Following the publication of his numerous writings in reformist papers and his calls for a referendum on the Iranian constitution, Sazegara was arrested and imprisoned several times. He protested his imprisonment with hunger strikes, which severely affected his health. He eventually was allowed to leave Iran to seek medical treatment.
Bush Institute in Dallas. We have not only inspired by the struggle of-- nonviolent movements in other countries, but I can say that we have learned from them. We have tried to-- learn the main ideas of nonviolent movements from Gandhi in India to Mandela in South Africa, to-- Eastern Europe, to Chile, to Philippine, and many of other countries-- that they have tried, they have had liberation movements based on civil resistance, peaceful resistance, and nonviolent-- conflicts tactics.
Of course, like the other movements-- we have had our own innovations, too. Some tactics are unique-- in Iran, like shouting, "Allah Akbar" on the rooftop.
In Chile, you know, people were banging on the pots and pans-- pans. But the-- in Iran they shout, "Allah Akbar," for instance, or writing slogans on the notes on money besides to the walls-- were writing on the notes was another thing which was used by Iranian activists. And I think that the-- the next moves in Iran-- which I can talk about it now because it's going to be announced-- next week-- which people are going to practice to the price of the gasoline by filling the tanks only one gallon every time, less than one gallon and so make a long cues in front of the gas stations-- which is not illegal and government can't-- can't do anything to them-- is another innovation.
Because, for instance, in Chile they-- slowed down the traffic. But in Iran, because that-- the Green Movement wants to at the same time protest to the-- increase of the prices, this tactic will help the people that-- in every gas station, about 2, gas stations are all around the country, and there will be-- a potential for protest because four-kilometers calculation shows that if only ten percent of Iranian join the-- action then we will have four kilometers to five kilometers long cue of the-- cars-- in every gas station.
And-- lots of-- mess in the traffic, especially in big cities like Tehran or Mashhad, or-- Isfahan. And there will be demonstrations everywhere without any-- illegal action, which government can't do anything. So, I mean, these types of actions are-- Iranians'-- special situation. But the main ideas-- have been-- inspired by or-- or learned from other-- countries, especially some good and famous thinkers of and founders of nonviolent-- philosophy and nonviolent actions, like Gene Sharp, for instance.
Iran is a Middle Eastern nation with a population of just over 77 million. The Shia branch of Islam is the official state religion, and approximately percent of the population belongs to the faith. The Islamic Republic of Iran is the world's only remaining theocratic state, in which political leadership is vested in religious authorities. Although many elements of Iranian society led the revolution, ultimately Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and his followers gained control of the country.
The Supreme Leader is responsible for the military and security concerns of Iran and has the final say on all issues. The president of Iran, who is elected by the public from a list approved by the Guardian Council a body comprised of clerics and jurists , is nominally responsible for administration of the executive branch and is subject to the authority of the Supreme Leader.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was elected president in While in jail, he went on two lengthy hunger strikes that caused deterioration in his health; he was permitted to go to London for medical treatment in Four months ago, Mr. Sazegara helped launch an internet petition for a referendum on the Iranian constitution that has so far garnered the support of more than 35, signatories as well as political and cultural activists in Iran and abroad.
Read more about Mohsen Sazegara. This document will download as a PDF. Current Research: Prospects for Iranian reform during the Ahmadinezhad presidency, the role of the international community in promoting Iranian democracy.
Mohsen Sazegara. Visiting Fellow. How a former Iranian official and a U. Mohsen Sazegara is sipping tea at Starbucks to ease his flu. The temperature is below freezing in Georgetown, and the year-old Iranian-rights activist has his sweater buttoned up to his chin.
Despite his professorial appearance, Sazegara is one of the most important figures influencing U. His website, at Sazegara. The site, which gets up to 40, visits in a day, has been subject to repeated cyber-attack by the regime. Realists assert that only the external behavior of a regime is of direct concern to America; its habits of repression matter little to the national interest.
Idealists believe that the internal nature of a regime eventually determines its external behavior; a government that represses its people is more likely to be aggressive and destabilizing, so American interests are served by the spread of democratic ideals. Somewhere in the compromise between these views, U. At the height of the protests following Iran's controversial presidential election this summer, a young woman named Neda Agha Soltan was shot and killed on the streets of Tehran. Her death -- filmed on a camera phone, then uploaded to the Web -- quickly became an international outrage, and Soltan became the face of a powerful movement that threatened the hard-line government's hold on power.
Iran singled out Harvard professor Gene Sharp as a key inspiration for protesters' 'velvet coup. Gene Sharp, a retired Harvard researcher, is considered the godfather of nonviolent resistance. Since the early s, his work has served as the template for taking on authoritarian regimes from Burma to Belgrade.
Antigovernment demonstrators attacked police with stones for the first time and also burned a jeep, according to an eyewitness. The nephew of former presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi was killed. A spokesman for Mr. Mousavi alleged that Seyd Ali Mousavi's killing was a targeted assassination.
He said he was shot in the heart. It has been a week of mayhem in the streets of Iran. Iran hasn't seen unrest like this since , when the Islamic Revolution toppled the Shah of Iran. He joined us today to shed light on the matter. A recent Mashable report couldn't have been more on target when it recognized YouTube as the top social media innovation of the decade.
That social media tool in the able of hands of Mohsen Sazegara, an opposition activist is being used as a military resource to rebel against Iranian tyranny that has swept the land since the disputed presidential elections held back in June. Like David versus Goliath, this is a classic tale of choosing the right weaponry. According to Christina Lamb in a TimesOnline report, Sazegara "tells people to boycott goods manufactured by factories belonging to the Revolutionary Guard and to hoard small change to make daily transactions impossible.
They arrange to plug in kettles, irons and hairdryers simultaneously to try to crash the power grid.
0コメント