Tens of thousands demonstrators took to the streets of Tehran and the main Iranian cities on Sunday to express their opposition to the regime. The protests were severely repressed by police and plainclothes Bassijis who beat and opened fire on demonstrators. Additional arrests took place the day after the protests, notably the arrest of Emad Baghi, founder of the Society for the Defense of Prisoners’ Rights and winner of the 2009 Martin Ennals Award -, and further clashes between the security forces and the members of the opposition occurred.
« It is the bloodiest repression since the protests that followed the presidential election in June », said Karim Lahidji, LDDHI president and FIDH Vice-president. « it appears that the movement against the regime has reached a turning point and, as a result, increased repression by the authorities can be expected, a bloodbath is to be feared », he added.
FIDH and LDDHI urge the Iranian authorities to immediately release all those who have been arbitrarily detained and to guarantee their physical and psychological integrity. The two organisations highlight the Iranian authorities’ accountability in this respect.
FIDH and LDDHI call upon the Iranian authorities to respect freedoms of expression and assembly, and call upon the International Community – and in particular Government in a position to influence the Iranian regime, to bring their concerns to the attention of the Iranian government.
Finally, FIDH and LDDHI reiterate their appeal to the UN Secretary General to appoint a Special Envoy on Iran, with the mandate to investigate the post-election violence in Iran.