Iran Document: Mousavi-Karroubi Declaration on Rights and 22 Bahman (30 January)

From the Facebook site supporting Mir Hossein Mousavi, via The Flying Carpet Institute:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wjxY2Ws9bs[/youtube]

Mehdi Karroubi and Mir Hossein Mousavi, in a meeting that was held in Mehdi Karoubi’s home on Saturday morning, expressed sorrow over the execution of some of the citizens and demanded legal investigations about the situations of the political prisoners. Mousavi and Karoubi, pointing out the cases of the two political prisoners who were executed recently [Mohammad Reza Ali Zamani and Arash Rahmanipour] stated:

It seems like the prisoners who were executed were arrested months before the election and their cases had nothing to do with the post-election events. According to their lawyers they could only have a short meeting with their clients and the legal procedures were not completed for them. It seems like such actions is only to scare people and discourage them from participating in the 11 February [22 Bahman, anniversary of the 1979 Revolution] rally.

The widespread arrests of the political figures, journalists and academia, charged with protesting to defend their rights, are illegal. The process of obtaining confessions from these prisoners is also in contradiction to Islamic principles and the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Karroubi and Mousavi pointed out the sermons delivered by Ahmad Janati, Secretary General of the Guardian Council and the Imam of Tehran, in this week’s Friday Prayers. They expressed regret for the comments made by an Imam in a Friday Prayer:

Unfortunately, instead of using the Friday Prayer’s podium to invite people to good, the Friday Prayer Imam suggested to the head of the Judiciary [Sadegh Larijani] that if they had not shown weakness on the events of 9 July (18 Tir) and if the judiciary would have had executed some [protesters] then, the events of Ashura [27 December] would have not happened. This encourages the authorities to repress and kill people and also justifies the actions of the authorities in executing some citizens with vague and fabricated charges. This is a very sad situation that the platform of Friday Prayer has become a podium for encouraging violence and inviting authorities to execute the citizens.

Mousavi and Karroubi announced that the only way to resolve the current crisis and returning peace to the country is by releasing all political prisoners, opening up free media, letting parties become active again, and holding free elections. They stressed:

Now the majority of the people are present in the scene [streets?] without any fear to regain their rights. Their demand is to hold free elections but it seems like unfortunately the voice of the majority of the people is not being heard [by authorities].

Karroubi and Mousavi announced that the continuation of the current situation will result in harm to the foundations of the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic, which have been the outcome of the efforts and sacrifices of many brave Iranians. They added:

It seems like there is an illusion of conspiracy to overthrow the system among some authorities, and this trend of thoughts will make the country fall and will endanger the foundations of the system.

Mousavi and Karroubi emphasised:

The majority of the people only want to regain their rights and are not seeking to overthrow the system, but it seems like the rulers are even feeling danger by this voice of the people seeking justice. The only way to end the crisis is to listen to the voice of the majority and respond to it [appropriately].

It is also important to note that Mousavi and Karoubi invited all the people to participate in the 11 February rally.

Comments

[danial]

"The majority of the people only want to regain their rights and are not seeking to overthrow the system"

I hope theses statements of Mousavi & Karroubi are strategic and not what they actually believe. Because in fact the majority of Iranians do want an end for this for of government.

[Cecil]

22 Bahman (Feb.11) is the right time for all Iranians who wants to regain their rights and freedom to come out in full force on the street. It is the right time to show the regime that all Iranians are united against illegal arrests, suppression, killings, rape, torture and intimidation. It is the right time to confront those imams / ayatollahs who are supposed to be a spiritual guidance and messenger of love and forgiveness but instead spreads hatred and violence. It's time to end all of this violence, corruption and lies. It's time for the Iranian people to be free. Enough is enough!!!

[Heidar]

Marandi defends executions: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8Kt94eesHw

[Arshama]

Thank you, Heidar, for this video.
Let the wolves creep out of their dens, we will keep their records!

ma bishomarim...

