My very personal chronic of incidents in pictures and words

Amir Javadi Langeroodi's funeral (posted Oct.4 2009)


September 3, 2009
I lost track regarding fresh news of the day, since I am absorbed in translating whatever I find, which naturally is at least one day behind. This photo is remarkable (I don't know when it was taken). Allegedly, they kiss the ground where Khamenei had walked by.




September 2, 2009
Iftar at Evin. Ahmadinejad, Khamenei and all their followers - may they look into those faces and be haunted by the look in their eyes.









August 31, 2009
Apparently, the Human Rights Tribunal in Den Haag has been provided with audio-, video- and text material documenting torture and human rights violation in Iranian prisons. Thanks to all who contributed to this.
http://www.londonfreelance.org/Iran/videos.html#video

August 30, 2009 (Ramadan)
It has become slightly more difficult for me to follow up on developments in Iran, mainly because I am very busy in my life while trying to do as many translations as possible. This explains the break in my chronic. Many interesting fragments of news arrive every day, but I am simply not able to read them all. The main point, for me, seems to be a noticeable growing confusion in the government and its authorities. Statements of Khamenei that a western involvement into the unrests could not be proven, while Ahmadinejad keeps on singing the same song about "the enemy" is just one example for this impression.
We will see. It is a very strange phase, I just cling to translating everything I manage and that makes sense to me to German without really knowing if anyone needs to have it. There is a new group on facebook translating stuff from Farsi to English, I think that's just great. We depend on them.
If you want to organize a revolution - ask Iranians. They are so professional about it!

August 22, 2009
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iran-graves23-2009aug23,0,3229813.story?track=rss

August 22, 2009, in front of Evin prison


August 22, 2009
Narges Bajoghli "Devouring their own - the basij in the Islamic Republic"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/narges-bajoghli/devouring-their-own-the-b_b_264939.html

August 21 2009
France24 writes about "watchmeconfess":
http://observers.france24.com/en/content/20090820-make-confession-iranian-regime-mohammed-ali-abtahi-farce

August 21 2009
Yummy. Ahmadinejad and the peach issue (copied/pasted from EnduringAmerica http://enduringamerica.com/2009/08/21/the-latest-from-iran-21-august-political-battles/):

"We’ll take advantage of the pause to feature the “hot” story on the Internet about the broadcast, noting the President’s remarks about his outgoing Minister of Health, Kamran Lankarani: “In his TV appearance last night, Ahmadinejad praised him as one of the most able administrators of his previous cabinet and said: ‘I have a special personal interest in him, a pious and faithful young man. Once I said he is like a peach, one wants to eat him!”



I leave further interpretation and analysis up to EA readers."

August 21 2009
a forced confession (in Farsi)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71qBFlztuFE

August 21 2009
for reading and maybe translating later: A rift in Mousavi's new Green Path of Hope organization http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/KH22Ak01.html

August 20 2009
I found a great article explaining the motivations, goals, and backgrounds of a part of the protest movement that has not really been covered by the news yet. Must read. It is essential to understand the direction this movement might take, and, more important, it might NOT take.
http://iranquest.com/?p=10047
My translation to German: http://seaofgreen-germany.blogspot.com/2009/08/teheran-depesche-basijis-fur-mousavi.html

August 19 2009
Another day of translating from morning to night, interrupted by my job and my kid. I want to post this article on Mousavi's past, since I posted the Khatami-press-conference-video earlier wondering what kind of people the reformists are when I stop looking at them through the prism of my projections from my western democracy background.
http://iranquest.com/?p=10029

August 19, 2009
on rape in prisons http://www.madyariran.net/?p=1437

August 18, 2009
Apart from Ayatollah Sanei's speech at Gorgan, where he at the end of his very sophisticated speech implied that Ahmadinejad was a bastard
(http://iran.whyweprotest.net/green-brief/33324-green-brief-56-august-16-mordad-25-a.html)
... besides I think it is time to finally mention Mousavi's new social organization (NOT political party) "Green Path of Hope" http://iranquest.com/?p=9911
I am just so busy translating Briefs, Newsletters, and Articles besides my work and my family that ironically I don't find time to actually read the news.

