic Republic. The Party calls upon all governments and international institutions to condemn Islamic Republic as an oppressive, murderous regime and break all political/diplomatic ties with it.
f- considers the criterion for assessing the degree of commitment to freedom and progressive values of any personality or political force to be their degree of commitment to the following demands:
i- The arrest and public prosecution of those responsible for the current killings and atrocities and for those committed during the last 30 years.
ii- The complete separation of religion from the state, judiciary, education. Freedom of religion and atheism as a private matter.
iii- Unconditional freedom of expression, thought, organization, demonstration, and strike.
iv- Abolition of sexual apartheid and all discriminatory laws against women. Establishment of complete equality between men and women.
v- Equal rights for all citizen of Iran regardless of their faith, language, nationality and ethnicity.
vi- Abolition of death penalty as well as Islamic code of punishment. Prohibition of all forms of physical and emotional torture for any reason.
vii- Release of all political prisoners. Prohibition of prosecution and/or detention of people for political activity.

g- will refer the decision for the establishment of a socialist republic to the public vote. It strives to secure conditions in which the society can choose its desired system of government freely and consciously. After Islamic Republic has been overthrown, all political parties must be unconditionally and unboundedly free to promote their ideal system of government.

h- basing its struggle on its program (A Better World) and its publicized policies for the overthrow of Islamic Republic and the establishment of a socialist republic, that is, a humane system of government devoid of all oppression, poverty, exploitation, and class discriminations – a system that guarantees freedom, equality, and welfare for all its citizens. The Party calls upon all people to opt for that system.

Passed at the 7th congress of Worker-communist Party of Iran.
5 December 2009

Protest continues in Iran

WPI has called for international support for and solidarity with the people's struggle against the Islamic regime in Iran; On Monday 28th groups of people have gathered in front of the Islamic regime embassies as well as city centres in Europe and North America. We have received reports from Frankfurt and Bern in Germany; Gutenberg and Malmao in Sweden as well as Toronto in Canada

Canada



Frankfurt

December 27, 2009 Iran

A New Phase in People's Struggle Against the Islamic regime of Iran

27 December saw one of the most critical days following the June / July protests in Iran. It supposedly was meant to be a day of religious mourning in Iran. It was to be the day that the most reactionary Islamist groups who use such ceremonies to impose the darkest of the dark on the people of Iran. It was meant to the moment that the government of Ahmadinejad and Khamanei reasserts itself and shows that they are still in charge following last months' protests in November in Universities all over Iran.

The Islamic regime and its security forces had been preparing for this and had arrested nearly all of the known political activists beforehand in many cities.

However this day was turned into an anti-government protest that saw people from all walks of life confront police, security forces and members of the baseeji militia groups with their bare hands and calling for end to the Islamic regime in Iran. The protest took place in many cities such as Arak, Mashhad, Babol, Esfahan and many parts of Tehran, including East and South East. The protest and street fights continued until early hours of Monday 28th December and declared an end to the Islamic Ashura in Iran.

Many parts of Tehran were in control of people for hours; it began at around 11.00 am and the first round of confrontation was under the College Bridge that saw people brave tear gas, and bullets, daggers of the Islamists thugs and clashes with the security forces. On many occasions groups of the hated security forces were surrounded and beaten up. Police station in Vali Asr was burnt to the ground and many Baseeji headquarters were attacked. Later in the evening the Islamic News Agency headquarters were surrounded by the protesters and shootings were reported.

Yesterday left more than 15 people dead and hundreds injured. The government agencies have hidden the bodies of possibly more people to prevent identification and follow up demonstrations that will ensue. Thousands have been arrested in Tehran and many cities. Many wounded have forcefully been removed from hospitals and taken to Islamic guards own Sadoughi hospital.

One thing is clear that the end of this regime is near and the brutal Islamic regime is taking its last gasp and will not be able to drive the anger of 30 years of suppression back. People have waited 30 years for this moment and will not let the Islamic murderers get away this time.

WPI's 7th Congress

The Worker-communist Party of Iran's 7th Congress was held during 4-6 December and was a huge success.

Here are some pictures from the Congress.

Here is video footage of the Congress.

The resolutions that were adopted. They are currently being translated into English.

The first to be translated is the Manifesto of the Iranian Revolution.

Manifesto of the Iranian Revolution

The revolution that has started since June 2009 is the outburst of the repressed anger of the people against the criminal Islamic regime of Iran. This is a revolution for liberation from a corrupt system, for smashing a machine of murder, plunder, ignorance and lies which has been wrecking the lives of the people for thirty years. This revolution will not stop until it has crushed the entire inhuman system in power.

But this revolution is not just about the liberation of the people of Iran from the Islamic nightmare. It is not even just a source of hope and inspiration for the people in Islam-stricken regions. This revolution speaks from the heart of the people of the world. Fundamentally, it is a revolution against a dark period identified by the offensive of the New Right and the New World Order; September 11 and the rise of political Islam; and the War on Terror and conflagration of the world in the war of terrorists. A period which by the metamorphosis of the human being through religion, ethnicity and nationality, by defining the relations amongst members of humankind as the Clash of Civilisations, and by denying the universal rights of the human being by the notion of Cultural Relativism has in fact imposed a Postmodern Middle Ages on humanity. The Iranian revolution is in fact the voice of the Third Camp against this regression of the bourgeoisie of our age. It is a voice that shouts “Freedom, Equality, Human Identity”. It is for this reason that songs have been written for this revolution from around the world, and Neda has become a hero of the people of the world.

