TEHRAN – A day after deadly anti-government protests, Iranian security forces arrested scores of opposition figures, Monday, December 28, sparking international outcry.
“(Ebrahim Yazdi) was arrested at home and taken to an unknown place early Monday morning by security agents," opposition Rahesabz website said, referring to an opposition politician.
Several aides to former president Mohamed Khatami and opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi were also reportedly arrested.
"Mousavi advisors Alireza Beheshti, (Ghorban) Behzadian-Nejad and (Mohammad) Bagherian were also arrested in the morning," Parlemannews website said.
Security agents also raided the office of a women's magazine, Irandokht, run by opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi's wife, and confiscated computers, according to Advarnews website.
Award-winning rights campaigner and journalist Emadeddin Baghi was also arrested.
"Security agents treated Baghi's family and daughters very offensively as they arrested him."
The crackdown came a day after deadly clashes between opposition supporters and security forces left eight people dead.
More than 60 people had also been injured in Tehran.
The deadly clashes erupted when police tried to disperse tens of thousands of opposition supporters trying to make use of the Shiite `Ashura ritual to stage anti-government rallies.
The Revolutionary Guards and the Islamic Basij militia also issued a stern warning to the opposition on Monday.
"The Revolutionary Guards Corps and Basij are fully prepared, if necessary, to eradicate the plot and urge the judiciary to react firmly, without any restriction against the plotters," they said, referring to the opposition.
The response to the opposition was "a national duty," they said in a statement posted on the website of state television.
Iran sank into political turmoil since the disputed June presidential elections, which the opposition says were massively rigged in incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s favour.
West Condemns
The security crackdown on the Iranian opposition have stirred outcry at home and abroad.
"What has happened to this religious system that it orders the killing of innocent people during the holy day of Ashura?" asked opposition leader Karoubi.
"Defiance and disrespecting the law and people's rights have inflicted irreversible costs for seven months on the country and people."
Western countries also denounced the deadly Iranian crackdown.
"Freedom of expression and right to peaceful assembly are universal human rights that must be respected," the European Union said in a statement.
"Brutal force against, and the arbitrary detentions of, demonstrators constitute gross violations of these basic human rights."
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the death of opposition supporters were "yet another reminder of how the Iranian regime deals with protest”.
"It is therefore particularly disturbing to hear accounts of the lack of restraint by the security forces."
Washington also joined the chorus of international criticism of the Iranian crackdown.
"Hope and history are on the side of those who peacefully seek their universal rights, and so is the United States," National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer said.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel added her criticism, saying the right to free expression "must not be restricted or suppressed by violence”.
"I condemn the recent violent clashes in Iran in which people died due to the unacceptable actions of the security forces."
France warned Tehran its actions would "lead nowhere" and urged a negotiated political settlement.
"At a time when the death toll is rising, France again expresses its deep concern and condemns the arbitrary arrests and violence carried out against ordinary protesters," foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said.
French relations with Iran have been hit by the trial of 24-year-old teacher Clotilde Reiss, who is accused of having supported the June opposition protests.
Italy appealed to the Iranian authorities to end "the spiral of violence" and seek a political solution though democratic dialogue.
Russia, which has the strongest ties with Iran of any major power, raised its concerns in a more mildly worded statement, calling for restraint.
"We are worried about the events that have taken place in Iran in recent days," the foreign ministry said.
"In our opinion, the main thing in this situation is to show restraint, look for and find compromises on the basis of law, undertake political efforts to prevent further escalation of the internal confrontation."
IslamOnline
“(Ebrahim Yazdi) was arrested at home and taken to an unknown place early Monday morning by security agents," opposition Rahesabz website said, referring to an opposition politician.
Several aides to former president Mohamed Khatami and opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi were also reportedly arrested.
"Mousavi advisors Alireza Beheshti, (Ghorban) Behzadian-Nejad and (Mohammad) Bagherian were also arrested in the morning," Parlemannews website said.
Security agents also raided the office of a women's magazine, Irandokht, run by opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi's wife, and confiscated computers, according to Advarnews website.
Award-winning rights campaigner and journalist Emadeddin Baghi was also arrested.
"Security agents treated Baghi's family and daughters very offensively as they arrested him."
The crackdown came a day after deadly clashes between opposition supporters and security forces left eight people dead.
More than 60 people had also been injured in Tehran.
The deadly clashes erupted when police tried to disperse tens of thousands of opposition supporters trying to make use of the Shiite `Ashura ritual to stage anti-government rallies.
The Revolutionary Guards and the Islamic Basij militia also issued a stern warning to the opposition on Monday.
"The Revolutionary Guards Corps and Basij are fully prepared, if necessary, to eradicate the plot and urge the judiciary to react firmly, without any restriction against the plotters," they said, referring to the opposition.
The response to the opposition was "a national duty," they said in a statement posted on the website of state television.
Iran sank into political turmoil since the disputed June presidential elections, which the opposition says were massively rigged in incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s favour.
West Condemns
The security crackdown on the Iranian opposition have stirred outcry at home and abroad.
"What has happened to this religious system that it orders the killing of innocent people during the holy day of Ashura?" asked opposition leader Karoubi.
"Defiance and disrespecting the law and people's rights have inflicted irreversible costs for seven months on the country and people."
Western countries also denounced the deadly Iranian crackdown.
"Freedom of expression and right to peaceful assembly are universal human rights that must be respected," the European Union said in a statement.
"Brutal force against, and the arbitrary detentions of, demonstrators constitute gross violations of these basic human rights."
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the death of opposition supporters were "yet another reminder of how the Iranian regime deals with protest”.
"It is therefore particularly disturbing to hear accounts of the lack of restraint by the security forces."
Washington also joined the chorus of international criticism of the Iranian crackdown.
"Hope and history are on the side of those who peacefully seek their universal rights, and so is the United States," National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer said.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel added her criticism, saying the right to free expression "must not be restricted or suppressed by violence”.
"I condemn the recent violent clashes in Iran in which people died due to the unacceptable actions of the security forces."
France warned Tehran its actions would "lead nowhere" and urged a negotiated political settlement.
"At a time when the death toll is rising, France again expresses its deep concern and condemns the arbitrary arrests and violence carried out against ordinary protesters," foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said.
French relations with Iran have been hit by the trial of 24-year-old teacher Clotilde Reiss, who is accused of having supported the June opposition protests.
Italy appealed to the Iranian authorities to end "the spiral of violence" and seek a political solution though democratic dialogue.
Russia, which has the strongest ties with Iran of any major power, raised its concerns in a more mildly worded statement, calling for restraint.
"We are worried about the events that have taken place in Iran in recent days," the foreign ministry said.
"In our opinion, the main thing in this situation is to show restraint, look for and find compromises on the basis of law, undertake political efforts to prevent further escalation of the internal confrontation."
IslamOnline