August 17, 2009
I heard today there were quite big protests in Tehran, and some clashes, maybe even shooting. I admit I was so busy translating texts on Iran's prisons that I simply didn't have time to pay attention to the news. For today I am posting an article (in German) providing interesting analysis of the structures of the political establishment in Iran (with special thanks to Sona, who usually searches - and finds - the German press for really valuable analysis)
http://www.taz.de/1/politik/nahost/artikel/1/der-durchmarsch-der-gardisten/

August 15, 2009
Babak Daad's piece on rape and sexual abuse in Iran's prisons
http://seaofgreen-germany.blogspot.com/2009/08/brief-von-babak-daad-15-august-2009.html
Deutsch: http://seaofgreen-germany.blogspot.com/2009/08/brief-von-babak-daad-15-august-2009.html

August 14, 2009
Hardliners used the Friday Prayer as an opportunity to spread flyers calling for a gathering at the office of Karroubi's Etemade Melli newspaper on Saturday.

Karroubi welcomed them to discuss issues in a calm atmosphere, whereupon they did not show up.

I must say that I like Karroubi more and more.



United Nations start expressing concern about human rights situation in Iran
http://iranquest.com/?p=9514

August 13, 2009
Very strange, there seems to be no confirmed news from yesterday's bazaar protest, no video, just quite contradictive reports. Apparently it was neither big nor spectacular, maybe it didnt happen at all.
I spent the day translating, first the SIC newsletter, then Green Brief (which has started coming out again yesterday). My favourite quote from the GB of today:
"20. Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi today said that obeying Ahmadinejad was obeying God. Speaking to a group of Basiji artists in Qom, he also praised Khamenei and said the Supreme Leader was a light of the last Imam and that the unrest had been targeted at him."

Interesting background analysis on Amerika-Iran
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052970204908604574336690663256038.html

August 12, 2009
Today, for the first time the bazaar in Tehran was closed down due to protests. Security forces and basij were present in Naser Khosro, Bouzar Jomehori other streets leading to the bazaar, beating, clashes and arrests are being reported on twitter. People were chanting "Down with the dictator" & "This poor government is illegitimate" (iranbaan). IRIB apparently sent a filming team to the bazaar to show how calm it was there. (?) Bazar protests are reported also from Tabriz, Mashhad, Isfahan, Ahvaz & Shiraz.

And another piece of news is that M. Shahroudi is going to be replaced as Head of the Judiciary - by Sadeq Larijani, brohter of parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani. ehemmm.

August 11 2009
Hashemi Rafsanjani finally withdrew from this week's Friday prayer. But why?
http://enduringamerica.com/2009/08/10/more-iran-drama-will-rafsanjani-lead-this-fridays-prayers/

CNN's report on detention centers
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/08/11/iran.larijani/index.html

Watchmeconfess 10


August 10
Letter from Mahdi Karroubi to Hashemi Rafsanjani, dated 12 days ago and remained without answer for 10 days.
http://enduringamerica.com/2009/08/10/iran-the-karroubi-letter-to-rafsanjani-on-abuse-of-detainees/

August 9
A weird feeling catches me today. Something seems to change profoundly. I can not name it. Green Briefs have stopped coming out, I feel cut off from journalistic information and resorted to translating the daily newsletter of the Student Information Center. Still, the feeling is weird. I received masses of fragmented information today, mostly from Twitter, and I don't really know what to write today. Maybe this is a good opportunity to pay my respect to the Mourning Mothers.


Another "concession" of Iranian officials: it seems negligible, but it shows they start feeling the pressure. Small steps backwards to appease the public? Or the beginning of the government's stumbling? Or both?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/aug/09/iran-protesters-torture-election

August 8, part II of mass trials in Tehran. It's BBC, Mossad, and Google Translate this time.
http://www.stumbleupon.com/s/#20llo6/www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1915399,00.html/

Clotilde Reiss is among the defendants
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/slideshow/ALeqM5ht9IZ3fhiO-NTl2UcCS_aPBZLiKA?index=0










Fereshte Ghazi's report on the trials with details from "confessions":
http://www.roozonline.com/english/news/newsitem/article/2009/august/09//accusations-ranging-from-assassination-to-espionage.html

We will never forget


August 7, 2009
Oh no, not another one, and certainly NOT BAN KI MOON?!?!? Where did all our petitions go?????!!!!!!!!
http://televisionwashington.com/floater_article1.aspx?lang=en&t=2&id=12877
From August 12: UN did not "congratulate" Ahmadinejad
http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKN1213573120090812

Excellent analysis of the ideological surroundings of the post-election situation by Omid Habibina
http://www.iranian.com/main/node/76035

August 7, 2009 (Tehran time, here it's still August 6!)


