As Iranians Cry Out For Freedom, Democracy & Justice, Iran Closes Gmail, Cracks Down on Opposition: Several Protesters Sentenced to Death
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Iran Shuts Down Gmail, Announces National E-Mail Service
FOXNews.comIran’s telecommunications agency announced what it described as a permanent suspension of Google’s e-mail services, saying that a national e-mail service for Iranian citizens would soon be rolled out.
DEVELOPING: Iran’s telecommunications agency announced what it described as a permanent suspension of Google’s e-mail services Wednesday, saying instead that a national e-mail service for Iranian citizens would soon be rolled out. It wasn’t clear what effect the order had on Google’s e-mail services in Iran.
Google didn’t have an immediate comment about the announcement, which comes as Iranian authorities deployed in force across Tehran Wednesday to conduct last-minute security sweeps and warn residents to refrain from joining antigovernment protests planned for Thursday — the anniversary of the Islamic revolution.
Police have confiscated satellite dishes from residential roof tops, according to opposition Web sites. Some pedestrians have been quoted on opposition Web sites saying that their mobile phones were searched and, in some cases, taken by police patrolling areas of the capital where protests have erupted in the past. Iranians have also reported widespread service disruptions of text messaging services, though mobile phones appeared to be operating normally Wednesday.
Iranian authorities tasked with upholding Islamic values have also been scouring the streets, harassing people wearing green, the trademark color of the opposition, according to witness accounts posted on opposition Web sites.
The government typically orchestrates large, carnival-like rallies and demonstrations to mark the anniversary of the Islamic Republic. For this year’s events on Feb. 11, the day marking the culmination of the annual celebrations, opposition leaders have called for protesters to demonstrate against the regime. That has set the stage for clashes between authorities and demonstrators, who have taken to the streets repeatedly to protest the outcome of presidential elections in June.
Government officials, meanwhile, ratcheted up threats against any protests Thursday, vowing to confront demonstrators on the streets and calling for government supporters to turn out in large numbers. Iranian officials have branded protesters as agents of foreign powers.
The Wall Street Journal contributed to this report.
Iran arrests revolution day ‘plotters’
 People have continued to come out on the streets despite threats |
Police chief Esmail Ahmadi Moghaddam did not give any details of the arrests, the Fars news agency said.
Opposition leaders have called on supporters to gather on Thursday, raising the possibility of violence in cities across the country.
The authorities have said they will crush any anti-government protests.
There have been a number of outbreaks of violence since disputed elections in June 2009, scores of people have been killed and scores more imprisoned, government opponents say.
Until last year, public protests against Iran’s leadership were virtually unheard of.
Threats
But after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was re-elected last June, opposition leaders have been calling supporters out onto the streets.
The Iranian leadership has countered with threats, saying a display of unity from Iranians will deliver a “punch in the face” to opposition reformists and the West, which they accuse of fostering dissent.
 | RECENT UNREST IN IRAN 19 Dec: Influential dissident cleric Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn Ali Montazeri dies aged 87 21 Dec: Tens of thousands attend his funeral in Qom; reports of clashes between opposition supporters and security forces 22 Dec: Further confrontations reported in Qom 23 Dec: More clashes reported in city of Isfahan as memorial is held 24 Dec: Iran reportedly bans further memorial services for Montazeri except in his birthplace and Qom 26 Dec: Clashes reported in central and northern Tehran 27 Dec: At least eight dead following anti-government protests in Tehran; 300 reported arrested |
He said people should not provoke government forces by chanting radical slogans.
The pro-government Basij Islamic militia have been charged by the authorities with keeping order during Thursday’s anniversary of the 1979 revolution that toppled Iran’s royal family.
The militia, who have been accused of shocking violence during past demonstrations, are “ready for any possible incident”, Mr Moghaddam was quoted by the Reuters news Agency as saying.
“They will let no-one create insecurity,” he said.
In December, eight people were killed in clashes at demonstrations during Ashura, one of the holiest days in the Shia Muslim calendar.
At least 30 protesters have been killed in clashes since the 2009 election, although the opposition says more than 70 have died.
More than 80 people have been jailed for up to 15 years, including former government spokesman Abdullah Ramezanzadeh, former vice-president Mohammad Ali Abtahi, former deputy economy minister Mohsen Safaie Farahani and former industry minister Behzad Nabavi.
Some 200 activists remain in detention.
Related:
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Iranian View of Nuclear Stand-Off [video]
Iranian Opposition Calls for More Demonstrations
- Iran’s police chief warns against potential protests (cnn.com)
- Iran Rewards Basij Militia With Political Clout (abcnews.go.com)
- Iran steps up security over protest fears (guardian.co.uk)
- Melody Moezzi: Iran’s Impending Avalanche (huffingtonpost.com)
- British woman on trial in Iran for attending protests (telegraph.co.uk)
- Iran Authorities Brace for Protests (online.wsj.com)
- Iran arrests reformist ‘plotters’ (news.bbc.co.uk)
- Iranian net slows to a crawl before planned protests (go.theregister.com)
- Iranian regime facing splits over hardline crackdown on protests (telegraph.co.uk)
- Ayatollah Khomeini (newstatesman.com)
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- Iran jails second protest leader (news.bbc.co.uk)
- Iran on alert before Islamic Revolution rally (guardian.co.uk)
- Iran arrests several opposition organizers (msnbc.msn.com)
- Iranian regime facing splits over hardline crackdown on protests (telegraph.co.uk)
- Iran sentences another activist to death (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
- Iran steps up security over protest fears (guardian.co.uk)
- Iran: activists arrested before expected protests (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
- Iranians protest at Rome’s Tehran embassy (sfgate.com)
- Report: Iran protester sentenced to die (cnn.com)
From Chase Hunter, Citizen Journalist, author of
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