FORIRAN

Symbolic Work Strike

In Solidarity with the Iranian People’s Demand for Democracy and Freedom and In Honor of the Victims of December 27, 2009 (Ashura Day) Protests

//strikeforiran.wordpress.com/

On Sunday December 27, 2009, the Islamic Republic of Iran, headed by Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the criminal supreme leader, attacked the peaceful demonstration of tens of thousands of Iranians for freedom, democracy and justice. The world witnessed the courage and conviction with which Iran’s youth, men and women, stood up against one of the most brutal theocracies in the history of the world. It was utterly outrageous to witness mercenaries and Basijis attack the defenseless people with bullets, batons, knives, machetes and even crush some protestors under vans! In sheer contrast to these acts of savagery, brave Iranian women and men were shown to risk their lives by using their bodies to shield some of these mercenaries from scores of angry protestors! They have made sure that the Iranian people’s message of peaceful and compassionate struggle reaches the world. The regime, frustrated by the people’s determination in achieving freedom and democracy, has now resorted to a wave of widespread arrests of freedom lovers and critics. Yet without doubt this will also prove to be a futile act which will only hasten the Islamic Republic’s downfall.

The heart-wrenching and bloody images of the victims of the violent assaults on protesters have shaken the world. We, the undersigned, vehemently condemn these vicious attacks on and arrests of the Iranian people. We believe that for the past six months--since the fraudulent presidential elections in June 2009--the message of millions of Iranians who continue to persevere by protesting in the streets and who risk, and many tragically even sacrifice, their lives has become loud and clear: the unequivocal end to the Islamic Republic and theocratic rule and the beginning of a secular democracy in accordance with the International Declaration of Human Rights. In the words of Abraham Lincoln, Iranians want a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

We, the undersigned, will engage in a symbolic strike on Friday, January 8, 2010, in order to condemn the countless crimes of the Islamic Republic, show our solidarity and sympathy with the Iranian people and the victims of the regime’s atrocities, and demand the freedom of all political prisoners in Iran. On that day we will voluntarily stop our normal work schedule to devote part or all of our day to engage in specific activities in support of democracy and human rights in Iran. The goal of the strike is to raise public awareness about the abhorrent violence and detentions in Iran and to call on the United Nations, international human rights organizations and all freedom loving nations and governments of the world to demand that the Islamic Republic immediately halt all forms of violence against the Iranian people and release all prisoners of conscience.

The Islamic Republic and Seyyed Ali Khamenei must know that the freedom-loving people of the world fully support the struggle of the Iranian nation. On December 27, Iranians on the streets were chanting: “Iranians shall die rather than submit to humiliation” echoing the words uttered by Patrick Henry in his court hearing on March, 23, 1775: “Give me death or give me liberty.”

Mahnaz Afshar, Human Rights Activist, Northern California: “I will engage in Facebook activism on Friday.”

Mehran Afshar and Siavash Afshar, Business Owners, Northern California:

“On the day of strike, we will install a public billboard in support of human rights in Iran.”

Nazanin Afshin-Jam, International Human Rights Activist and President and Co Founder of Stop Child Executions and former Miss World Canada: “As a fulltime human rights activist, I will continue my work echoing the voices of the Iranian people for freedom and democracy. On this particular day I will follow up with senior officials in Canadian Parliament about projects in support of the Iranian people (e.g. the naming of a street/square/park commemorating Neda Agha Soltan; the protection of Iranian dissidents seeking asylum as refugees especially in Turkey; and organizing a panel of Iranian human rights experts on Parliament Hill).”

Majid Aghaii, Student and Businessman, London , England: “I will not work on Friday and in collaboration with one of my friends, we will distribute flyers informing the public about the atrocities committed against the freedom lovers in Iran.”

Nahid Ahkami, Interior Designer and humanitarian, New Jersey : “I shall spend the entire day on strike from my work in order to contact some of the local and state officials as well as international human rights organizations in New Jersey and New York for seeking their support for human rights in Iran.”

Mostafa Ahmadi, Student, Greece: “I will join the symbolic strike and together with my wife will actively distribute information on freedom struggle in Iran to non-Iranians.”

Hamid Akbari, Professor and Department Chair at Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago: “I shall be on strike for the day and I will focus my work on contacting various academic and professoriate associations informing them of the outrageous recent bloody violence against the students at Mashhad University and seeking their support for imprisoned students and academics, including, Hamidreza Khadem, Abdollah Momeni, Bahareh Hedayat, Mehdi Arabshahi, and Majid Tavakoli.”

Homaira Akbari, Advisory Council Member of the Johns Hopkins University Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Loudon County CEO Cabinet, Baltimore : “I will devote several hours to the goal of this symbolic action. I will contact the United Nations and other human rights organizations for defending human rights in Iran.”

Simin Akbari, Human Rights Activist, Columbus , Ohio : “I devote half of my day contacting the offices of Ohio ’s congress members informing them of the crimes of the Islamic Republic against peaceful freedom loving Iranians, especially against Iranian women.”

Reza Alavi, Writer and Researcher in History and Politics and Human Rights Activist, Canada: “For Friday’s action, I will produce a program for Anjoman Ara T.V. against the Islamic Republic’s crimes and in defense of human rights.”

Nasrin Almasi, Managing Director of Shahrvand Newspaper, Toronto , Canada: “I will go on hunger strike for 12 hours and will devote the Friday, January 8th issue of Shahrvand to this cause.”

Bahman Amini, Managing Director and Publisher of Khavaran Publications, Paris , France: “I will devote my day to publicize the plight of Iranian people to the public and as many of human rights organizations in France as possible.”