August 6, 2009
that made me feel good: EU shuns reelection of AN
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j_PxuRFLy3fR8tHeRt6FhPdKw98QD99TBGNG2

An hour later, we saw this - amazing, how fast e-mails work ;)
http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE57441U20090805
No, Mr. Gibbs, that is NOT enough. What do you think? I want an answer...

I thought I would leave him an e-mail
http://lilalinda-juliasblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/letter-to-mr-gibbs-august-5-2009.html

August 5 2009
White House Spokesman Gibbs, when asked whether U.S. Government will accept Ahmadinejad as president of Iran, just said "well, he is the elected leader". WHAT??
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Briefing-by-White-House-Press-Secretary-Robert-Gibbs-8/4/09/

Report from Tehran of August 5, 2009 (inauguration day)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8186677.stm
Report from Iran News Digest:
http://www.irannewsdigest.com/2009/08/08/city-in-control-of-the-military/

August 4, 2009
Thank you, Mr. Obama, Mr. Sarkozy, Mr. Brown and Angela Merkel, for not congratulating Ahmadinejad - and I am very disappointed of Sweden and those EU-countries who do not boycott his presidency
http://www.ftd.de/politik/europa/:Widerspruch-zum-harten-Kurs-EU-knickt-gegen%FCber-Iran-ein/548729.html


Without date, for the records.
Don't watch it, if you feel not strong enough to face hell.


This was the night after the endorsement ceremony. A night after a day of heavy clashes, overwhelming presence of people in the streets. We have to expect news of more arrests, maybe even of more dead. But listen to this:


Look who attended Ahmadi's endorsement ceremony (red circle):



My video response to August 1 show trials

on August 4 this even made it to some "headlines":
http://www.rferl.org/content/Hey_Dictator_Watch_Me_Confess/1792100.html


August 3, 2009. Stop smiling, Ahmadi - you will not last long, neither will the rest of your inhumane, criminal, cruel regime


Eine nachdenkliche Stunde am 1. August. Wer sind die Heiligen der momentanen Opposition eigentlich? Was machen wir aus ihnen? Was vergessen wir?
http://video.google.de/videoplay?docid=309483525485342043&hl=de
Nachtrag am 13. August: Das Video geht mir nicht aus dem Kopf. Vielleicht ist meine Irritation gar nicht so sehr in Khatamis Person begründet als vielmehr in der Erkenntnis, dass "Opposition" und "Streben nach Reformen" und "Wunsch nach Demokratie" im Iran anderen Zwängen, kulturellen Zusammenhängen und Mentalitäten unterworfen und deshalb vielleicht meinen Vorstellungen ganz fern ist. Vielleicht war dieses Video ein Vorgriff auf künftige Enttäuschungen, wenn ich meine Projektionen in die Grüne Bewegung werde korrigieren müssen.


August 1, 2009
Mock trials on prominent figures of the opposition. We were shocked to see them there - had not expected prominent names in that place at that time. We were also shocked by the appearance and physical state of Muhammad Ali Abtahi, and of what he was forced to say.
http://iranquest.com/blog/?p=8741


Translation of the indictment: http://enduringamerica.com/2009/08/12/translated-text-the-indictment-in-the-tehran-trials/
Live blog from the trial http://shooresh1917.blogspot.com/
The fake was even faker :http://lilalinda-juliasblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/show-trial-on-mohammad-ali-abtahi.html

July 31
This made me really angry. Iran officials arrest an Iranian-German staff member of the German Knauf Company and release him under the precondition that Knauf strictly prohibits its staff to participate in protests AGAINST the government.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124900417227095813.html

