FOUR OF THE EIGHT DETAINED STUDENTS FREED
TEHRAN 27 Nov. (IPS)
Four of the several students detained Tuesday were released early Wednesday morning, but were told to be ready for further investigation on Saturday to face charges, including insulting Islamic religious values and acting against national security, the official Iranian news agency IRNA said.Abdollah Mo’meni, Sa’id Razavi Faqih, Mehdi Aminzadeh, Akbar Atri, Amin Bozorgian, Davar Nazari, Behnam Amini and Arash Keykhosrow, all activists leaders of the Office for Consolidating Unity (OCU), Iranian students largest pro-reform organisation, were rounded up by plain-clothe agents, acting on warrants from the Tehran branch of the Islamic Revolution Court, and taken to undisclosed prisons.
The Islamic Revolution tribunal is responsible for matters touching national security affairs and is controlled by the leader of the regime, Ayatollah Ali Khamenehi.
Students sources told IPS that all the detained were released except Mr. Bozorgian, Mr. Nazari, Mr. Amini, and Mr. Keykhosrow.
They also confirmed that some of the activists, like Mr. Razav Faqih, had been overpowered by the abductor with tear gas sprayed on them and bundled in waiting cars after being handcuffed and blind-folded.
"They (interrogators) wanted to know about connections between our movement with other groups and organisations inside and outside Iran", Mr. Razavi Faqih told the Persian service of the BBC, referring to accusations by senior conservative clerics that the students were acting on "orders" from the Americans.
"No one understand what is the relation between a decision by a court in Hamadan against a man who has insulted the prophet and the clergy with the universities. In fact, the (protesting) students are dancing with American music and are drunk with the smell of promised dollars", had said Ayatollah Ali Meshkini, the Friday Preacher of the central city of Qom and a close associate of the leader.
The surprise roundup and the quick release of the students were seen as a warning by the conservatives to the students that if they continue with their protest movement, they would face prison.
"The authorities wanted to intimidate the students, but actually have shot on their own legs", commented Dr. Qasem Sho’leh Sa’di, a former member of the Majles and a prominent lawyer.
In a statement issued late Wednesday, the OCU said the "only way to get out of the present crisis was to go to polls and organise referendum".
"The fact is that the authorities are anxiously looking to 7 of December, which is the Students Day. Both the arrest and the release of the student’s leaders are parts of the same scenario, aimed at telling the students to stop with their movement, specially on that day", observed Mr. Jamshid Barzegar, a Vienna-based independent Iranian journalist, talking to the Persian service of the BBC.
"The release of the students does not mean that the Judiciary has backed off, to the contrary, by opening charges against them, it had hanged a Damocles Sword over their heads", he added.
In his view, the students are in a "pincer situation", as, in the one hand, they face the iron fist of the conservatives and on the other, the "balancing" of the reformers between an outright support for their movement or keeping silence.
The students started their protest three weeks ago, after a court in the western city of Hamadan handed a death verdict on Dr. Hashem Aqajari, a university professor, charged with "sab nabi", or insulting Muslim’s prophet Mohammad.
The arrest of the students had raised fears that it could lead to an outright popular uprising against the Islamic Republic, as, besides the unconditional release of Mr. Aqajari and a public apology by the Head of the Judiciary, the students were also calling for a radical change in the present system of governance.
Bowing to mounting pressures from the public at home and the international community, outraged by the verdict, Ayatollah Khameneh'i first ordered the Judiciary to review the death sentence, but then he warned the students to stop their demonstrations or face the "popular forces", meaning the basij volunteers and Islamic thugs.
To prove that he means business, Mr. Khameneh'i ordered the basij and the Ansar thugs to show its iron fist by entering the campuses and organise demonstrations in favour of the ruling clerical leadership.
"The problem with our regime is that now it lacks legitimacy and therefore, whatever decision it takes, positive or negative, is not accepted by the people. For example, Mr. Khameneh'i first warned the officials and the students of bringing the popular forces into the arena, but then he backed off, ordered the review the death sentence on Mr. Aqajari to be reviewed. This contradiction is symptomatic of the present government. Regardless of his menaces or offer of conciliation, the authorities are behind the people and their demands for changes, as expressed by the students", Mr. Sho’leh Sa’di explained. ENDS STUDENTS FREED 271102