Source:
www.strikeforiran.wordpress.com (twitter.com/iranaction)
January 8th
Symbolic Work Strike In Solidarity with the Iranian people's demand for
Democracy and Freedom and In Honor of the Victims of December 27, 2009 (Ashura
Day) Protests
On Sunday December 27, 2009, the Islamic Republic of
Iran, headed by Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the criminal supreme leader, attacked the
peaceful demonstration of tens of thousands of Iranians for freedom, democracy
and justice. The world witnessed the courage and conviction with which Iran's
youth, men and women, stood up against one of the most brutal theocracies in the
history of the world. It was utterly outrageous to witness mercenaries and
Basijis attack the defenseless people with bullets, batons, knives, machetes and
even crush some protestors under vans! In sheer contrast to these acts of
savagery, brave Iranian women and men were shown to risk their lives by using
their bodies to shield some of these mercenaries from scores of angry
protestors! They have made sure that the Iranian people's message of peaceful
and compassionate struggle reaches the world. The regime, frustrated by the
people's determination in achieving freedom and democracy, has now resorted to a
wave of widespread arrests of freedom lovers and critics. Yet without doubt
this will also prove to be a futile act which will only hasten the Islamic
Republic's downfall.
The heart-wrenching and bloody images of the victims
of the violent assaults on protesters have shaken the world. We, the
undersigned, vehemently condemn these vicious attacks on and arrests of the
Iranian people. We believe that for the past six months--since the fraudulent
presidential elections in June 2009--the message of millions of Iranians
who continue to persevere by protesting in the streets and who risk, and many
tragically even sacrifice, their lives has become loud and clear: the
unequivocal end to the Islamic Republic and theocratic rule and the beginning of
a secular democracy in accordance with the International Declaration of Human
Rights. In the words of Abraham Lincoln, Iranians want a government of the
people, by the people, and for the people.
We, the undersigned, will engage in a symbolic
strike on Friday, January 8, 2010, in order to condemn the countless crimes of
the Islamic Republic, show our solidarity and sympathy with the Iranian people
and the victims of the regime's atrocities, and demand the freedom of all
political prisoners in Iran. On that day we will voluntarily stop our normal
work schedule to devote part or all of our day to engage in specific activities
in support of democracy and human rights in Iran. The goal of the strike is to
raise public awareness about the abhorrent violence and detentions in Iran and
to call on the United Nations, international human rights organizations and all
freedom loving nations and governments of the world to demand that the Islamic
Republic immediately halt all forms of violence against the Iranian people and
release all prisoners of conscience.
The Islamic Republic and Seyyed Ali Khamenei must
know that the freedom-loving people of the world fully support the struggle of
the Iranian nation. On December 27, Iranians on the streets were chanting:
"Iranians shall die rather than submit to humiliation" echoing the words uttered
by Patrick Henry in his court hearing on March, 23, 1775: "Give me death or give
me liberty."
Mahnaz Afshar, Human Rights Activist,
Northern California: "I will engage in Facebook activism on Friday."
Mehran Afshar and Siavash Afshar, Business
Owners, Northern California:
"On the day of strike, we will install a public
billboard in support of human rights in Iran."
Nazanin Afshin-Jam, International Human Rights
Activist and President and Co Founder of Stop Child Executions and former Miss
World Canada: "As a fulltime human rights activist, I will continue my
work echoing the voices of the Iranian people for freedom and democracy. On this
particular day I will follow up with senior officials in Canadian Parliament
about projects in support of the Iranian people (e.g. the naming of a
street/square/park commemorating Neda Agha Soltan; the protection of Iranian
dissidents seeking asylum as refugees especially in Turkey; and organizing a
panel of Iranian human rights experts on Parliament Hill)."
Majid Aghaii, Student and Businessman, London,
England: "I will not work on Friday and in collaboration with one of
my friends, we will distribute flyers informing the public about the atrocities
committed against the freedom lovers in Iran."
Nahid Ahkami, Interior Designer and
humanitarian, New Jersey: "I shall spend the entire day on strike
from my work in order to contact some of the local and state officials as well
as international human rights organizations in New Jersey and New York for
seeking their support for human rights in Iran."
Mostafa Ahmadi, Student, Greece: "I
will join the symbolic strike and together with my wife will actively distribute
information on freedom struggle in Iran to non-Iranians."
