Iran: confiscated election, FIDH and LDDHI fear a bloody repression

Monday 15 June 2009

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Iranian League for the defense of Human Rights in Iran (LDDHI) express their deepest concern regarding the repression under way in Iran: several foreign journalists were forced to leave the country, spontaneous protests to denounce the official result of the election are being violently repressed, several hundreds people have been arrested, including reformers, students and human rights defenders... « The scene is set up for a bloody repression behind closed doors », concluded Karim Lahidji, President of FIDH.

The ministry of Interior, in charge of organizing the election, had announced two weeks before the election, the following numbers: nearly 48 million voters, and more than 57 million ballot papers printed by the ministry. In each polling station, there had to be one representative of each candidate, which constituted a progress in comparison with previous elections in Iran. However, on the eve of the poll, sms were blocked in the whole country and foreign television stations were jammed. On the election day, in Shiraz and Tabriz, there were no ballot papers left. All over the country, when the counting of votes was about to start, the representatives of the reformist candidates were expelled from polling stations and were consequently not able to observe the counting process. Last but not least, while the Council of Guardians had not yet announced the official election result, the Supreme Leader congratulated the standing president Ahmadinejad for his reelection.

"These elections were considerably below international norms on free and fair election. But today, we are witnessing a fraudulent confiscation of the election results: everything is done to confer Ahmadinejad the appearance of a President elected in a landslide victory by the Iranian population", declared Souhayr Belhassen, FIDH president. «  The oligarchy in power in Iran is trying to strengthen the outgoing president, ultra conservative and in a hard-line confrontation with the Western world », she added.

The security forces launched an attack against several university campuses this week-end, destroying dormitories and injuring several tens of students; since yesterday, the universities of Tehran, Shiraz, Ispahan and Tabriz have been closed. The police announced this morning that one hundred students have been arrested. Today, a Ministry of Interior spokesperson announced that the authorization to hold a sit-in has been denied to the main reformist candidate, Mir Hossein Moussavi. He is himself under house arrest since June 14. He consequently canceled the sit-in and called upon the population stay calm. His campaign headquarters was closed down and members of his campaign were arrested.

Protesters were violently beaten by police and plainclothes Bassijis (members of the intelligence services), armed with chains and electric sticks. The security forces acknowledge the arrest of more than 200 persons over the last two days protests. The number of persons injured is unknown at this stage.

During the 2005 election, the opposition called for a boycott and the abstention rate was about 40%, many voters being disillusioned with Khatami presidency. On that occasion, Ahmadinejad obtained 5 million votes during the first round. On the12 June election, more than 80% participation was registered. The outgoing president pretends claims to have received 24 millions votes, in spite of his disastrous results both in the field of human rights and in terms of Iranian's economic and social situation. This "result" enables him to avoid a second round of voting.

FIDH and LDDHI call upon the Iranian authorities to take steps to ease the tensions, by authorizing protests and gatherings organized by reformists, and liberating those persons arrested for having peacefully protested. Censorship of media and severe restrictions on freedom of expression should be hated immediately.

The international community should take all measures possible to put an immediate stop to the climate of terror prevailing in Iran. Supporting civil society is vital under the present circumstances.

In addition, in view of the gross irregularities surrounding the election, FIDH and LDDHI call for the cancellation of the presidential election of June 12 and for the organization of a new election, in the presence of international observers.