The Iranian revolution is, first and foremost, against religious and Islamic rule. It is deeply secular and opposed to the rule of ignorance, superstition and the clergy. In this respect it is pursuing, in a radical way, the unfinished, or forgotten, tasks of the French Revolution. With the victory of this revolution, not only will religion become completely separate from the state and the educational system, but any privilege, law and tradition giving the religious apparatus the right to interfere in social life will also be abolished. Religion will be pushed to the sphere of voluntary choice and private beliefs of adults. Official religion will be abolished, and the hold of religion on society and social affairs will be ended. Thus, for the first time, genuine freedom to have or not to have a religion will be established. The Iranian revolution has already, in a practical way, delivered its severe censure on the appeasement of political Islam by European and Western governments and the shameless reversal on secularism. The anti-religious revolution in Iran is the beginning of a new Renaissance in human history.

The present revolution in Iran is a “women’s revolution”, not only because it is immediately against sexual apartheid and a misogynist government, and not only because women and girls are at its forefront in fervent demonstrations and street battles, but also because the maxim “women’s freedom is a measure of society’s freedom” is increasingly etched in the consciousness of the masses of the people. The unconditional equality of women is the inviolable decree of the present revolution. This revolution is another step forward in the efforts of modern humanity for liberation from vile gender slavery. From the October 1917 Russian revolution to the women’s liberation movement in the West; from the women’s demonstrations in Iran against the veil in March 1979 to thirty years of women’s resistance and protest against Islamic veil, discrimination and humiliation – these make up the backbone and inspiration of the present revolution in Iran. The victory of the present revolution will not only have a phenomenal impact on the status and struggle of women in Islam-stricken countries, but will also advance the women’s liberation movement in the world as a whole.

The revolution in Iran is about freedom. The realisation of the most radical and human definition of individual, civil, cultural and political freedom is the immediate task of the ‘Twitter’ and ‘Facebook’ generation which has risen up in revolt. It does not accept any restriction on freedom of expression, assembly, strike and organisation or other political freedoms. It does not recognise any boundaries for the freedom to criticise “sanctities”. It does not accept any censorship on culture, art, literature and human creative activity. It is against any interference of the state or any official authority in the private lives - including in the sexual relations and preferences - of members of society. Not only should political prisoners be freed, but the very notion of political prisoner should be abolished. This is a revolution against the death penalty and all brutal or Islamic punishments. It is not only against Kahrizak, but also against Guantanamo and its corresponding political culture - from shock therapy to rape and torture, which have been elevated to official tools of the state. This is a revolution not only for cultural liberation from Islam, dictatorship and any backwardness and recourse to “one’s own culture”, but stands for a global, human and modern culture. In this sense, the nearest counterpart of the Iranian revolution are the 1960s’ and 70s’ civil rights movements in the USA and Western Europe, with the difference that this revolution along with Marx goes further than “civil society”, and aims for a “human society” or “social humanity”.

This revolution is the powerful response of a poverty-stricken society to the ruling parasites. It is a revolution for abolishing poverty, unemployment and the appalling gulf between the life of a billionaire minority and that of the great mass of deprived people living under the poverty line. This is a revolution not only against non-payment of wages of millions of workers, but in essence against the very sale and purchase of human creative power and the rule of blind and brutal market laws on people’s lives. This is a revolution for putting an end to drug addiction, prostitution, the plight of working street children, homelessness, depression, suicide and all that is the result of the poverty running amok in Iranian society. This is a revolution for “livelihood and dignity”, for “bread and roses too”.

Thus the present revolution in Iran is about the liberation of the human being in all political, social, intellectual, cultural and economic dimensions. This is a revolution against all false identities for the human being, be it religious, ethnic or national, and ultimately for putting an end to the division of people into classes. This is a revolution for human dignity, for happiness, freedom, welfare and equality for all in the enjoyment of the material and intellectual riches of social life. It is indeed a revolution for reclaiming the will of the human being, in both individual and social capacities. In one word, as we said from day one, this is “a human revolution for a human rule”. Thus the revolution in Iran links up with great efforts in history – from Spartacus to the Jacobins of the French Revolution, from the Paris Communards to workers of Petrograd, from the councils of the 1979 revolution in Iran to the anti-capitalist movement at the start of the third millennium, stretching from Seattle to Rome. The Iranian revolution is fundamentally against modern wage slavery, whose time has long been up, and which for its survival has needed to resort to religion, superstition, torture, prison, terror, and the nuclear bomb. This slogan of Tehran’s students expresses the foundations of the Iranian revolution: Socialism or barbarism!

The triumph of the revolution of the people of Iran over the Islamic Republic will open up a new chapter in the world and will be a new stepping stone for putting an end to class history and for the start of genuine human history. The Seventh Congress of the Worker-communist Party of Iran calls on the people of the world for a more enthusiastic and resolute support of the Iranian revolution and people. The Congress sends its greetings to women, youth and workers in Iran and calls on them to join the ranks of the Party for the victory of this revolution and realisation of this Manifesto.

Adopted unanimously by the Seventh Congress of the Worker-communist Party of Iran, 5-6 December 2009.

Support haft Tapeh workers in Iran

In a drive to destroy the independent union at the giant Haft Tapeh plantation/refining sugar complex in southern Iran, a court on October
12 sentenced six union leaders to prison on charges of "endangering national security."

Their only crime was to lead a strike.

Haft Tapeh workers have repeatedly had to resort to strikes and other actions to claim huge wage arrears and protest deteriorating working conditions.

"The regime is clearly determined to crush the union by putting its entire leadership behind bars," writes the IUF, the global union federation for food workers.