Hamid Akbari, Professor and Department Chair
at Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago: "I shall be on strike for
the day and I will focus my work on contacting various academic and
professoriate associations informing them of the outrageous recent bloody
violence against the students at Mashhad University and seeking their support
for imprisoned students and academics, including, Hamidreza Khadem, Abdollah
Momeni, Bahareh Hedayat, Mehdi Arabshahi, and Majid Tavakoli."
Homaira Akbari, Advisory Council Member of the
Johns Hopkins University Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Loudon
County CEO Cabinet, Baltimore: "I will devote several hours to the goal
of this symbolic action. I will contact the United Nations and other human
rights organizations for defending human rights in Iran."
Simin Akbari, Human Rights Activist,
Columbus, Ohio: "I devote half of my day contacting the offices of Ohio's
congress members informing them of the crimes of the Islamic Republic against
peaceful freedom loving Iranians, especially against Iranian women."
Reza Alavi, Writer and Researcher in History
and Politics and Human Rights Activist, Canada: "For Friday's action, I
will produce a program for Anjoman Ara T.V. against the Islamic Republic's
crimes and in defense of human rights."
Nasrin Almasi, Managing Director of Shahrvand
Newspaper, Toronto, Canada: "I will go on hunger strike for 12 hours and
will devote the Friday, January 8th issue of Shahrvand to this
cause."
Bahman Amini, Managing Director and Publisher
of Khavaran Publications, Paris, France: "I will devote my day to
publicize the plight of Iranian people to the public and as many of human rights
organizations in France as possible."
Fariba Amini, Journalist and Human Rights
Activist, Delaware: "In support of the symbolic strike action, I
devote my time to write an article in defense of human rights and democracy in
Iran."
Shabnam Assadollahi, Producer and Host, CHIN
Radio Ottawa, Hamseda Persian Program, Canada: "I will devote four hours
of my time for contacting the human rights and humanitarian organizations in
defense of the brave Iranian youth struggling in Iran against the atrocities of
the Islamic Republic."
Mahtab Attaran, Engineer, California:
"I will spend the whole day for publicity in defense of Iranian people's human
rights."
Reza Ashrafpour, Student,
Southern California: "I will engage in a publicity campaign for human rights in
Iran."
Reza Azizi-Nejad, Pharmacist, Germany:
"I join this symbolic strike and in collaboration with my colleagues, we will
prepare a petition addressed to the European Union authorities. In this
petition we ask EU to downgrade its diplomatic relations with the Islamic
Republic and to be proactive in preventing a humanitarian catastrophe in Iran."
Reza Baraheni, Poet, Writer, Journalist,
Literary Critique, Former Professor at University of Toronto and University of
Tehran, Canada: "Following my ongoing activism during the past six
decades in condemning all Iranian dictators and their foreign backers, I will
once again join the freedom lovers of Iran and the world with this calling: down
with the dictator and long live freedom!"
Shahla Bawar, Registered Nurse,
Florida: "I shall join the strike through some action that will be
announced."
Mohammad Beheshti, Mechanical Engineer,
Denmark: "I will not go to work and I will spend the entire day publicizing
the worsening situation of human rights in Iran."
Cyrus Bina, Distinguished Research Professor
at University of Minnesota at Morris, "I will interrupt my normal
activities on that day and I will set up media engagements, including with an
interview with Azadegan Radio, for exposing the Islamic Republic's crimes."
Reza Deghati, Paris-based Award Winning
International Photo Journalist, Humanitarian and the Founder of AINA in
Afghanistan: "On Friday, January 8th, I will not do my usual
work but will distribute information about Iran to the media. I will spend my
whole day in front of my computer and will write personal letters to all my
media contacts and other influential contacts."
Yadi Delaviz,
Scientist, Ohio: "I am going to communicate through personal talk
and EMAIL and explain human rights situation and suppression of the Iranian
people by the government to at least 10 Americans (or non-Iranians) on Friday,
January 8, 2010."
Alaleh Dowlatshahi, Dentist, Illinois:
"I will devote my day to the publicity in defense of freedom, democracy and
human rights in Iran."
Tohid Eghdami, Student, London,
England: "I will not attend my classes on that day and will contact as many of
human rights organizations as I can."
