Electronic Solidarity Action
In Support of Iranian Political Prisoners and Their Families

SATURDAY, 25 JULY 2009
7 - 8 PM TEHRAN TIME = 2:30 - 3:30 PM UTC/GMT
Find the equivalent in your time zone.

We end this action at 4:30 PM UTC/GMT. Over 150 distinct ips participated. We thank you for visiting and participating on short notice and helping us send the message to the Iranian government. Please visit again for future actions.
How does it works?

This electronic solidarity action requires simultaneous participation of many people pointing their internet browsers to the action's web page and keeping the window open for the duration of the action.

The action targets the official websites of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Guardian Council, the Interior Ministry, the Disciplinary Forces, the Revolutionary Guards, the Presidency of Iran, Ali Khamenei, Ahmadinejad and the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting. Not Found and Error messages are built-in and expected. They show the action is reaching their servers.

This action is coordinated to coincide with the silent vigils held in many cities across Iran by the Iranian Committee of Grieving Mothers every Saturday from 7 to 8 PM Iran time. Sites in Farsi and English.

This action is in response to Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi's open letter and call for international solidarity with the Iranian Committee of Grieving Mothers. Letter in Farsi and English.

Our Demands

• Immediate and unconditional release of all Iranian political prisoners including those who have been detained since the start of protests

• Immediate and unconditional cessation of harassment of families of detainees

• Immediate and unconditional cessation of violence against peaceful protest

• Independent investigation into the violent attacks against protesters in order to reveal and hold accountable the organizers and perpetrators of violence

• Annulment of the June 12th election

• Independently monitored elections with open candidacy free of interference by the Guardian Council

Background

Since 13 June 2009, many peaceful mass demonstrations have been held in cities across Iran in protest against the results of the 10th presidential election. Although the non-democratic character of the election was admitted to even by the Guardian Council, the highest governing body of the Islamic Republic, the government has responded to people's peaceful protests with blatant violence leading to many deaths and injuries as well as hundreds of arrests. The government forces have attacked university campuses and injured and arrested large numbers of students. The numbers of people killed, arrested, imprisoned or disappeared have been rising every day. As bodies are turning up, families of the dead are being forced to commit to keeping silent about the date and manner of death of their loved ones in order to receive their bodies for private burials.

In addition to those who have been in prisons since before the elections, hundreds of labour activists, students, women's rights activists, ethnic rights and political activists, journalists, academics and artists have been systematically arrested by the government forces since 13 June, and their present whereabouts, conditions and charges are unknown. Many have 'disappeared' as their names are not showing on government or even the NGO lists yet. Many families are frantically trying to get news of their loved ones from the authorities to no avail. The state radio and television regularly broadcasts "confessions" that are obtained through force. The situation is particularly grave and reminiscent of the massive crackdowns during the 1980s and in 1999. International solidarity action is urgent.

More

This action is also in endorsement of the Global Week of Solidarity with Iranian Political Prisoners - July 22 - 28 - which includes rotating hunger strikes around the world. Please find the specific information about participating cities, and locations, dates and times of hunger strikes on this Facebook page.

This action also coincides with the Global Day of Action on July 25 called for by Nobel Women's Initiative, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Reporters without Borders, Physicians for Human Rights and others. Please find more information at http://united4iran.org/

This action is NOT in support of Mir Hossein Mousavi or other presidential candidates in the 12 June 2009 election. The race for presidential candidacy was itself fundamentally flawed. The Guardian Council, a clerical body overseeing the governance of Iran, rejected 90% of eligible candidates the right to run in the election, leaving only 4 candidates on the list, all of whom are connected to one or other of the factions of the ruling theocracy and should equally be held accountable for the atrocities committed against Iranians over the past 30 years and for the countless social and economic ills that are inflicting the country.

Action organized by Sirens of Solidarity in collaboration with Opinionware and Creative Response. Code courtesy of Electronic Disturbance Theatre.