They've launched an online campaign of protest. Please take a moment and send off your messages of protest.

New Channel is back

New Channel TV has started its regular broadcasting after a 2.5 months interruption. You can see it live here or tune in via satellite:

Hot Bird 8
13 degrees East
Transponder Number: 14
Frequency: 11470 MHz
Polarity: Vertical
Symbol Rate: 27500
FEC: 5 /6

NCTV (New Channel TV) is the Voice of the revolution in Iran!

NCTV, New Channel TV, is the first 24/7 TV station that is run independently by the Worker-communist Party of Iran. It is accessible in the Middle East, Europe, and North Africa. It is also accessible live via the internet.

NCTV broadcasts programmes in Farsi, Turkish, Arabic and Kurdish. Its English programmes currently comprise of TV International, Third Camp TV and Secular TV.

Despite the enormous costs of operation, NCTV is run almost entirely by the public, and through sponsorships. Furthermore, its staff consists entirely of volunteers, whether technical staff or producers.

NCTV is not only the voice of a better world and a TV channel through which people are educated to confront the Islamic regime of Iran, but it is a tool to organise. Workers for example, call directly from their workplace, asking for advice to run their strikes successfully. And that's a routine practice.

NCTV however is always challenged by the financial pressure. Become a fan and/or support NCTV via sponsorship! Your tiny, little help counts and it shortens the life of anti-humane Islamic Republic of Iran.

For details check NCTV site or call at:
Phones: +001 505 333 4147 + 001 310 856 9897

10th October - International Day of Protests

On the International Day of Protests against the Death Penalty, 10th October, members of the WPI staged a protest in Trafalgar Square, London. The WPI highlighted the case of 8 child offenders that are currently on death row in Iranian prisons. People were asked to sign the petition in the form of a red banner to stop executions in Iran and over 1000 signed it.

WPI protest in Trafalgar Square, London

Here are some photos from the WPI demonstration in London, Trafalgar Square. The WPI protests Ahmadinejad's attendance at the UN General Assembly in New York today and calls for his prosecution.

Ahmadinjad should be prosecuted!

M. Ahmadinejad is addressing the United Nations on Wednesday. He is the President of a country that has executed and stoned people in their thousands and in the last three decades, has systematically violated human rights. Islamic government of Iran is a fascist and inhumane government and in the last three months the world has witnessed its criminal acts against the people taking part in the uprising.

Repression, arrests, intimidation, brutal torture and rape and sexual violence against political prisoners in Kahrizak and other prisons are just a few examples of the criminal capacity of this government.

During Ahmadinejad’s presidency, hundreds have been hung or stoned. His government executed Delara Darabi, a 21-year-old child offender. This is the same regime that hung Fatemeh Haghighat Pajooh, along with 8 others, in front of her children in Evin prison.

Stoning has been used during his presidency; oppression of people has been wide-spread. People’s rights have been more widely abused, criminal acts have increased and sexual apartheid has been more strictly imposed. Allowing him to address the United Nations is shameful. In fact, he should be arrested and prosecuted for committing these crimes.

The International Committee against Execution and The International Committee against Stoning are calling for Ahmadinejad and other key government officials to be prosecuted for committing crime against humanity. We call on the public to support this demand and voice their protest against this regime from 23-26 September.

Long live Iranian people’s struggle against the Islamic government of Iran
We say NO to execution
We say NO to inhumane Islamic rules

Mina Ahadi
minaahadi@aol.com
0049 177 569 24 13

Farshad Hosseini
farshadhoseini@yahoo.com
0031-633602627

The International Committee against Execution
The International Committee against Stoning
19 September 2009

Ahmadinejad must be on trial not invited to UN

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is attending United Nation’s general assembly meeting today.

The whole world has witnessed how civilians have been shot to death by the orders from Ahmadinejad and the other leaders of the Islamic regime after the so called election in Iran. Ahmadinejad is responsible for arrestment and torture of men and women, raping hundreds of young boys and girls and killing more than a hundred of protestors in the past two months. Ahamadinejad and his government are guilty of crimes against humanity in Iran and should be put on trial instead of being invited to the United Nations General Assembly meeting. If murder, torture and rape are considered crimes, and those who committed should be punished for their crimes then Ahmadinejad and his government should not be any exceptions.

In the past two months a wave of solidarity actions with Iranian people have been generated worldwide. We should not allow the voices of millions of men and women who have been demonstrating in the cities of Iran, demanding an end to the criminal regime, to be ignored by Ahmadinejad’s presence in UN. We should not allow the grief of family of survivors, and those who lost their loved one, to be dismissed through the presence of Ahmadinejad in New York. People in Iran need your support!

Join our protest on Wed. 23 September at Trafalgar Square in London, from 4-6pm.

Worker-communist Party of Iran- UK
wpiengland@googlemail.com
Tel: 07950924434

Support labour activist Ossanlu in Islamic regime's prison

Political prisoner Mansour Ossanlu's health is deteriorating. A year ago he was transferred to Reja’i Shahr prison, west of Tehran.

He has been denied permission to leave the prison for treatment for pre-existing medical problems, and new ones gained through the denial of access to treatment. He was denied treatment by the case judge, despite a referral by the prison doctor following his fourth medical examination.

Despite the recommendation by the Coroner, and Medical Examiner, at the end of last year that Mansour be treated outside the prison, the authorities continue to refuse to allow him to leave for treatment.

Mansour Ossanlu is leader of the Union of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company (Sherkat-e Vahed), was arrested on 10 July 2007.

