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2011–2012 Iranian protests

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2011 Iranian protests
DateStarted 14 February 2011
Casualties
Death(s)2[1]
InjuriesDozens hospitalised[2]

The 2011 Iranian protests are a series of demonstrations across Iran which began on 14 February 2011 and are, at least partly, a continuation of the 2009–2010 Iranian election protests.

Background

In December of 2010, less than a year after the 2009–2010 Iranian election protests, the 2010–2011 Arab world protests spread across Western Asia and North Africa. Beginning with the ousting of President Ben Ali in Tunisia on 14 January 2011, millions of people began demonstrating in a broad movement aimed at toppling authoritarian governments or influencing significant reforms, with varying degrees of success. On 27 January, the opposition Green Movement announced a series of protests against the Iranian government scheduled to take place prior to the Revolution-day march on 11 February.[3]

On 8 February 2011, various opposition groups of Iran sent a letter to the Ministry of Interior to request a protest under the control of the police, but the government officials denied it.[4] While specific opposition leaders, such as Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi have called for protests, there are reports of crackdowns on activists and members of opposition parties.[5][6]

Protests

The date of 14 February was chosen for protests to coincide with the 25th day of Bahman [7], the 11th month of the Persian calendar.[8] The day before the protests were due to begin, opposition leaders Mousavi and Karroubi were placed under house arrest, without cell, landline phone, or internet. Their homes were blockaded and they were not allowed visitors.[9][10] On 14 February 2011, thousands of protesters began to gather in a solidarity rally with Egypt and Tunisia. There was a large number of police on the streets to keep an eye on the protesters, but thousands were still able to gather together in Tehran's Azadi Square.[11] The Tehran Bureau and its correspondents put the number of protesters in Tehran at around 350,000.[12][citation needed]

The solidarity protests became an anti-government demonstration during which the police fired tear gas and shot paintballs at protesters.[13][14] Protesters responded by setting fires in garbage bins to protect themselves. [15]

Protests were also reported in the cities of Isfahan and Shiraz, which police forcibly dispersed,[15] as well as in Rasht, Mashhad and Kermanshah.[16]

The protests that occurred on this day marks a setback for the propaganda and influence of the ruling regime of Iran, as the regime have campaigned that Mousavi's Green Movement lost momentum, but the revived uprisings help prove otherwise.[17]

Arrests

Ignacio Perez Cambra, the Consul of Spain in Iran, was arrested for a period of four hours during the early part of the day on 14 February. He was accused by Iranian police of going to one of the demonstrations.[18]

Deaths

The human rights organization HRANA's website reported one person had died after riot police opened fire at protesters near Tohid Square in Tehran.[19]

Response

Domestic

All forms of Iranian media were banned from covering the protests, though the demonstrators were still able to release information by utilizing social media like Facebook and Twitter.[13] In addition, foreign media was banned from covering the events.[15]

The Mourning Mothers gave their support to the protests and stated that they would be joining the protesters in their marches. They called for the unconditional release of all political prisoners, abolition of the death penalty, and a public trial for all those who had permitted massacres of citizens in the past 35 years.[20]

Commander of the Basij, Mohammad Reza Naghdi, stated to an Iranian news agency that he believed the protests had been started by "western spies" and that "Western intelligence agencies are searching for a mentally challenged person who can set himself on fire in Tehran to trigger developments like those in Egypt and Tunisia."[19]

On 15 February Iran's state-run Press TV reported that members of the Iranian parliament had called for the execution of two opposition leaders for inciting demonstrations on the previous day.[21][22]

International

The police crackdown on protesters led Amnesty International to denounce Iranian authorities. They released a statement saying, "Iranians have a right to gather to peacefully express their support for the people of Egypt and Tunisia."[23]

In an advance response, the US State Department set up a Persian language Twitter feed the day before, in order to allow easier communication by Iran's internet users with the outside world.[9] The Department's first tweet on the feed announced, "US State Dept recognizes historic role of social media among Iranians. We want to join in your conversations".[8]

