Amnesty International Joins Worldwide Solidarity for Iranians

By Sherry Harbert

Amnesty International joined a coalition of international organizations around the world to support the victims of human rights abuses in Iran on July 25. Portland was one of over a hundred cities which gathered together to express concern and solidarity with those detained for peacefully protesting the June election results.

The Global Day of Action was a vision of local Portland Iranians, human rights organizations and individuals, led by the groups United for Iran and Portland Stands with Iran. The groups have been hosting weekly rallies for peace since June. They have called for nonpolitical unity in support of all Iranians. Though some separatists, as with the movement of royalists opting for regime change also voice their demands, the major momentum of the movement focuses on human rights. Representatives of United for Iran and Portland Stands for Iran express their wish for Iranians to settle their own affairs. They simply want to convey their support for those who are fighting for their rights according to Iranian law.

Mayor Sam Adams was one of a dozen speakers at the Portland rally in Pioneer Square that was covered with green flags, green balloons and green attire. The City of Portland issued a proclamation for the day to express its solidarity with the people of Iran and to raise concerns about the violent responses to peaceful demonstrations after the election. Mayor Adams offered his concern and support to the crowd of about 100 people.

Representatives for the local Iranian community read the names of those known to be detained in Iran’s prisons. After each name was announced, the crowd shouted “here” to convey their solidarity with those detained. The list included opposition leaders, students, journalists, lawyers, academics and others. Amnesty International issued an official statement that 36 Army officers are also being held in prison for their support of peaceful demonstrations. Amnesty International has confirmed the names of 24 of the officers being held and lists them on the international website.

Amnesty International has called on the government of Iran to end all violence against demonstrators and release all those currently detained. News reports have signaled that the government has recently released some of those detained. Reports of numerous deaths of detained students has brought condemnation worldwide. There are no official numbers of all those detained since the elections.

Portland’s local chapter of Amnesty International issued a public statement at the rally and worked to gather signatures in support of those detained, including human rights attorney, Abdolfattah Soltani. Soltani is a member of the Center for Defense of Human Rights and a close associate of Nobel Prize Laureate Shirin Ebadi. Soltani was arrested on June 16 and has not been seen since. His whereabouts and condition remain unknown.

Amnesty International continues to monitor the events in Iran, as do many in Portland.

For a more in-depth understanding about the events in Iran, a forum will be held on July 31 at Portland State University. Reese Erlich, a foreign correspondent just back from Iran, will deliver the keynote at the event. Erlich heads The Iran Project in San Francisco, CA. He recently partnered with Walter Cronkite for the “Struggle for Iran” series on KQED radio. Cronkite’s death was announced last week.

Kambiz Ghanebassiri of Reed College, and Sam Hossein Farahani and Masoud Kheirabadi of Portland State University will offer a panel discussion prior to the keynote lecture at Portland State University on July 31.

The event runs from 6:00pm to 9:00pm and is free for the public. The event is funded from a grant by the McKenzie River Gathering Foundation. The event will be held at the Multicultural Center in the Smith Memorial Student Union (1825 SW Broadway).