Background information

Mansour Ossanlu was previously detained for eight months, from December 2005 to August 2006, and again for a month from November to December 2006 in connection with his trade union activities. He had reportedly been sentenced to five years' imprisonment in May 2007, but was believed to be free on bail at the time of his arrest.

In October 2007, upon learning that Ossanlu was at risk of losing his eyesight unless he was given urgent medical treatment that was being denied him by the prison authorities, Amnesty International and the Global Unions mounted an urgent appeal which resulted in his transfer to hospital. Though his eyesight has been saved, he continues to be denied urgently needed medical treatment.

Send letters of protest to the Islamic regime of Iran. For more information on where to send letters, click here.

The tragedy of the left - a panel discussion in NYC

The Platypus Affiliated Society presents:

30 Years of the Islamic Revolution in Iran
The tragedy of the left

6:00pm Sunday, September 13, 2009 at The Brecht Forum 451 West St New York, NY

A panel discussion with:

Ervand Abrahamian
Professor of History at Baruch College, CUNY
and author of Iran: Between Two Revolutions, 1982

Siyaves Azeri
Head of the Committee of International Relations of
the Worker-Communist Party of Iran

Hamid Dabashi
Professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature
at Columbia University

The Platypus Affiliated Society, established in 2006, organizes reading groups, public fora, research and journalism focused on problems and tasks inherited from the “Old” (1920s-30s), “New” (1960s-70s) and postpolitical (1980s-90s) Left for the possibilities of emancipatory politics today.
www.platypus1917.com

We Demand the Immediate halt to the Execution of 1000 Prisoners on Death Row by the Iraqi Government

A Report has been published by Amnesty International on September 1, 2009 declares that there are 1000 persons in Iraq awaiting to be executed including 9 women, 150 of which have exhausted all possibilities of appeal. The report also signifies that executions by the ruling Islamic and nationalist government in Iraq has been doubled and that many of the prisoners regularly face torture to force confessions with complete lack of legal rights for prisoners and detainees.

The Islamic-nationalist government in Iraq claims that the execution is “very necessary” in order to stop the violence and terrorism according to its so-called minister of “human-rights”!. This position, in fact, has nothing to do with the claim of this government to stop violence or terrorism. On the contrary, the government only wishes to justify violence and brutality that it commits in order to strengthen its position through maintaining terror. Both sides of the conflicting poles in Iraq, the so-called state forces, and the Islamic and nationalist groups opposed to that state, are responsible for the blood sheds and the attacks on the rights of people in Iraq. These brutal forces have nothing to do with, neither ending terror, nor with any degree of human decency. Those forces compete to use the most barbaric of methods to galvanize their positions and they deliberately use intimidation and fear for that end.

The claim of the Iraqi government that death penalty decreases terrorism and “violence” is a lie. The forces of this religious, sectarian, nationalistic, ethnic, and tribal government itself, practice, on the largest scale, and according to international reports, torture, detention, assassinations, and organized terrorism. With the collaboration of the US forces and its allies, it has been committing atrocities against the people of Iraq. Their records from the prisons of Abu Ghraib, Boka, and the vaults of the Ministry of Interior, in addition to the presence of heads of Islamic and nationalist terrorist militias inside its apparatus, government, and “parliament”, are few examples of the true identity of these groups and the idiocy of their claim that execution aims to reduce “violence”.

Our party strongly condemns execution under any pretext or justification. We consider execution and capital punishment as a premeditated crime committed by the state against its citizens; a barbaric inhumane method for punishment that does not contribute, and has nothing to do with, the so-called end of violence, fighting crimes, or establish safety and security. Establishing security in Iraq does not pass through these militias but, to the contrary, only through pushing them aside; a complete ending of US occupation, and disarmament of all Islamic and nationalist groups which will restore normalcy and civility in Iraq. The struggle to establish security can not be separated from the struggle to end all forms of brutality and barbarity in society.

Our party calls for all humanitarian organizations; political parties, workers trade unions, socialist and women organizations, egalitarian, secular, and civil groups and individuals to exert pressure on the Iraqi government to stop the execution of 1000 prisoners. Send protest letters, organize protests, talk to humanitarian international organizations, fight to stop the crimes of execution that the Iraqi government is perpetrating. We draw the attention to 9 women who are awaiting their execution while their “confessions” were taken under torture. Our party will endeavor to expose this government and its practices against the people of Iraq to the whole world. We call upon the people and their civilized forces to join our struggle to completely prohibit capital punishment and execution.

Stop the Execution of 1000 Prisoners in Iraq!
Prohibit Capital Punishment as Premeditated Crime!
The Left Worker-communist Party of Iraq - LWPI
2 September 2009

Stop Ahmadinejad from entering the UN in mid-September

Sign a petition to stop Ahmadinejad from entering the UN in mid-September by clicking here.

Ahmadinejad represents global terror, crime, torture and abuse. He should be arrested and prosecuted!

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is to visit New York and attend a United Nation conference in mid
September 2009. During his stay in New York, a meeting between Ahmadinejad and some "trusted" Iranians residents of the United States will take place.

It is well known that Ahmadinejad and Khamenei are the leaders of Islamic Republic’s crime machine. The whole world has witnessed how civilians have been shot to death by the orders from these two murders. Ahmadinejad and Khamenei are also responsible for the systematic abuse and torture in Kahrizak prison of those female and male who were arrested during the recent protests.

