Tehran Iran Video: 30 June 09 Riot police destroying cars and motor cycles

Why the Ahmadinejad Regime is doomed

These thugs -in this video- are so-called police engaging in wanton acts of vandalism. The Ahmadinejad regime is out of control and at war with its people. Peaceful protesters have been gunned down. Young women have been murdered. Universities have been ransacked and students arrested. Neighbourhoods have been targeted by the so -called forces of law and order on the basis that protesters may be in residence. Many journalists and bloggers are missing. The prisons are torture chambers. 100,000 men from the paramilitary Basij control Tehran and eight other major cities. Ahmadinejad is also reliant on Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. There is some evidence that not all members of the Basij and Islamic Revolutionary Guard are loyal to the regime.

60% of Iranians are under 35. The majority of this age group seeks democratic change and will eventually bring down the regime. Many in this age group are computer literate and well educated. Women who are second class citizens in Iran are no longer prepared to tolerate repression. In 2006 Iran's Supreme Leader declared that women are not allowed to watch men's soccer games in person. The Campaign for Equality, an Iranian women’s rights initiative was launched in 2006. Members have been harassed and in some cases imprisoned. Women have been empowered by education and have played a major role in the protests. They will not tolerate inequality. The power structure of the regime has begun to rot from within and without. It lacks democratic legitimacy having stolen the election. It is living on borrowed time.

Iran June 27 : Protests continue in Tehran as many bloggers and human rights activists are arrested

The following comes from the Revolutionary Road Blog which has continuously provided a fascinating insight into the jackboot tactics employed by the Iranian regime against its political opponents:

Vahid the writer to Vahid Online weblog has been arrested. Ali Mosleh the writer of The Mailman ring twice weblog, has also been arrested.Many bloggers and Human rights activist are still in prison and we have not heard anything on their condition.Shiva Nazar Ahari, Ali Kalai, Somaye Tohid loo, Ahamd Zeid Abadi, Abdollah Momeni, Ali Mosleh, Emad Bahavar, Majid Dari, Mahsa AmrAbadi and Mohammad Ali Abtahi.
At least three people were wounded in clashes between Tehran residents and the Islamic Republic’s Forces on Saturday in the city center.
The clashes occurred on Towhid Street and Keshavarz Boulevard as Police tried to stop people from entering Laleh Park to attend a rally called for by the mothers of those killed during the recent nationwide protests. They also planned to honor the memory of Neda Agha Soltan.
Meanwhile, the Bazaaris have called for a strike. Trading has come to a halt today and the Bazaar is virtually closed.
The carpet Bazaar has been closed today following the call for today’s protest.
The Riot police & plain clothes attacked protesters today afternoon in streets leading to Laleh Park in Tehran. At least three persons were arrested.
“Since 5 pm (Tehran time), people have been going to Laleh Park in order to continue their anti-government protests. Riot police And Plain clothes have been stationed in all streets and alleys leading to Laleh Park including Enqelab Square. A large number of basijis are on the foot, on motorcycles and in patrol vehicles, in the square,” .
“The regime’s repressive forces attacked people who were chanting ‘death to dictator’ to force them to leave the area. Up to now at least three persons have been arrested.”
“In Enqelab Square there are a large number of plainclothes agents stationed.” Today at 6pm Tehran time, the people of Kermanshah in Iran have called for a rally to commemorate Neda and for 'freedom for all.

Iranian journalists and bloggers missing -believed taken by police

The sister of Amir Sadeghi who runs tehranlive.org in Iran has announced that he has gone missing. His blog provided excellent coverage of the demonstrations. He went out to participate in the protests last night but failed to return. It is believed that he has been taken by the police of Mahmoud Ahmadinijad. There is grave concern for his welfare. According to Revolutionary Road 23 journalists and bloggers have been arrested in Iran. Many others are missing: Roohollah Shahvadar in Mashhad, Mashallah Heydarzadeh, Hamideh Mahvarzi, Amanollah Shonaji Hossein Shokoohi in Booshehr, and Mojataba Poor Hossein in Rasht are the journalists who have been arrested. Two more journalists Behzad Bashou and Seyyed Khalil Mir-Ashrafi have now been arrested.

Christians in Saudi Arabia face death or imprisonment

Hamoud Saleh Al-Amri, is a 28 year-old Saudi national who converted from Islam to Christianity. His disillusionment with Islam set in when he witnessed the executions of three Pakistanis convicted on drug charges. He set about a study of other religions. Heaving read how Jesus forgave - rather than stoned -a woman condemned for adultery, Bin Saleh decided to become a Christian. He wrote about this in his blog.

This soon came to the attention of the Saudi authorities. Saudi police arrested Hamoud Bin Saleh on Jan. 13 ”because of his opinions and his testimony that he had converted from Islam to Christianity,” according to the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI). They also blocked his blog Masihi Saudi.
Surprisingly he was released by Saudi authorities at the end of March 2009 notwithstanding the fact that under Sharia law he could have been executed for apostasy. It is believed that pressure from human rights organizations such as the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) convinced the Saudi authorities to relent. However he has been banned from travelling outside Saudi Arabia or appearing in media according to Middle East Concern, a Christian organisation.

