Iran Feature: "One Voice" Campaign for 12 Political Prisoners on Hunger Strike

Last Saturday, 12 political detainees in Evin Prison began a hunger strike, protesting the recent deaths of activists Haleh Sahabi and Hoda Saber and the general conditions for prisoners.

A campaign of support has arisen inside and outside Iran, featuring video messages to the hunger striker and to the general public.

Journalist Masih Alinejad, now living in exile in Britain:

Journalist Maziar Bahari, who was detained for four months after the 2009 Presidential election:

Other videos, including messages from cartoonist Nikahang Kowsar, lawyer and activist Mehranghiz Kar, and academic Hamid Dabashi, have been posted at Iranian.com.

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The Latest from Iran (3 May): Helping Syria Handle Protests

Ahmed Reza Radan1820 GMT: Ahmadinejad Watch. The President was back in public action today, opening the Tehran Book Fair with the declaration that "Iran is the guiding thought in the world today".

But the President's recent political troubles are not entirely behind him. The Supreme Leader's representative to the Revolutionary Guards, has made a speech saying that Ahmadinejad moved far in the last few days to meet the wishes of the Supreme Leader. However, Zolnour continued, there should be no doubt that Ahmadinejad's right-hand man, Esfandiar Rahim-Mashai, had "extreme" and "deviant" views.

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The Latest from Iran (7 March): Avoiding Elephants in the Room

2115 GMT: The Assembly of Experts Meeting. The gathering of the 84 members of the Assembly of Experts begins tomorrow, but already there is a ripple: the office of Ayatollah Dastgheib, whos is the member for Shiraz, says the cleric has not received his invitation to attend and has demanded the release of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi.

2110 GMT: An Unscripted Moment for the Speech. Footage from Voice of America of a member of the audience interrupting today's speech in Shiraz by President Ahmadinejad:

1935 GMT: Economy Watch. An official at the Central Bank has said that Iran's annual rate of inflation, in the second month after subsidy cuts, has risen from 10.8% to 11.6%.

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Iran Video: Lawyer Mehrangiz Kar "Why I Became An Activist"

Tavaana interviews lawyer and author Mehrangiz Kar in a three-part video about her activism, the issue of "leadership" in civic action, and the political environment in Iran:

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