Ahmadinejad and Khamenei are responsible for Nedas Sohrab’s death along with more than a hundred other protestors in the past two months. Furthermore, they are guilty of humiliating the arrested protesters, fabricating confession-sessions under the guise of 'trials', and the broadcasting of the tortured on state television. There are indications that confessions from detainees have been obtained by subjecting them to torture and withholding them without charge or legal representation. The Islamic republic of Iran is a true example of crimes against humanity and they should be arrested and prosecuted.

Ahmadinejad’s crimes have been witnessed by the world, and if they are not more serious than those in the criminal case of Omar Albashir (Sudan's president) for whom the International Court of The Hague issued an arrest warrant, certainly they are not less. Ahamadinajd and his government have committed a broad rang of crimes and they should not be allowed to participate in United Nations General Assembly meeting. If murder, torture and rape are considered crimes, and those who committed it should be punished for their crimes then Ahamadinejad and his government should not be any exceptions.

Worker-Communist Party organizations outside of Iran, in objection to Ahmadinejad’s visit New York announce a global campaign, which is aimed to expand the protests against the Islamic Republic of Iran. In the past two months people, worldwide, have generated a wave of solidarity actions for Iranians. We should not allow the loud voice of Iranian people to be ignored by international authorities, the voice that has been calling to overthrow the criminal regime during the recent protests. We should not allow the grief of family survivors and of those who lost their loved one be dismissed through the presence of Ahmadinejad in New York.

We are calling upon the participation of all human rights activists and all liberal people worldwide to support the Iranian people’s struggles by expressing their strongest objection to the UN for accepting Ahmadinejad's presence.

We would express our protest by holding extensive and widespread demonstrations in front of UN headquarters in New York as well as other parts of world. We would express our protest by holding broad marches and meetings in front of UN offices or Islamic Republic embassies. Our immediate demands are: prosecution of the Islamic Republic authorities and the release of all political prisoners.


Worker-Communist Party organizations outside Iran
23 August 2009

Women's campaign against rape and torture in Islamic Republic of Iran's prisons!

• In Italian
• In French
  
  According to reports published about the Islamic Republic’s prisons, demonstrators arrested in the recent uprisings, particularly those in Kahrizak Prison have been gang-raped and the prison guards have put them under medieval tortures. Many of the detainees, female or male, have died in rape rooms as a result of being repeatedly raped, due to rupture of uterus or rectum and intestinal bleeding. Still others, in or out of prison, are suffering from the resulting physical and psychological traumas of these acts of violence. We know that the torture and raping of prisoners are not confined to Kahrizak and to the recent events. Executions and murder of prisoners, rape and torture in the Islamic regime’s prisons are as old the regime itself.

The Islamic Republic is denying that rape is happening in its prisons because they fear facing the people in Iran and the public opinion in Western countries. The spread of the news of the rape and torture of the recent detainees has led to a wave of disgust and hatred against the Islamic regime in Iran and across the world. Exposure of and the fight against rape and torture in prisons are important tasks for the freedom demanding movement of the people of Iran.

In the prisons of the Islamic Republic many women have been raped and murdered and those who have survived are now suffering from severe physical and psychological injuries. Zahra Bani Yaghoub, Azar Al Cana'an and Roya Toloui are some of these people. But also detained young boys and adolescents have been raped by the Islamic regime of Iran. Students who were arrested for protesting have been raped, or sexually abused with objects such as bottles.

We condemn these crimes. We have to prevent such atrocities by widespread protests. In this revolutionary situation we should make sure that the victims of these medieval tortures are able to expose these crimes through their testimonies and indictments. We will publish the accounts and cases of these terrible crimes and submit them all to relevant international organisations, legal bodies and committees against torture. We will not allow this crime in Iran to be forgotten as it has happened in Yugoslavia, Vietnam, Bangladesh or Japan through the passing of time or for it to become a taboo to speak about.

The immediate demands of our campaign are as follows:

1. We demand that torture and rape by the Islamic Republic be condemned as crimes against humanity;

2. We demand that those responsible for and those carrying out the rape, torture, murder and violence in the prisons of the Islamic Republic in recent times and over the last thirty years be put on trial;

3. We demand that all the torturers, interrogators and rapists in the prisons of the Islamic Republic be publicly identified;

4. We demand the release of all political prisoners and the closing down of all public and secret prisons and detention centres;

5. We demand the medical treatment of all prisoners who have been victims of torture and rape, and the provision of the highest possible medical care and treatment facilities for their physical and psychological rehabilitation;

6. We demand the abolition of the death penalty and stoning and the revoking of the Islamic Republic's penal code and the punishments contained therein;

7. We demand the recognition of the right to life and citizens’ immunity against any physical or psychological abuse;

8. We demand a system of justice in which violation of the human body and mind, child abuse and violence against women is regarded as a more severe crime with more severe penalties than crimes against property and property rights.

Join our campaign! This campaign belongs to all freedom-demanding people regardless of border and gender distinctions. Help us to expose and follow up the recent crimes. We will be informing people in our subsequent announcements about planned demonstrations, meetings and campaign actions.

