Remember These Names

Ribbons of political prisoners at IRI office in Washington

by Jahanshah Javid
27-Jul-2011
 
UPDATE: I went back to the IRI office last night and hung ribbons on the entrance door handle and nearby poles.

July 25: I paid a visit to the Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran on Wisconsin Ave in Washington, DC, Monday. First in the afternoon and then late at night when no one was around. I stuck the names of a few political prisoners and quickly took pictures until, about half an hour later, someone from the office showed up and started cursing. I told him: "man barmigardam". And I will. If you would also like to do something to highlight the plight of prisoners of conscience, send photos, cartoons and... to jj@iranian.com and they will be added to this collection.

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more from Jahanshah Javid
 
vildemose

Dear JJ: Apologies for my

by vildemose on

Dear JJ: Apologies for my unsolicited advice:

Please next time don't go alone. People are crazy; seemingly normal people can snap and go nuts. Take all precaution necessary to avoid a worse case scenario. Please...thanks.


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...

by Hooshang Tarreh-Gol on

JJ thanks for you initiative. Damet garm  o saret khosh.Advance apologies if tis sounds a bit parental, but please try to restraint from writing about anything, before it's done, it's just good procedure! When you come to Toronto let us know, we'll do some "art work" together. Maybe a nice street banner? I'll sent you an email. Take care of yourself, cheers


Jahanshah Javid

They can't do crap

by Jahanshah Javid on

The people working in this office are mostly local employees. They will not dare risk prison by attacking me. And those who have diplomatic immunity are a bunch of cowards who don't want to risk the good life outside Iran by beating up one protester and getting kicked out of the country.

I'll probably be stopped and questioned by police, though. They don't want any trouble around there. But I have the right to protest. And they know it's the law and must abide by it. So do I, of course.


Oon Yaroo

JJ, where are all those patriotic Iranians in the DC area when

by Oon Yaroo on

you need them?

Why do you go to that building alone? Why don't the IC big mouths living in that area come to your help?
Wait a second, they are too busy!


vildemose

Dear JJ: Be very careful.

by vildemose on

Dear JJ: Be very careful. These people are thugs. They can do you harm.

Are there any planned demonstrations  in NY when AN arrives?

We can do the same thing in front of his hotel room or at the UN...Give out flyers, and ribbons to the peopl in the streets with the name and picture of these prisoners...I hope someone is organizing such a protest in the NY area.


Jahanshah Javid

dobareh barmigardam, but not tonight

by Jahanshah Javid on

I was hanging ribbons for at least an hour and a half around midnight last night. Then I waited in my car for one of the employees to show up to work so I could film him removing the ribbons from the door handle. I waited an hour then a police car showed up, flashed floodlights towards me and I thought I better drive away :)

dobareh barmigardam, but not tonight. I'll annoy the hell out of you shameless, cruel, bastards. I will not keep silent :)


ayatoilet1

Damet Garm

by ayatoilet1 on

I live in the DC area ...just let me know if you need any help...or a place to stay.


Shemirani

Bravo

by Shemirani on

Freedom for our people !


ramintork

Good job JJ

by ramintork on

Great idea, I'm glad you did this.


ham1328

Jahanshah, what a great idea...

by ham1328 on

Thank you for this great idea. In my head, I'm thinking how many places I can use to have thier names and posters placed.


R2-D2

A Wonderful Stunt ;)

by R2-D2 on

Next time, please use one of those "Industrial-grade" heavy-duty plastics, together with crazy glue, so that the jack-ass from the embassy would have a terrible time removing them ..... !

 

 


Soosan Khanoom

JJ

by Soosan Khanoom on

This time you did it exactly where it should be done . I admire your idea ..

Those morons in Iranian interestsection are just enjoying life in America and they are good for nothing .. Just a bunch of hypocrites.  At least other embassy members in other countries are enjoying it temporary and after four years they will be sent back to Iran.  These in the U.S have not been sent here by the Iranian government cause there is no relationship with the U.S. U.S wil not grant visa.  They are just local people who agree to work for the interestsection but they are very royal to IRI.  I am not sure they even want any Iran / U.S relation cause for sure they will all loose their jobs ...

 


divaneh

Well done JJ

by divaneh on

Excellent initiative. The guy does not look very happy.


Michael Mahyar Hojjatie

Awesome! Here's what I would do...

by Michael Mahyar Hojjatie on

Stick that famous picture of a close-up of Hoveyda smoking a cigar on the window! Or Rahimi or Khosrowdad or anybody else especially from the prior regime they murdered in cold blood thinking they 'Warred Against God"! Oh man that would be great!


