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News & Views Killings spark protest against Iran hardliners From Michael Theodoulou in Nicosia A backlash by Iranian moderates over the murder of dissidents spilt on to the streets of Tehran yesterday when more than 1,000 university students called for the dismissal of the chief judge and the heads of the intelligence and security services. Their unprecedented protest came after the funeral of Muhammad Mokhtari, a dissident poet who was found strangled last week. He was mourned by thousands of writers and artists, some of whom had been in hiding in recent days, terrified they were on a hitlist. Earlier, leading hardliners claimed that a foreign "network" was to blame for the deaths of three secular writers and two dissidents in the past month. The conservative-controlled judiciary announced several people had been arrested. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country's supreme leader, hinted at American involvement, while others blamed Israel and the People's Mujahidin, an exiled opposition group. But the students made clear that they suspected the killers were given a free rein by hardliners who control Iran's "power ministries" . In addition to the killings, vigilantes have broken up pro-democracy street protests and attacked liberal newspapers while the security forces stood by. "Why don't you tell people who are committing these acts," demanded Alireza Siyasi, a student leader. He added: "Our peaceful demonstrations have been attacked and our friends beaten, but no security institution ever identified any aggressor. The people want answers." The rally ended with a resolution read to the crowd calling for the dismissal of Ayatollah Muhammad Yazdi, the judiciary chief, Dorri Najafabadi, the intelligence chief, and Brigadier-General Hedayat Lotfian, head of the security forces. The mourners were understandably more cautious. Mahmoud Dowlatabadi, one of Iran's best known writers, warned them against turning the funeral into a political rally which he said could be misinterpreted in the tense political atmosphere. Many Iranians believe the deaths are the work of hardliners who feel their power base is threatened by reforms advanced by President Khatami, a moderate who won 80 per cent of the vote in last year's elections and who remains immensely popular. The rule of law, freedom of expression and democracy are at the heart of his vision of a civil society. Despite determined opposition, Mr Khatami has fostered a relatively liberal cultural and political atmosphere, encouraging many Iranians to believe their country was at a turning point as it prepares to mark the twentieth anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in February. Such hopes have been drastically undermined by the attacks on the country's secular intellectuals, which mark the worst violence since the early years of the revolution. Many fear that increasingly outspoken Islamic critics of the regime will be targeted next. Mr Khatami was quick to condemn the killings, but there was silence until this week from his political opponents. * Iran News
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