15 August 2009

Contact number and email:

004917680027094 czanan88@googlemail.com

Mina Ahadi, Mersede Qaedi , Mehrnoush Mousavi, Maryam Namazie, Shahnaz Morattab, Farideh Arman , Mahin Alipour, Afsaneh Vahdat, Nazanin Boroumand, Nina Taban, Mahin Darvish Rohani, Maryam Sadeghi, Pouran Azimi, Roya Bahreini, Azar Mousavi, Fariba Karimi, Farideh Karimi, Khanom Karimzadeh, Shahla Khabbaz Zadeh, Parvin Mo'azi, Fahimeh Ghotbi, Soheila Kiani, Shamsi Zakeri, Kolsoum Khoshbakht, Zari Asli, Parvin Salimi, Farzaneh Derakhshan, Farnaz Qobadi, Fariba Abolhosseini, Hava Bazr Afkan, Golnaz Shahryari, Sima Aram, Nasrin Abdi, Mitra Kamdin, Sima Bahari, Giti Aqajani, Azadeh Aqajani, Parisa Salimi, Marjan Vaez, Azar Pouya, Roxana Bahreini, Farangis Shadravan, Farzaneh Shadravan, Manijeh Etmami, Andishe Alishahi, Soheila Khosravi, Anita Farzaneh, Dariush and Hana Afshar, Mehran Mahboubi, Mohammad Mousavi, Fariba Davoudpour, Najibeh Fatehi, Sattar Mohammadi, Sabri Amir Hosseini, Fatemeh Kalvani.

CYO News #1

Click on the pic for download pdf file

• Anti Government Protest Continues in Tehran

Yesterday on Mordad 21st (August 12th) in response to the internet summons for gathering in streets around the Tehran markets; a large number of people gathered in differnet part of the city. People were chanting against the government, Ahmdinejad and the dictator Islamic regime. They were chanting “down with the dictator”, “this government is not legitimate”, “political prisoners must be free”. Police along with security forces armed with baton and tear gas attacked people. Protestors fought back by yelling and “howing” at them. According to news received from Iran, people with much stronger mentality, are fighting back against the suppressor forces of regime.

• A large group of University Students were Summoned to disciplinary Committee

Last week and while the universities were closed, large number of students of Elm va Sanat and Boo Ali Sina universities were summoned to the disciplinary committee and altogether, students were suspended from education for 20 semesters. More than 100 university students from Semnan, Mash-had, and Tabriz universities, 12 from Babol’s Sanati university, 6 from Azad university of Shahre Ray, and also Tarbiate Moalem and Poli Technique universities of Tehran were summoned to their respective university disciplinary committee and majority were punished by suspending from education from 1 to 3 semesters.

• An Ambiguous Situation of the recent dead Student’s Mother

After 40 days since the death of Pooya Maghsood Baigi during the arrest and tortures in the prison of Kermanshah, his mother begun with a strike in front of the security office of this city. She was taken away from this place and no one has any information of her situation.

Pouya, medical student of Kermanshah University, was arrested by the security forces on Khordad 30th and during the unrest after the presidential election. He was savagely tortured in prison and died soon after he was released.

His mourner mother in “plead for justice” gets her body soaked in mud and alone, begins with a strike in front of the security office, which she gets taken away during the first night at10 pm. There is no news published as for her captivity place.
Mrs. Nowzari had lost her husband when she was young and had raised her kids by working hard and sewing. While she was getting ready for her first child’s graduation (Pooya) she lost him to a disaster. “Her relives and friends are under lots of pressure and have been made silent”.

• The attack of the Militia forces to Burial Ceremony of Killed University Student

Kianoosh Aasa, Mastering in chemical engineering in Elm va Sanat university of Tehran, disappeared during the protest on Monday Khordad 25th at Azadi Sqr. His body was found a week later on Tir 3rd at the morgue and was identified by his family. He was hit with two gun shots and died because of it.

Friends and families of Kianoosh were attacked by the militia forces during his burial ceremony. They event attempt to arrest his brother, who gave a speech at his ceremony; but they were faced with people’s resistance. The regime forces attacked people with baton and tear gas, but people in return chanted against the dictator Islamic regime.

• Self-burn due to Poverty and inhuman behavior of Islamic regime of Iran

Last week on Mordad 19th, in Marivan one of the border cities of Iran; property of one of the citizen of this city whom is a paddler gets confinement by the government officers. This citizen due to poverty is forced to paddler to be able to live life, reports to the municipality and the mayor of Marivan to get his property and his car back. However, he is not able to get anything back. This citizen, threatened the mayor of Marivan that he will burn him self to death if he doesn’t get his properties back, which gets faced by an inhuman behavior by the mayor. He loses hope and then by getting a gallon of gasoline sets himself on fire right in front of the municipality of Marivan. Sadly, he dies due to severe burning. A group of employees of Municipality of Marivan are gone on strike due to this inhuman behavior and have asked for dismissal of Jafar Talan the mayor of Marivan.

• In few cities in Germany, more than 1000 people gathered and protested against the cooperation of Nokia with the Islamic Republic of Iran

While in Iran people are protesting and fighting in the street of different cities; to bring an end to the crimes of the Islamic Republic; few German companies, such as Nokia-Siemens and few other companies are selling spying technology, controlled mobile phones and electric batons to this regime and are participating with them in committing crimes against the people of Iran. Due to these facts, with an invitation by some Iranian/German organizations in different cities of Germany, people gathered and protested against the IRI and the cooperation of these companies with Iran. In Berlin, Berman, Göttingen, Frankford, Homburg and Koln 1000 of people gathered in the streets and chanted against the IRI and the cooperation of different German companies.

• Rape is the Current way to Torture Prisoners in IRI Prisons

During the protest and fights of people against the IRI during the past 2 months, thousands of people have been arrested and hundreds have been killed. While the police of Iran slowly publish the name and the number of killed, there is not an exact number just yet. The killed people are those whom were shot by gun in the street, or under torture in prison, which roughly the number of the second group is a lot more than the first group. Those released from prison are reporting of mid-ages tortures as well as raping the prisoners.