July 30:
Memorial of Neda's 40th death day. Originally it was planned to hold the memorial at Tehran's Mosala mosque. But the officials denied approval last-minute. So the event was relocated on short notice to Beheshte Zahra cemetry, which is situated approx. 50 km outside Tehran.
Kia predicted that the metro would probably be closed in order to prevent people from going there. And so it was. Nevertheless, about 40.000 people gathered at Behesthe Zahra, including Mir Hossein Mousavi, who was not allowed to even get out of his car, and Mahdi Karroubi, who held a speech.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3d1KAbtm98
http://www.enotesunderground.com/

Later on July 30, thousands of people protested in the streets of Tehran, Isfahan, Rasht, Mashad, and some others. Clashes were reported despite a reported instruction by Khamenei to the security forces to not impose any violence on the mourners (who were not allow to mourn).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYVKdaRgRGE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAHQkaRUp24
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EcE1uMk6LM

(pay attention to the bullet fired at 0:49 - you can see the guy aiming with the pistol at 0:47 behind the pole).

On the highway to free Iran:


Reports on the events of July 30
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/07/30/neda.iran.memorial.protests/index.html?eref=rss_world
And from CNN:
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/07/30/neda.iran.memorial.protests/index.html?eref=rss_world#cnnSTCVideo
Eyewitness reports:
http://tehranbureau.com/updates-8-mordad-30-july/

July 30
Neda Agha Soltan's mother had withdrawn her promise to attend the protests at Beheshte Zahra for "undisclosed reasons". She was reported to have mourned in a parkby herself.
http://news.gooya.com/politics/archives/2009/07/091508.php

Kahrizak, July 28 2009
http://talentedmoron.blogspot.com/2009/07/detention-camp-that-makes-guantanamo.html

We will never forget you.
http://www.persia.org/list/

Mir Hossein Moussavi's important speech of Monday July 27 in English
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=112950157605&id=45061919453&ref=nf

Part of democracy is to listen to people you don't agree with. To set an example, I post the viewpoint of Fars News about conditions in Iranian prisons. I don't think they deserve the attention, though. This is not a viewpoint, it is cynicism.
http://english.farsnews.net/newstext.php?nn=8805061361

A list of the victims who have died in the postelection unrests
http://iranrevolution.wordpress.com/revolution-martyrs/

Monday July 27 2009 - Amir Javadi Langeroodi has died in detention

Ein deutscher Popsong, der zum Motto der Protestbewegung in Deutschland geworden ist:
"Was wir allein nicht schaffen, das schaffen wir dann zusammen... wir müssen geduldig sein, dann dauert es nicht mehr lang"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39yp_hi9_q8

GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION - United4Iran has finally arrived. We had a very very good day in Cologne with lots of petition signing, letter signing, signature collecting, discussing and networking.
Cologne protests:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lA7Z5ixAW4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLDp-2MCSRo
http://iranian-koeln.blogspot.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgC-wYzYrhA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ROa98MCPBc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qc2iba9-wbM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjWYyOnYymY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5pswDghKsM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6WJa1Az9Ew&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVO5EIMjW0o&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7W43EzQAOM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgC-wYzYrhA&feature=related

And the Green Scroll was unveiled at the same time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7m6ce78JQBQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwjFBx_5aS4&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPvpX5NlcVw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPSmClUPSjQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEnW0lTSB7s
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1186393292414&oid=51154779986&ref=nf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YIvdkBqyvk&feature=related

Preparation of Green Scroll petition in Paris - huge work!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTtUiYEC2Y4&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.whereismyvote.fr%2F&feature=player_embed

July 24 - another vivid discussion on Facebook about USA's possibilities of influence and support to the protest movement. At the end of the day Farid posted an article that miraculously answered most of the questions for me:
http://www.carnegieendowment.org/publications/index.cfm?fa=view&id=23419

Today, July 23, everyone was making fun of Mojtaba Zounnour, rep. of Khamenei to the Revolutionary Guards, claiming the protests were organized prior to the election by a group of 300.000 people who in advance to the election had armed themselves with tear gas, all of which occurred with the help of BBC. A lot of joking was taking place in the Green Brief forum.
This is the other sad reality:
http://enduringamerica.com/2009/07/22/iran-a-list-of-those-killed-and-detained-21-july/

Green Scroll Petition to be hung on Saturday July 25 in Paris... today we were told it is almost 2000 m long - enough to wrap the Eiffel Tower?

