9th of July

9th of July is not just another day of the calendar for majority of Iranians.

Today is the anniversary of the Iranian student uprising of 1999. It is being commemorated by numerous blog posts and demonstrations around the globe. Other anti-regime events also took place on this date and a few people may know about it.

In 1980, Hundreds of pro- freedom, pro-Shah elements of the Iranian armed forces, mainly Imperial Iranian Air Force, took part in a coup, led by the late prime minister Bakhtiar, against the ayatollahs. The coup, unfortunately, failed and many brave servicemen executed by the regime in few weeks after the coup and many other qualified personnel were purged from the service, which later paved the way for invasion of Iraq in September of that year. The plan was to bomb Khomeini's residence, seize the Radio & TV run by the revolutionary guards, and invite the royal family back to Iran and topple the mullahs regime. According to the regime's officials, Soviets had a hand in helping discover the whole plot. Watch the mock trial of these brave officers in Persian

In 1999, thousands of pro-freedom students of different universities across Iran raised against the Islamic regime and the protests lasted more than 10 days. 17 students killed, hundreds wounded and thousands detained. I completely remember those days as I was preparing for school exams and had to move across the city of Tehran to get to school. Streets were full of angry people and students. Islamic militants known as Basij and Ansar Hezballah were used to crush the protests.

the 18th of Tir (9th of July) protests have become a symbol of our struggle against the clerical establishment of Iran.

Watch this excellent clip (h/t Chester)

In 2003, similar protests erupted and lasted for more than 10 days in June resulting in arrests of 4000 thousand students. Actually every year after 1999, students gather to commemorate their fallen classmates and their gatherings always meet fierce resistance by the regime's thugs.

Today Iranian people are demanding civil liberties and political freedoms, separation of religion and state, equality and justice (especially for women), the immediate release of all political prisoners and most importantly a Free Referendum to determine the future government of Iran through a democratic process.

It's important to remind the free world about the freedom movement of the Iranian people and spread the word to get international community support for the freedom Iranians are fighting for.

All we ask for, is to help us get rid of tyranny and be free.

Cross-posted @ The Shotgun blog