Iran scene
In this debate about Iran's right to acquire nuclear weapons for security reasons, no one seems to be mentioning about the slaughter of Iranians by the ruling mullahs for protesting the rigged presidential elections. Since rigging the election, the Ahmadinejad regime has been slaughtering Iranians for protesting against the voting fraud.
The Iranian regime delivered a chilling message to the country's reform movement on January 28 when it hanged two men accused of participating in protests following last year's botched presidential election and sentenced to death nine more. It was a chilling reminder of what is awaiting those who want to protest against the regime.
The pre-dawn hangings of Arash Rahmanipour and Mohammed Reza Alizamani were the first show-case executions since thousands of Iranians took to the streets to challenge the blatant vote rigging by President Ahmadinejad. Grappling with the country's greatest political crisis since the Islamic Revolution, Iran's hardliners further indicated that they will go to any length to crush any voice of opposition to their rule. The latest executions marked a new watershed following months of intimidation and brutal crackdown on the protestors in the streets.
The two men were sentenced to death for trying to overthrow the Islamic regime. Rahmanipour's lawyer, Nasrin Sotoudeh, said her client was hanged for non-violently protesting against the voting fraud. "An executions with this speed and rush has only one explanation," she said. "The government is trying to prevent the expansion of current opposition movement through the spread of fear and intimidation."
So far, this tactic does not appear to be working. Messages circulated on the Internet have called for fresh rallies on Feb. 11, when the regime celebrates the Islamic Revolution.
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