21 Dec 09 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost, News and features
Iranian authorities have acknowledged that at least three protesters who were jailed after the countries disputed presidential elections in June, were beaten to death in prison. A military court announced that 12 prison officials had been charged with murder and other crimes. Opposition leaders say at least 73 people are known to have been killed in the unrest. The government has given varying totals, from 17 to 30. More protests are taking place as tens of thousands of mourners arrived in Iran’s holy city of Qom for the funeral of the most senior dissident cleric. Iranian authorities have barred foreign media from covering the processions for Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri. Reports are emerging that police have clashed with reformist protesters. Read more here
18 Dec 09 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost, News and features
Social networking website Twitter, along with the pro-opposition website mowjcamp.org, has been targeted by a group of pro-government hackers calling themselves the Iranian Cyber Army accordning. Both websites, which became focal points for the mobilisation of anti-government protests, were reportedly replaced with a message stating that “this site has been hacked by the Iranian Cyber Army”, followed by an anti-American statement mocking perceived attempts by the US to “control” Iran’s internet. Read more here
15 Dec 09 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost, News and features
Several people have been arrested in Tehran over the tearing up of a picture of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, during anti-government demonstrations last week. State television broadcast footage of what it claimed were opposition supporters tearing up and trampling on a picture of Khomeini during an anti-government student-led demonstration. All of those arrested are currently being held in detention although Iranian authorities have refused to give names or numbers. Read more here
08 Dec 09 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
Iranian authorities have threatened tougher action on protesters after tens of thousands marched at universities across the country in the biggest anti-government rallies since the disputed June elections. Dozens of people are reported to have been arrested after violent confrontations. Foreign journalists were banned from reporting on the rallies, and the Iranian authorities closed down mobile phone networks and severely restricted internet access. According to The Times dozens of government agents on motorbikes have surrounded the Tehran office of Mir Hossein Mousavi, the opposition leader, to prevent him attending rallies and the country’s chief prosecutor is threatening to arrest him. Read more here