The intensity and extend of torture is so much that has made the authorities to confess. Karrobi, one of the candidates for the presidential election and someone who has been part of the regime since the beginning and has held important responsibilities, in a letter to Rafsanjani who is also part of the authorities, has asked for investigating this problem.

• Wedding Ceremony with Teargas and Baton

At the City of Birjand southeastern Iran, government officers attacked the participants in a wedding and wounded 7 people. The government officers were trying to stop the wedding, but were faced by the participants, which they attacked them with teargas and batons. After the people of this city found out about this incident, went to the place of the wedding and protested while chanting against the dictator regime, they also got attacked by the government officers.

• What’s happening in Iran?

By: Navid Minaee

The people of Iran, after what they call it Islamic election and as an excuse to protest against the obvious fraud in election; gathered in Millions in the streets of Iran. No doubt that people were objecting to the result of the election. People were objecting to a government, which has played with their sense of intelligence to be able to continue with its suppression politics via the Ahamdi Nejad for the next 4 years. Ahmadi Nejad whom has entered the politics stage in Iran with the platform of wide suppression and censorship of any objection; during the first 4 years of his presidency has faced workers strike, women and youth protests against the mid-ages rules of Islam, poverty, miserable situation, inflation and unemployment. Instead, he has large investments in riot police. Police maneuvering in Tehran which is an unlikely politic act of any government to face the protesters is one of the Ahmadi Nejad’s ways to suppress people.

However, the people of Iran have been under the must severe suppression of the Islamic government, 30 years of group execution, mid-ages tortures, rape in prisons, life under the line of poverty, living under the old and retarded Islamic rules. Today they are on the streets in millions and can’t be out there to protest against the result of the election only! You can’t expect people to live in the hell of Islamic government and yet be on the side of one of the parties of the same government and want the Islamic regime to tell them what to wear, eat, who to sleep with and what color cloth to wear.

The main chant of people in the recent protests is “down with the dictator”. People objecting to the dictator regime; a regime which has hold them under the line of poverty and plunders the public property, doesn’t count women as a human, prisons the youths due to happy color of their cloths and their personal relationships, rapes them and secretly kills them in the prisons. The people in Iran are objecting to the dictator regime that doesn’t give the workers their basic rights and causes their families to fall a part, expansion of poverty, obscene and drug addiction, while the authorities are owners of unimaginable wealth. The people of Iran have announced numbers of times “we don’t want an Islamic government” this is the chanting of people in the streets of Iran.

No one can believe that people came to the streets knowingly that there is a danger to their life for the presidency of Moosavi, while thy know Moosavi was the first prime minister of the IRI. Moosavi was the person responsible, during the darkest ages of the regime, while in the 60’s thousands of political prisoners were executed.

By a look to the crimes committed by the Islamic regime during the past 30 years, suppression of objectors, suppression of youth for happiness, forcing poverty upon millions of people while the high authorities and billionaire Aiatolla’s robbing public properties; and on the other side million of people protesting by chanting “down with the dictator” and “we don’t want an Islamic government”, if anyone claims that the people of Iran still wants one of the parties of these inhuman government, while they have been part of if not the high authority; first of all has denied all the crimes committed by the Islamic regime and second of all, has insulted the people of Iran, and more importantly is against the fight of the this people for having a better human like life, free, happy and save and far a way from inhuman laws of Islam.

The people of Iran, from the beginning of this regime have not accepted this government and with any opportunity have attempted to bring down the Islamic regime, which rose from history’s graveyard with inhuman laws. Today is the day to bring down the Islamic regime and a celebration day for the people of Iran. According to news, people have more self confidence. They feel the power and unity and will not stop protesting until the death of the Islamic regime.

Ahmadinejad, diplomacy and supporting freedom in Iran

Watch the latest WPI Press Centre briefing on the swearing-in of Ahmadinejad as president for a second term. Patty Debonitas interviews Hamid Taqvaee. Watch here.

All regime's suppression forces have to be removed from factories

• All regime's suppression forces have to be removed from factories

Current revolution against IR that has brought millions out to the streets has blown the horn on the end of IR's sovereignty. This situation has brought out a good opportunity for workers class to make a broad movement against IR.

Not only Working class like majority of people aren't afraid of IR, but they have not stopped fighting for their right against ingratitude and their indisputable rights. That is during the jurisdiction and to move forward with their targets have exploit their right and taken their power away. Islamic council and basij and others have ben brought to factories and used against workers. All misery, low income and aggression that IR has used against workers in many different forms, would not have been possible without the use of such force.

Suppressing forces and basij's hand has to be cut off from their organizations and all anti-worker organs have to be disbanded. This is an important step towards disturbing the regime and an effective action and interfere in recent political conditions and current revolution.

In current condition the possibility to export the suppressing forces from work environment is more than ever. Worker's movement is a more prominent movement than others, organization from workers and spectral formations have step up to the plate in and the possibility of people support is more than ever.

In this situation can and must make a move to export all suppression forces. Worker communist party is calling out for all workers nationwide to get ready in solidarity to cut these organizations from their work place. Leaders and activists of workers movement play an important role on throwing out the basij and other organizations, and dissolving Islamic council and such from work environments. All this can be done by passing out flyers, regular formation of public gatherings, formation of strikes in different ways and other ways to have the last word in their wishes and to get public and other organization's support in national and international range for this request.

Worker communist party sees a broad movement a necessity to cut these organizations power over working class and in current political situation and to advance worker's movements against destroyed IR and is calling out to all advanced workers to put organizing this important move in their most important to do list.