William Hague, the Foreign Secretary for Britain, commented, "I have seen reports today of peaceful demonstrators being assaulted by Iranian security forces. President Ahmadinejad last Friday told the Egyptian people that they had the right to express their own views about their country. I call on the Iranian authorities to allow their own people the same right and to ensure that the security authorities exercise restraint."[24]

Tony Blair, former British Prime Minister, stated "I think it's very important that we stand up now for those people who want to protest for freedom and proper democratic elections in Iran." He added, "I think [a change in Iran's government] would be possibly the single most dramatic change in the whole of the region because you would then have Iran playing a constructive part. You would have Iran not trying to destabilize other countries in the region, and arming militia-type groups."[24]

Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State for the United States, said that the White House "very clearly and directly support[s] the aspirations [of the protesters]". She also noted the hypocrisy of the Iranian government for supporting the protests and revolution in Egypt but not allowing peaceful protests within Iran. She added, "We think that there needs to be a commitment to open up the political system in Iran to hear the voices of the opposition and civil society."[25]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Iran protests see reinvigorated activists take to the streets in thousands". The Guardian. 14 February 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  2. ^ "Clashes reported in Iran protests". Al Jazeera. 14 February 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  3. ^ Athanasiadis, Iason (27 January 2011). "Iran Green Movement promising big February protests". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  4. ^ "Protests wash over Iran, Bahrain and Yemen, inspired by Arab world unrest". Haaretz. 14 February 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  5. ^ english.aljazeera.net. "Iran opposition planning protests". aljazeera. Retrieved 14 February 2011. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  6. ^ "Iran's 'Day of Rage'". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 7 February 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  7. ^ Cyrus Parsa (12 February 2011). "ما با همه توان خود از جنبش سبز، جنبش دموکراسی و مردمی ایران، پشتیبانی می کنیم". Retrieved 15 February 2011.
  8. ^ a b "U.S. State Department starts Farsi Twitter feed". CNN. 14 February 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  9. ^ a b "Report: Thousands protest in Iran". United Press International. 14 February 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  10. ^ BBC News. "Iran police fire tear gas at opposition rally in Tehran". BBC News. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  11. ^ Ali Akbar Dareini (14 February 2011). "Iran Protests: Tens Of Thousands March, Security Fires Tear Gas". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  12. ^ Sahimi, Muhammad (14 February 2011). "Iran Live Blog: 25 Bahman / 14 February". PBS. Retrieved 14 February 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ a b "US sends Twitter messages to Iranians". AFP. 14 February 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  14. ^ Ladane Nasseri (14 February 2011). "Iran Cheers Revolts as Ahmadinejad Foes See Parallel". Bloomberg. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  15. ^ a b c Ali Akbar Dareini (14 February 2011). "Police disperse Iranian protesters with tear gas". Forbes. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  16. ^ Angeles Espinosa (14 February 2011). "Enfrentamientos entre la oposición y la policía en una manifestación en Teherán". El Pais. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  17. ^ http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2011/02/25-bahman-and-the-green-revival.html
  18. ^ Angeles Espinosa (14 February 2011). "Detenido durante cuatro horas el cónsul de España en Irán". El Pais. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  19. ^ a b Saeed Kamali Dehghan. "Iran protests see reinvigorated activists take to the streets in thousands". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 February 2011. {{cite news}}: Text "date14 February 2011" ignored (help)
  20. ^ "اعلام حمایت و شرکت مادران عزادار در تظاهرات ٢۵ بهمن". Rahesabz. 14 February 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  21. ^ "Iranian lawmakers condemn protests; call for execution of leaders". CNN. 15 February 2011. Retrieved 15 February 2011.
  22. ^ "Iranian Lawmakers Call for Death of Opposition Leaders". New York Times. 15 February 2011. Retrieved 15 February 2011.
  23. ^ "Iran Protest Crackdown Condemned". Amnesty International. 14 February 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  24. ^ a b Amy Kellogg (14 February 2011). "Mideast Revolution Sparks Pro-Democracy Protest in Iran". Fox News. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  25. ^ Thomas Erdbrink and Liz Sly (14 February 2011). "As Egypt uprising inspires Middle East, Iran sees biggest protests in a year". The Washington Post. Retrieved 14 February 2011.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2010–2011 Arab world protests.
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