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In this excerpt Ebadi mentions that families of demonstrators killed in the past few weeks are not allowed to hold ceremonies for them.
She tells us that the world has a right to demand and can pay attention to human rights in Iran just as Iran expresses concern over the rights of Palestinians and Iraqis.

Finally she calls on the free people of the world to support and empathize with democratic Iranians.

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Mehry: Dear Iranians, we are with you. Everywhere in the world, we are Iranians and in our hearts their is always a place for Iran and Iranians.

Kader: I am in love with all Iranian women. From young to old, their are no women more beautiful than Iranian women. Whether you go to the streets, stay at home, you remain beautiful and you give us energy. And I say hello to all the people of Iran, especially the young. You give us hope, and we are behind you.

Shahin: Our request and wish from the people of the world is this: understand that the current government does not represent Iranians, our culture, or our heritage.

Again, thanks to Ingeborg Brunt Mediaproductions!

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In this interview, Shirin Ebadi makes these points:

Shirin Ebadi backstage (photo by TJ)

2. She says that the news from outside makes Iranians realize that they are not alone. She thanks those outside Iran for their support.

3. She tells us that in Iran a committee of women devoted to freedom has been formed in Iran. Many of the women have children in prison or who have been killed or disappeared. They go to parks every Saturday between 7-8 pm. She asks all free women, all over the women world to join them. Go to parks, dressed in black to support these women.

4. The people of Iran went into the street to protest the vote. More than a million people participated in the first demonstration; not one window was broken. When the demonstration ended, the government responded with violence. They killed several people in the streets. They attacked students in their dormitories.

5. Her final point is that no one should watch the false confessions and lies of state television.

Special thanks to Ingeborg Brunt Mediaproductions for their hard work (volunteer!) for United 4 Iran.

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Shirin Ebadi’s speech:

Shirin Ebadi Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXdcLgnDYeE

Shahram Najafi

Diana Ozon (poet) & Wil Schmal (guitarist)

Long live liberty!

Photos from a rally participant

http://cid-1149c4f6837b902d.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/Iran%20demo%202507

Babak Ameri and Selma

Kader Abdolah

Mina Ahadi

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Dr. Payam Akhavan

It begins with Kader Abdolah’s amazing talk, in which he tells the croud, No more death. Just go!

Shirin Ebadi

Akhavan says, “We can chant Death to the Islamic Republuc all we that want, but what we have to think about is what is the Iran that we we want to build in the future? And unless, in our own midst, we [don't] understand what human rights, democracy, and peaceful demonstration is then we can never build the Iran that we want… In Iran there is a home for everyone. For Persians and Kurds and Baluch and Lor, for Muslim, Secular, Christian, Bahai, and Jew..”

Later, Shirin Ebadi tells us to contact Ban-Ki Moon and ask him to go to Iran to report on the situation. She tells us that the violence in Iran keeps getting worse and asks Ban-Ki Moon, as head of the UN, to make sure that Iran does not become another Zimbabwe.

No watch the video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6fEB8EFxn0):

And thanks to CrazyWorld65 for taking the time to edit!

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Shirin Ebadi poses with volunteers

Honestly, I just fell in love with all of them. I’m head over heels.

We wanted more people at our rally. Of course we did. We wanted to show Iranians that in a free country, 10,000 people could show up to peacefully demonstrate. In the end, we had about 2,000. Of course it is, as my husband and the coordinator of the Amsterdam event says, “cucumber time” in the Netherlands. Everyone, and I mean half of everyone, is on vacation.

Shirin Ebadi (photo by TJ Schuitmaker)

Still, we managed to get a great crowd and to have a peaceful demonstration. And while I would love to talk about every one of our amazing speakers and performers, I am going to use this space to talk about Shirin Ebadi. She really energized the crowd. She led us in chants, responded to hecklers, and called us to action. She asked us to show our support for the mothers of those who have been killed in Iran by going to a local park once a week dressed in black. I can do that, can you? She asked us to send a strong message to Nokia/Siemens who sold software to the Iranian regime that allows every cell phone call made in Iran (and the US) to be tracked. (It made me happy to carry around my old, un-smart Sony Erickson phone.)

Our crowd (Photo by TJ Schuitmaker)

Unfortunately, we did have an Iranian embassy employee wrapped in a Shir-o-Khorshid flag taking photos of all those in attendance. I am sure that other demonstrations will have similar stories.

Overall, our event was great. Our team was even better, and I’m so tired that I can smell my pillow.

- Tori Egherman

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