Worker communist party of Iran
2 August 2009

Protests and severe conflict in different parts of Tehran

1. News coming from Vali-e Asr street and central & north Tehran: despite of large group of militia and semi-militia forces presence in mentioned area which has made kind of "Curfew",there is some clashes between group of protesters and present forces specially conflicts around Vanak Sq reportedly are so severe.
2. According to our journalist's reports from Tehran city,today in dozens points of Tehran including main squares and high traffic intersections specially in the area of Vali-e Asr intersection and Vali-e Asr Sq to Fatemi sq and from the end of Abbas Abad Street to Vanak sq , anti-riot police forces along with Basij and plain-clothes forces can be seen every where that some eye witnesses even reported number of them in some cases are more than 20 June.
3. Also witnesses have informed us of several police and anti-riot automobiles and dozens of plain-clothes forces in front of Ministry of Interior in Fatemi street and in front of IRIB in Vali-e Asr street.Official reports also have reported of Mehdi Karoubi's presence in protesters gathering at the end of Abbas Abad street and intersection of Vali-e Asr.
4. Available reports collection indicates , since 5pm about 2 thousands people have gathered in Vanak sq and in silence .They don't chant any slogans.The large number of militia and semi-militia forces prevented people to do more than walking till 7 pm when the population had reached about 5 thousands.Basij and anti-riot forces attacked people with their batons and pushed people to south of Vali-e Asr street .
5. Based on this reports, at this time over thousands of people while were chanting in Vali-e Ast street moved from Vanak square towards south. and it was while group of people had gathered at Vali-e Asr sq , Fateni Sq and around Sa'iee park.But just minutes later Basij cyclists and anti-riot police attacked protesters and beaten up everyone in pedestrian road.
6. There are some news available that states on clashes between protesters with police and Basij and both groups throwing stones towards each other.Some reports indicate around Haqani highway and Jahan Koudak intersection are some conflicts.Same reports are coming from Vali-e Asr and Hafez street's intersection.
7. There are some more news about firing tear-gas in Vali-e Asr street around Vanak sq and also burning the plastic garbage bins to neutralize the effect of tear-gas.some anti-riot and Basij forced have been seen while they were moving towards Vanak and Vali-e Asr squares.Around Fatemi sq to the beginning of Motahari street also severe conflicts have been reported.
8. News received from Azadi sq : A spontaneous group of people and without any scheduled date have gathered and have moved towards enqelab sq.In some other points from central and south of Tehran including Jomhouri street and Nazi Abad roundabout also has been reported unrest .
9. Meanwhile news reaches that between 7 and 9 pm at lots of highways and main intersections such as Parkway, Vali-e Asr intersection , Azadi and Navab intersection , Keshavarz Blvd, Shahid Beheshti St, Haqani, Molla Sadra , Chamran and etc have been a high traffic jam . In lots of high traffic points of Tehran also car horns can be heard which is a symbol of protest .
10. Reports also show that women and girls like 1.5 months ago were participated in demonstration and protests in large number and were so active and Leading.
    

Some of today's slogans which were chanting by protesters are as follows :

Crime government / shame on you ,shame on you

leave the country Death to dictator Dictatorship leader

We don’t want your crocodile tears; we don’t want the state of Mesbah

30 year of lies, tricks and robbery

Iran Solidarity is calling for volunteers to carry out daily acts of solidarity with the people of Iran every day for the next 365 days

From Iran Solidarity:

Since July 27, we have had one person in Trafalgar Square’s Northern Terrace (London) every day from 1800-1830 to show their solidarity with the people of Iran. This past week, academic Marzieh Asqari, Iranian Secular Society head Fariborz Pooya, human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, Professor Jack Cohen, labour activist Alfonso Cuiffini, ex-political prisoner Mersedeh Ghaedi and political activist Jalil Jalili were there. You can see photos and film footage of their actions in front of the National Gallery on our blog, which is updated daily: http://iransolidarity.blogspot.com.

If you would like to contribute to these daily acts during the next 365 days, contact us. You would need to stand alone, be over 16 years of age, and spend the half hour doing whatever you’d like to show your support and solidarity. You can speak, do something silently, hold something up that you have prepared and brought with you, read a poem, show a painting, sing, wear a Neda mask, do an act... There will always be another volunteer there to provide support, distribute Iran Solidarity leaflets, and photograph and or film your action. To take part in one of the daily actions or volunteer to help us organise them, just call or email us.

If you do not live in London and want to take part or organise acts of solidarity in other cities contact us so we can help you. You can also organise a flash mob that can highlight the situation in Iran, set up information tables or mobilise support for our campaign. You can set up Iran Solidarity groups at your schools and universities, neighbourhoods and workplaces – similar to the anti-apartheid groups that helped get rid of racial apartheid in South Africa. Iran Solidarity Vancouver in Canada has already been launched on July 31 and others have contacted us about setting up branches in their localities.

Moreover, you can sign up to Iran Solidarity if you haven’t already done so and get others to do so, volunteer your time and skills, donate and raise funds or help organise speaking tours and public meetings.

We have a responsibility and duty to unite to support a hugely important movement in Iran that will help the people of Iran and the world in heralding a new dawn.

To donate to our efforts via paypal or cheque, click here: http://www.iransolidarity.org.uk/donate_to_iran_solidarity.html

For more information, visit our website: www.iransolidarity.org.uk or blog: http://iransolidarity.blogspot.com/ or contact:
Maryam Namazie
Campaign Organiser
BM Box 2387
London WC1N 3XX, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 7719166731