Morteza Enayatollahi, Student and Driver,
London, England: I will interrupt my work for Friday and I will team up with
my brother and one of my colleagues. Together, we will publicize the atrocities
committed by the Islamic Republic against the people of Iran."
Safa Enayatollahi, Student in London,
England: I will not work on that day and I will distribute flyers in support of
Iranian people in front of underground."
Nasser Esmailzadeh, Student and
Physical Education Teacher, Denmark: "I will not attend my classes on
that day and rather will work to inform my fellow students as well as professors
of the worsening human rights conditions in Iran."
Shadi Farahani, Student, Germany: "I
will devote my entire day to inform my fellow students, as well as the
professors, at my school about Iran's worsening human rights situation."
Hesam Faryad, Singer, Lyricist and Melodist,
Canada: "I would be more than happy to join this symbolic action. I
will arrange to record a new song on January 8th in the memory of all those
dear young men and women who have lost their lives in the name of freedom and
democracy in Iran. The lyrics and music will be mine. Once it is ready I will
share it online."
Ehsan Firouzi, Ph.D. Student at University of
California, Berkeley: "I will devote part of the day to distributing
flyers about the situation in Iran."
Manouchehr Ghanbari, Business Owner,
Northern California: "I join this symbolic strike and I will publicize the
struggle of Iranian people for freedom."
Ezzat Ghoushegir, Playwright and Faculty of
DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois: For January 8, I'll write a short
play in support of the brave souls in Iran who are protesting against the
tyranny and I'll send it to theatre companies, blogs and people I know, as a
challenging voice for the return of political theatre. The goal is to find
peaceful solutions, reviving a universal solidarity to end violence and
tyranny!"
Hojat Golpayegani, Freelance Writer and Human
Rights Activist, Toronto, Canada: "For the day, I will write or
translate one or two articles about the situation in Iran and submit it for
publication to Shahrvand Newspaper."
Damon Golriz, Student, Netherlands: "I
will join the symbolic strike for the people of Iran. I will go in front of the
embassy of Iran in Hague and ask the Iranian employees and staff of the embassy
to join with the strike and in support of the Green movement of Iran."
Shohreh Hassani,
Radiographer, Ohio: "I would send at least 10 E-mails/Youtube clips
to non-Iranians, and Senator Brown's office to let them know what is going on in
Iran."
Kaveh Hedayati and Mojan Hedayati, Artists,
Berkeley, California: "In support of Iranian people's struggle for freedom, we
will perform an artistic program at Berkeley's Persian Center."
Vahid Hosseini, Taxi Driver, London,
England: "I will take the a.m. off and I will use Internet and telephone for
promoting democracy and human rights in Iran."
Amir Imani, Store Owner, London,
England: "I will engage in Internet activism for Iranian people for the day."
Massih Jafari-Gorzini, Dentist, Maniz,
Germany: "I will spend my entire day informing the public about the
worsening situation of human rights in Iran and especially the cases of
imprisoned Iranian women activists."
Mehdi Jafari-Gorzini, Member and Senior
Advisor for Middle Eastern Affairs of Social Democratic Party in Germany:
"On the day of the strike, I will undertake special consultation sessions
with the members of the Social Democratic party in finding ways to support the
freedom movement in Iran."
Shayda Jafari-Gorzini, Ph.D. in Genetics,
University of Mainz, Germany: "I will devote my time to inform my
colleagues about Iran's worsening human rights situation."
Nader Jahanfard, Sports Journalist,
San Jose, California: "I will inform the sports and athletics community as well
as the media about Iran."
Masoud Kazemzadeh, Professor at Sam Houston
University, Texas: "I will go on symbolic work strike for half of the
day and I will arrange to have a radio show recorded on the subject of
violations of human rights in Iran."
Bahareh Keshavarz, City Planner and Nazi D'jahanshahi,
Electrical Engineer , Florida: "We will
devote half of our working day on Friday to develop an action plan against
Dalian Eagle-Sky Co., a Chinese firm which is sending anti-riot combat
vehicles to Iran to be used against the anti-government freedom seekers movement
in Iran."
Faramarz Khodayari, Producer and Host of
Havaye Tazeh Radio Show, San Francisco: "In support of the symbolic
strike, I will devote my weekly radio program to this cause."