Mardom Mazloom

Great initiative

by Mardom Mazloom on

I tried to open the rtf files and have a problem with persian letters. Some of them are separately written and I cannot find out how to fix the problem. Jahanshah, would you please provide the .pdf formats as well ? I'll greet the jahl-o-jor embassy with these names.  


TheMrs

JJ Hemaayatet mikonim.

by TheMrs on

I think embassies are great places for protest.


ImtheKing

آفرین!

ImtheKing


پندار; گفتار و کردار نیک، در این عمل خلاصه شدند  


Mash Ghasem

Nice job,

by Mash Ghasem on

Kudos.


yolanda

...........

by yolanda on

Here is the list used in Persia, Iowa:

//iranian.com/main/blog/jahanshah-javid/list-names-prisoners-persia

Bilingual, too!


Esfand Aashena

JJJ you took a "short cut" from Yellowstone?!

by Esfand Aashena on

You seem like Speedy Gonzalez suddenly showing up in Washington, DC!

While you're going to the Lincoln Memorial you may want to contact some local News and see if you can get some coverage.

And for your entertainment while here try The Summer Jazz at the National Gallery of Art's Sculpture Garden on Friday afternoons and have some nice beer or Sangrias and check out the az maa behtaroons ;-)  It's very nice and you'll like the live Latin Music and plenty of subjects for a photo essay.

It's like our 13-bedar next to the big pool and Sangrias!  Oh and it's free.

Everything is sacred


vildemose

Thank you, JJ.

by vildemose on

Thank you, JJ.


Jahanshah Javid

Name files

by Jahanshah Javid on

Here are the files for the names:
//www.easy-share.com/1916922005/Names1.rtf
//www.easy-share.com/1916922005/Names2.rtf
//www.easy-share.com/1916922005/Names3.rtf
//www.easy-share.com/1916922005/Names4.rtf
//www.easy-share.com/1916922005/Names5.rtf
//www.easy-share.com/1916922005/Names6.rtf

The file for "Free Political Prisoners in Iran":
//www.easy-share.com/1916922061/FreePrisoners...

Many many are not on this list. Some may have been freed. The current names of hundreds of political prisoners are listed here:
//www.rahana.org/


Parham

Joon

by Parham on

Keyf kardam.
Go Jahanshah!


vildemose

Dear JJ: Excellent

by vildemose on

Dear JJ: Excellent work.

 Can you post the name file you are using to print your stickers? Everyone can copy your template and print their own...


Roozbeh_Gilani

"What's you plan"

by Roozbeh_Gilani on

Activism can take many shapes and forms, as you said with minimal risk. Some past examples:

1) campaign for release of a specefic prisoner. Through your local labor unions, representatives. initiate a grass root movement on their behalf withinn your community. Proud to be part of that successful campaign for Mr Osalou, the Tehran boss driver labor union leader.

2) Gathering data and documentation for legal action against the regime for their past and present crime. Again, very proud of being part of Khavaran campaign (gathering list of political prisoners executed by regime and burried in various locations in Iran for future genocide charges against the regime leadership....)  

"Personal business must yield to collective interest."


Anahid Hojjati

Thanks JJ, and your next plan is very impressive

by Anahid Hojjati on

 

 You wrote:"My next plan: Go in front of the Abraham Lincoln Memorial in Washington, write the names of 150 political prisoners on large sheets of paper, one name per hour hour for 150 hours straight, and publish all their photos live."

As far as asking about our plans, I have seen people using one intersection at the city that I live for holding political signs. It would be good to have few people including me hold signs in support of political prisoners at this intersection.


Faramarz

Leading by Example

by Faramarz on

Great job JJ!

 


Jahanshah Javid

You can too

by Jahanshah Javid on

As you can see, what I'm doing is nothing extraordinary.

Making stickers does not cost anything. Sticking them on the window, or tying a ribbon on a pole near an IRI mission, taking pictures and posting them on the internet has to be the easiest, most harmless form of spreading the word.

In a free society where you can carry out non-violent protest under the protection of the law, then what's to stop me? Or you?

Can you imagine the risks Issa Saharkhiz, Nasrin Sotoudeh, Bahareh Hedayat and countless others took? Even though they knew they were certainly risking their life and liberty? What I'm doing is child's play.

My next plan: Go in front of the Abraham Lincoln Memorial in Washington, write the names of 150 political prisoners on large sheets of paper, one name per hour for 150 hours straight, and publish all their photos live.

What's your plan?


Roozbeh_Gilani

JJ, you are doing a lot of good these days.

by Roozbeh_Gilani on

Good job man. 

"Personal business must yield to collective interest."


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PROTEST, We Must

by Amir Normandi on

THANKS JJ for Protesting

I'll send an image or 2 when I get to my studio computer later. Fantastic project, taking your protest on the road and to every corner you step.

Amir Normandi