Channels

Will protest spread?
Photo: Reuters
Ahmadinejad defends results
Photo: AP

Iran protest: Reformist leaders placed under house arrest

Iranian sources say reformist leaders, including presidential candidates Mousavi and Karoubi, placed under house arrest. Police forces deploy in Tehran University to counter potential protests, dozens of journalists detained

The Iranian authorities have launched a massive wave of arrests of senior activists and supporters of the reformist presidential candidates Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi on Saturday, sources in Iran reported.

 

Meanwhile, the police have boosted their presence in the University of Tehran and prepared to close other universities in the country, fearing students will stage mass demonstrations in protest of President Ahmadinejad's disputed electoral win.

 

Iranian elections – recent updates:

 

Wide-spread clashes erupted in Tehran Saturday between security forces and Ahmadinejad opponents, and the violence that ensued reportedly claimed the lives of at least three people.


Violent clashes in Tehran (Photo: AFP)

 

According to one report, Saturday's clashes have spread from the capital of Tehran to three other cities: Mashhad in the east, Rasht in the east and Shiraz in the south.

  

A number of the reformist movement's leaders, who are considered supporters of Mousavi, have already been arrested on Saturday. A source close to Mousavi told one of Iranian news agency that the movement's leaders - including Mousavi himself, Karoubi and his senior advisor have been placed under house arrest.

 

Other activists were arrested as well.

 

Additionally, between 10 and 30 journalists of the Etemad-e melli newspaper are being held by the security forces.

 

Following the publication of official election results Saturday, Mousavi said in a web message: "People won't respect those who take power through fraud.

 

"I won't surrender to this manipulation. The outcome of what we've seen from the performance of officials ... is nothing but shaking the pillars of the Islamic Republic of Iran's sacred system and governance of lies and dictatorship."

 

There are no independent election monitors in Iran. Mousavi's claims, however, pointed to some noticeable breaks with past election counting.

 


פרסום ראשון: 06.14.09, 09:42
 new comment
Warning:
This will delete your current comment