[Arshama]

Wonderful satirical comment on Moussavi-Karroubi meeting and forthcoming events from Khodnevis (FA): http://tinyurl.com/y88hof8

[reza Zahedi]

@danial

contrary to what you believe, iranians don't want to overthrow their government, they want change in leadership
they know that change in government will cause chaos and fights among current government (islamists) and exiles who come back to iran after it's overthrown (i.e. communists, mojahedin, monarchists).
it will cause foreign america and west to support exiles against islamists and it will be afghanistan all over again
iranian people don't want that because they know foreigners will take advantage of it and it will repeat 1979
they want change in leadership, which they wanted through the vote,
they want end to torture, killings, hangings, suppression, violence by government
i know this because i am one of the iranian people who was there,
my family members are sitting near evin awaiting the release of my cousin
i don't want revolution and overthrowing of government which would cause anarchy and violence, i want peaceful change by people forcing government to change
i want this to happen, so does my family, and so do most of the iranian peoples, contrary to what most iranian exiles claim

dorood bar moussavi
marg bar khamenei
javid khomeini

[danial]

@reza zahedi

do still want an autocrat cleric running the country based on the valeyateh faqih?
or do you want someone who represents the people to administer.

Even if that were the case, do you actually believe this government will come to a compromise with the reformist movement without this country becoming extremely unstable as in a revolution.

Believe me I too am very worried about political tension and instability in Iran. But reform must start at the very top. No one would want to go through the Khatami era again.

I am sure you know that during Khatami's presidency, every foreign and internal reform was met with opposition and today probably nothing of it has been left.

by the way Iranian exiles and immigrants are Iranian and their opinions count.
I wish you and your family and friends the best of luck.

[Cassius]

Reza: who could possibly replace the SL in the current system and still have the confidence of the people AND the current power brokers? Even if the majority of the people do not want revolution but a change in leadership - the only way they are going to get that is by revolution. I dont see the SL stepping down and I don't see the guards dismantling their empire without force.

[Anders ljungberg luleå sweden]

History has shown that it often can not negotiate with a government or a person who is willing to walk over corpses to his power. no people usually have to drive them out. when it plays no role whether it was Romania or the Soviet Union or Georgia and I am sure that any ruling in Iran who have seen their relatives being killed in Iran calls for justice. namely, that the guilty be punished. not just those killed but also those who gave orders that they would be killed. which is blah justified with lies as enemies of the state. but it's the people who are country

[mike]

It is important to know whether the iranian people still would like to continue having Islamic Republic or not. I beleive that a lot of non Iranian people have more information about cleric welaiate faghih than Iranian people special Shieh. Complete welaiate faghih means having autority in everything even in the people private life. This is the reason that Iranian people struggle today because 30 years ago when people voted about Islamic Republic they were unaware of having difficulties like todays' problems. I wish Iranian people get rid of any kind of miseries that nowaday have and they will decide about they destiny like any other free people in the world.

[Arshama]

Reza Zahedi,

It's a pity that you still believe in a peaceful change of leadership, even after nearly 8 months of killing and arresting protesters and Islamic dissidents. It's also a pity that you seem to ignore that anarchy is already reigning in Iran and violence is executed day by day. And it's a shame that you repeat the IRI propaganda, defaming all expatriates as belonging to hostile movements. There is really no need for so-called "hostile groups", they are already present in Iran, ruling the country.

I suggest you to think by your own before writing down such prefabricated rubbish. Obviously you still need a vali faghih to tell you what is right and what is wrong.
Fortunately large parts of the Green movement have decided to think, decide and handle their future by their own.

I hope your cousin will be freed soon. He is an Iranian like millions of other Iranians inside the country and abroad, who want progress and prosperity for their homeland.

[Anders ljungberg luleå sweden]

now vil I clarify one thing. I'm not the enemy of Iranian people. but I'm probably an enemy of those who murder people and torturing people, raping people. for me it is quite natural to want to help people who are not free and which sustains for tyrani or power mad and I want the Iranian people to be free. to be able to speak freely and say what they think and write whatever and think that there should be freedom of broadcasting. so that power can be examined. and on aliens so are those who are kind and those who are not nice
if Iran were a democracy, Iran had probably had a lot of tourists as Spain. in this cold winter. but who dare to visit Iran. and the risk of being murdered. nor women can swim in bathing beach in spain. it loses money iran at. so there are many reasons why Iran should become a democracy. the most important thing is of course to the evil policy ceases to people