July 22, 2009: Opposition beginning to take shape? And, daily, as it seems, more rifts show among clerics and regime.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fgw-iran23-2009jul23,0,5061347.story

Whoever still believes this is about "student protests", listen to this 66 year old lady calling from Tehran. Hear what she has to say: (July 21, 2009)

http://azadandish82.blogspot.com/2009/07/blog-post_20.html

July 21. Green briefs in the morning, Allahu-akbars in the night - this has become my daily routine. Here is the rooftop diary with daily signals saying "it is not over, we have just begun" http://www.mightierthan.com/2009/07/rooftop/

On July 19, the day Mohammad Kamrani's death under torture was reported in the Green Brief I had to translate, I thought I could not bear it any longer. A kind soul on twitter posted this ancient Swiss protest song for NiteOwl. Right on time to restore me. In gratitude to @topastro:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7uHWQEHcp0&feature=player_embedded

The much-expected Friday prayer sermon of Hashemi Rafsanjani, Friday July 17.
It took us a couple of hours to digest that, and slowly it settled in our minds: This means green light for the protests, it is far from being over! A day of enthusiasm followed... but only one. After that came July 19.
http://www.khandaniha.eu/items.php?id=794
compilation in English:
http://iran.whyweprotest.net/news-current-events/15065-july-17th-sermon.html

Shahin Nazafi "Aduye to nistam man - enkare to am"
("I am not your enemy, I am your negation")
the song which keeps me going on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6139Etc_Uww&feature=player_embedded

From 2004 and looking so familiar
http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/watch/player.html?pkg=302_iran&seg=1&mod=0

Not a video, but a very nice pic
http://www.expressen.se/sport/golf/1.1643892/stenson-hyllar-van-med-ett-gront-band

An analysis of Iran's security apparatus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh9drivhDrA

Basij - what's that?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124726981104525893.html

"Sueddeutsche Zeitung" still talks about "Studentendemos" (July 9, 2009) - unbelievable, and it made me really angry. I regret the comment I posted, though - should have said more.
http://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/556/480041/text/

Knüppel made in Germany (instead of the famous enough Nokia-Siemens deal)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfuDOO3JgD0

Faces of those missed, detained, and killed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDbK-eyxRZY

Forced confessions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xplniUGhZNo&feature=channel

A view on modern Iran in pictures
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfuDOO3JgD0

Yare Dabestani in the street
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=logo#/video/video.php?v=1077364774423&ref=nf

Yare Dabestani in da house
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDbK-eyxRZY

One of the first rooftop chants
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfuDOO3JgD0

Death to the dictator June 28, 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJ7s-GbU_gU

Green Balloons on June 26 - video was deleted, but it's good to remember it was there
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJ7s-GbU_gU

Obama smashing insects and giving us a laugh break
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8104495.stm

The photoshopped rioter - one of my favorites. Mind his outfit, the reading glasses, and the way he holds the gun. This was meant to prove violence of protesters (implying security forces restoring calm).
http://iranngirl.blogspot.com/2009/06/5.html

June 20, the second shock that made our hearts freeze for days
http://iranian009.blogfa.com/post-45.aspx
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/video/video.php?v=1188064018930&ref=share (Shiraz University)
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/video/video.php?v=1103260792271&ref=share
http://iranngirl.blogspot.com/2009/06/5.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2MCARhjqIU

Who cares, said Ahmadinejad - I became president again, not my business what goes on in the streets of my country. I wanna go to Russia and do world politics with Mr Medvedev!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjtjIIG7gHE

June 15, the first shock
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/video/video.php?v=1017586856546&ref=share

A crucial moment - police and protesters hand in hand
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b68YttA0oMU&NR=1

How it all began - excellent report. Must see!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSITy_taD3E