In August 2008 the daughter of a member of Saudi Arabia’s religious police was killed for writing in her blog- called Rania-about her belief in the Christian religion. She had her tongue cut out and was burned to death. Moslems who convert to Christianity may just "disappear".

Sarah Palin answers the liberal media in an interview for the forthcoming documentary "Media Malpractice"

In an interview for the forthcoming documentary "Media Malpractice" Governor Sarah Palin, for the first time at length, takes on the media coverage of her and the 2008 campaign. There is plenty more of the interview to come. To find out more got to www.HowObamaGotElected.com and get on the mailing list.

Sarah Palin sets the record straight in interview with Greta Van Susteren on Fox News

In this interview Sarah Palin clears up the clothes controversy in a most comprehensive manner. It is glaringly obvious that the liberal media and some Democrat politicians misrepresented the reality. She answers malicious allegations made by an anonymous aide concerning NAFTA and her alleged lack of geographical knowledge. She speaks about ugly attacks made on her and about their impact on her family. She discusses the failure of the media to correct false allegations made against her.

She discusses the possible reasons for the opposition of feminists and surmises that her strong pro-life position is at the root of their antagonism. She also speaks about her political future. Finally her friend outlines the truth in relation to the real Sarah Palin.

Repression of bloggers and political opponents continues in Burma, China and Tibet (Call for Reporters and Bloggers to Boycott Beijing Olympics)

Sometimes I think Europeans and Americans are too inclined to take democracy for granted.
In the run in to the Beijing Olympics there has been a huge crack down on dissidents by the Chinese authorities. Meanwhile the level of Chinese repression has accelerated in Tibet. China supports the repressive regimes in Burma, Zimbabwe and Sudan.

During the Saffron Revolution in Burma in September- spearheaded by Buddhist monks- the Tyrants of Rangoon shut down the communications systems. Frequently courageous bloggers were the only reliable source of information. Many of these were arrested and disappeared.
Nay Phone Latte, a young blogger who has been held since 29 January in the notorious Insein prison, is facing a possible seven-year sentence.

Saw Wai, a poet who was arrested on 22 January for criticising junta chief Gen. Than Shwe in coded message in a poem published in the weekly Achit Journal, appeared before the Insein prison special court for the third time on 8 July. He is now also facing a possible seven-year jail sentence.

During the Saffron Revolution the brutality of the Burmese regime was flashed around the world. The international media has now moved on to pastures new. Once more the Tyrants of Rangoon are free to repress the opposition and to stamp out all vestiges of free speech.
The following message from a blogger and Buddhist monk called Ashin Mettacara has appeared in opednews under the heading "Calling Reporters and Bloggers to boycott Beijing and to declare one day period of media mourning"

"Dear Reporters and Bloggers,
I am a 27-year-old Buddhist monk from Burma, currently studying is Sri Lanka. While I was studying in the Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka in September 2007, there was a Saffron Revolution in Burma. The military regime cracked down on the peaceful protestors who mostly were Buddhist monks. As I could not reconcile myself with the current military regime's human right abuses, I became a blogger. I am not a political monk nor reporter. My wish is just to use the freedom I have out of Burma to help people of my country to get freedom and be away from the unbearable pain they have to endure for too many decades.
Coming 08-08-08 is the opening ceremony of Beijing Olympics in China and the 20th anniversary of the 08-08-1988 popular demonstration in Burma, when many thousands of people were killed under the military junta's brutal crackdown.

China is a major trading partner, major weapons supplier and major defender of the Burma military junta in the United Nations Security Council. Because of China's support, the military junta in Burma is still in power to this day.

I would like to call on each and every reporter and blogger around the world to boycott, without reporting information, photo and video footage of Olympics ceremonies.

I also think it would be righteous to declare 08-08-08 as a day of media mourning for the thousands who died in 1988 demonstrations in Burma, and to raise awareness of China's policies concerning Burma, the Falun Gong, Darfur and Tibet."
Will his appeal fall on deaf ears?

Ireland-Willie O'Dea TD suffers from amnesia in his diatribe on virtual/ "Sat Nav" politics

Willie O'Dea in an article in to days Sunday Independent savages blogs and discussion forums. He conveniently forgets -that through the medium of his regular Sunday Independent column- he gets priceless publicity to vent political spleen on the opposition. Kilnascully in print. His columns are biased and skewed. Today -as usual- he lambasts the FG party. I see no right of reply in the Sunday Independent for FG . Whether Willie O'Dea likes it or not Blogs and Bloggers are here to stay. They play a major role in US politics and have brought to international prominence atrocities in Burma and elsewhere. Their influence will continue to grow.

Blogs and discussion forums are essential to ensure the maintenance of a healthy democracy. They provide alternative view points especially if these are excluded by the regular media. Politicians such as Mr O'Dea cannot muzzle them-once they adhere to the laws of libel. Hence the hysteria.

This is the politician who claimed that he was concerned at the loss of the Shannon to Heathrow service. In a Dáil debate on the issue O'Dea remained silent despite his continuous criticism of the Government decision in newspapers and on TV. He voted with the Government in the Dail to consign the service to oblivion. He forgot to include this in his opinion piece. He is obviously suffering from a loss of memory. Me thinks he doth protest too much.