Azar Khounani, Founder and Executive Director
of a Community Day Care Center, Illinois: "I will not work for at least
4 hours and I will contact a number of women's rights organizations in the state
and nationally, as well as the Democratic Party members, for impressing upon
them the necessity of recognizing and giving vocal and moral support to the
leading role of Iranian women in the Iranian pro-democracy movement."
Arash Mahajeri-Nejad, College Student,
Berkeley, California: "I will not attend my classes on Friday and in
collaboration with three of my friends, we will engage in publicity work in
several colleges and universities, including City College of Berkeley and
University of California/Berkeley."
Reza Mahajeri-Nejad, Student at San Francisco
State University and former Pro-Democracy Student Political Prisoner of the
Islamic Republic, "I will be on symbolic strike for the whole day. I
will make personal contacts with the professors in the social sciences and I
will seek their active support for the imprisoned students, including Majid
Tavakoli and Bahareh Hedayat."
Manijeh Marashi, Social Worker,
Chicago, Illinois: "I will organize information sharing sessions with women form
different countries on the situation of women in Iran."
Lily Mazahery, Attorney at Law and Human
Rights Activist, and Ehsan Moghadasi, Human Rights Activist,
Washington DC: "In defense of human rights of our compatriots in Iran, we will
suspend all of our work on Friday, and we will visit the office of Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton to ask for support for democracy movement in Iran.
Moreover, we will request that Jack Dorsey, the founder of Twitter, to issue a
statement in support of the symbolic strike for Iran."
Amin Miraftabi, Special Education Teacher,
Northern California: "I will engage in publicity work for part of the day."
Nasser Moheb, Professor at Essex College,
New Jersey: "I will forego my regular work on Friday, and I will meet with my
colleagues to explain the situation in Iran and seek their support."
Cameron Niakan, Attorney at Law,
Washington DC: "I will engage in an activity in support of freedom and democracy
in Iran."
Shahnaz Nakhaie, Journalist and Columnist of
Shahrvand Newspaper, Toronto, Canada: "I will devote my time on the
strike day to contact the international media and institutions about the
horrible state of human rights in Iran."
Shohreh Nateghi, Sports Coach,
Germany: "I will contact human rights organizations and I will prepare a
petition in defense of the rights of Iranian people."
Amir Normandi, photographer, human right
activist and "Change for Equality" campaign volunteer, Illinois:
"I shall call on Illinois congressional offices in Chicago to present my written
and verbal denunciation of the IRI's brutal suppression of peaceful
pro-democracy demonstrators in Iran on December 27, 2009, and urge my
legislators to do the same in their power."
Omid Nouri, Student and Engineer,
Germany: "I will not work on that day and I will personally connect with my
contacts to inform them of Iran's human rights conditions via Internet."
Misagh Parsa, Professor at Dartmouth College,
New Hampshire: "I go on symbolic strike on Friday and devote my time to collect
support from academics for a petition in support of Iranian people."
Layla Radan, Writer, Theatre Actress, Yoga
Teacher, Northern California: "For the symbolic strike day, I will
contact the media and will publicize the freedom movement in Iran via Facebook."
Shayan Radan, Dr. of Acupuncture,
Northern California: "I will spare part of my time on that day for contacting
the media and personalities in support of freedom in Iran."
Nasrin Rahimieh, Professor and Maseeh Chair
and Director, Dr. Samuel M. Jordan Center for Persian Studies and Culture School
of Humanities at University of California - Irvine: "I will devote 4
hours of my working day speaking with student organizations here and
disseminating information about the horrors taking place in Iran."
Sepher Ramezani, Student of Business
Management, England: "I will join the symbolic strike and I will focus
on contacting the charity and humanitarian institutions in London in order to
inform them about the necessity of ending the Islamic Republic's violence
against Iranian people."
Iman Rezapour, Student and Political
Refugee, Turkey: "I will engage in dialogue and publicity work about
Iran's democratic movement with other refugees in Turkey."
Fazi Riahi, Professor at Harper College,
Illinois: "For the whole day, I will interrupt my normal activities, and I
will engage in intense publicity action against the Islamic Republic's cruelty
shown to my fellow Iranians in Iran."
Maryam Riahi, Coordinator of Sales at a
Department Store, Illinois: "For part of the day, I will distribute
informational flyers among the public."
Mansoureh Saboori, Documentary Filmmaker,
Boston, Massachusetts: "I will be on symbolic strike in the a.m. of Friday and I
will communicate with my contacts in the Democratic Party in the Boston area
about crimes against the Iranian people. Moreover, I will specifically contact
Representative Barney Frank's office."
Kourosh Sajjadi, Business Owner,
England: "I will prepare fact sheets about the human rights situation in Iran
and provide it to my employees and I will engage in Internet activism."
Maryam Salehi, Germany: "In collaboration
with my friends and colleagues, we will organize a campaign in front of the
central train station in our city. We will gather signatures for a petition and
we will send it to Germany's parliament."
Kianoosh Sanjari and Kourosh Sehati,
Democracy Activists and former Student Prisoners of the Islamic Republic,
Washington DC: "Together, we will plan an event in support of political
prisoners in Iran."
Khosrow Semnani, Omid for Iran, Utah:
"I will work within the mission of Omid for Iran in support of this
symbolic strike."
Ghazaleh Semnani, Omid for Iran, Utah:
"I will work within the mission of Omid for Iran in support of this
symbolic strike."
Behnaz Shahriari, Democracy and Human Rights
Activist, Illinois: "I will devote the entire day to contacting human
rights organizations focused on Iran, including Abdorrahman Boroumand
Foundation in Washington DC, and Iranian Minorities Human Rights
Organization for exploring ways for demanding more pressure to be applied on
the Islamic Republic by the international human rights organizations."
Parviz Shokat, Human Rights Activist,
Berkeley, California: "I will use the entire day for planning a
number of Teach-ins on democracy movement in colleges."
Abbas Shokri, Journalist, Norway: "I
will contact the Journalists' associations in Norway and prepare a news story on
the causes for this strike."
Arash Sobhani, Architect, Singer and
Song Writer of Kiosk Band: "I will actively contact the media in defense
of human rights in Iran."
Amir Soltani, Director of Operations of Omid
for Iran, Utah: "I will devote the day of the strike to drafting
editorials and press releases devoted to educating and informing the media about
the historic significance of the protests in Iran."
Parsa Sorbi, Executive Producer, Mardom
TV, Washington DC: "Mardom TV supports this symbolic strike: the
beatings, insults, detentions, and executions must stop. Freedom of expression
and freedom of political parties and organizations must prevail in Iran."
Shahram Tabe-Mohammadi, Researcher, Film
Critic, and Professor at University of Windsor, Canada: "I will go on
hunger strike for 12 hours and will inform my colleagues about the situation in
Iran."
Mirza Taghi-Khan, Satirist, Toronto,
"I will be on hunger strike for one day and I will expose the crimes of the
oppressive regime of the Islamic Republic by sending faxes and E-mails to
foreign embassies and consulates in Toronto."
Farrah Taheri, Journalist, Toronto: "I
will focus on providing an in-depth coverage to the stories of oppression in
Iran for the January 8th edition of Shahrvand. I will
especially work on the news stories regarding imprisoned journalists, Ahmad Zeyd
Abadi and Bahman Ahmadi Amoi."
Mohammad Hassan Talebi, Former Secretary of
Islamic Student Association in Iran and Political Refugee, Switzerland:
"I will hold sessions with refugees of other countries to share the horrifying
stories of the Islamic Republic atrocities against my people."
Shohreh Vafaie, Academic Advisor,
Stockholm Royal Technique University, "I join the symbolic strike on
January 8th and I will devote my time to contacting student
organizations of the university and informing them of the crimes committed
against Iranian students and people in Iran."
Maryam Yaghoobi, Businesswoman,
Switzerland: "I will interrupt my work and together with my
husband, we will set up an information table in an appropriate location
advocating support for human rights of Iranian people."
Monir Zand, Store Owner and Manager,
Northern California: "I will set up an information table about the crimes of the
Islamic Republic in front of my store for the entire day."
Hamid Zengeneh, Professor at
Widener University in Pennsylvania:
"I will engage in a relevant action on
Friday."
Hassan Zerehi, Chief Editor of Shahrvand
Newspaper, Toronto, Canada: "I will go on hunger strike for 12 hours and
will devote the Friday, January 8th issue of Shahrvand to this
cause.
Mehdi Zolfaghari, Business Owner and Program
Producer at Apadana Television, Northern California: "I will produce a
program for Apadana TV on the causes pursued by this symbolic strike."
... Payvand News - 01/08/10 ... --