Fariba Amini, Journalist and Human Rights Activist, Delaware : “In support of the symbolic strike action, I devote my time to write an article in defense of human rights and democracy in Iran.”

Shabnam Assadollahi, Producer and Host, CHIN Radio Ottawa , Hamseda Persian Program , Canada: “I will devote four hours of my time for contacting the human rights and humanitarian organizations in defense of the brave Iranian youth struggling in Iran against the atrocities of the Islamic Republic.”

Mahtab Attaran, Engineer, California : “I will spend the whole day for publicity in defense of Iranian people’s human rights.”

Reza Ashrafpour, Student, Southern California: “I will engage in a publicity campaign for human rights in Iran .”

Reza Azizi-Nejad, Pharmacist, Germany : “I join this symbolic strike and in collaboration with my colleagues, we will prepare a petition addressed to the European Union authorities. In this petition we ask EU to downgrade its diplomatic relations with the Islamic Republic and to be proactive in preventing a humanitarian catastrophe in Iran .”

Reza Baraheni, Poet, Writer, Journalist, Literary Critique, Former Professor at University of Toronto and University of Tehran, Canada: “Following my ongoing activism during the past six decades in condemning all Iranian dictators and their foreign backers, I will once again join the freedom lovers of Iran and the world with this calling: down with the dictator and long live freedom!”

Shahla Bawar, Registered Nurse, Florida: “I shall join the strike through some action that will be announced.”

Mohammad Beheshti, Mechanical Engineer, Denmark: “I will not go to work and I will spend the entire day publicizing the worsening situation of human rights in Iran.”

Cyrus Bina, Distinguished Research Professor at University of Minnesota at Morris, “I will interrupt my normal activities on that day and I will set up media engagements, including with an interview with Azadegan Radio, for exposing the Islamic Republic’s crimes.”

Reza Deghati, Paris-based Award Winning International Photo Journalist, Humanitarian and the Founder of AINA in Afghanistan: “On Friday, January 8th, I will not do my usual work but will distribute information about Iran to the media. I will spend my whole day in front of my computer and will write personal letters to all my media contacts and other influential contacts.”

Yadi Delaviz, Scientist, Ohio: “I am going to communicate through personal talk and EMAIL and explain human rights situation and suppression of the Iranian people by the government to at least 10 Americans (or non-Iranians) on Friday, January 8, 2010.”

Alaleh Dowlatshahi, Dentist, Illinois: “I will devote my day to the publicity in defense of freedom, democracy and human rights in Iran.”

Tohid Eghdami, Student, London, England: “I will not attend my classes on that day and will contact as many of human rights organizations as I can.”

Morteza Enayatollahi, Student and Driver, London, England: I will interrupt my work for Friday and I will team up with my brother and one of my colleagues. Together, we will publicize the atrocities committed by the Islamic Republic against the people of Iran.”

Safa Enayatollahi, Student in London, England: I will not work on that day and I will distribute flyers in support of Iranian people in front of underground.”

Nasser Esmailzadeh, Student and Physical Education Teacher, Denmark: “I will not attend my classes on that day and rather will work to inform my fellow students as well as professors of the worsening human rights conditions in Iran.”

Shadi Farahani, Student, Germany: “I will devote my entire day to inform my fellow students, as well as the professors, at my school about Iran’s worsening human rights situation.”

Hesam Faryad, Singer, Lyricist and Melodist, Canada: “I would be more than happy to join this symbolic action. I will arrange to record a new song on January 8th in the memory of all those dear young men and women who have lost their lives in the name of freedom and democracy in Iran. The lyrics and music will be mine. Once it is ready I will share it online.”

Ehsan Firouzi, Ph.D. Student at University of California, Berkeley: “I will devote part of the day to distributing flyers about the situation in Iran.”

Manouchehr Ghanbari, Business Owner, Northern California: “I join this symbolic strike and I will publicize the struggle of Iranian people for freedom.”

Ezzat Ghoushegir, Playwright and Faculty of DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois: For January 8, I’ll write a short play in support of the brave souls in Iran who are protesting against the tyranny and I'll send it to theatre companies, blogs and people I know, as a challenging voice for the return of political theatre. The goal is to find peaceful solutions, reviving a universal solidarity to end violence and tyranny!”

Hojat Golpayegani, Freelance Writer and Human Rights Activist, Toronto, Canada: “For the day, I will write or translate one or two articles about the situation in Iran and submit it for publication to Shahrvand Newspaper.”

Damon Golriz, Student, Netherlands: “I will join the symbolic strike for the people of Iran. I will go in front of the embassy of Iran in Hague and ask the Iranian employees and staff of the embassy to join with the strike and in support of the Green movement of Iran.”

Shohreh Hassani, Radiographer, Ohio: “I would send at least 10 E-mails/Youtube clips to non-Iranians, and Senator Brown's office to let them know what is going on in Iran.”

Kaveh Hedayati and Mojan Hedayati, Artists, Berkeley, California: “In support of Iranian people’s struggle for freedom, we will perform an artistic program at Berkeley’s Persian Center.”

Vahid Hosseini, Taxi Driver, London, England: “I will take the a.m. off and I will use Internet and telephone for promoting democracy and human rights in Iran.”

Amir Imani, Store Owner, London, England: “I will engage in Internet activism for Iranian people for the day.”

Massih Jafari-Gorzini, Dentist, Maniz, Germany: “I will spend my entire day informing the public about the worsening situation of human rights in Iran and especially the cases of imprisoned Iranian women activists.”

Mehdi Jafari-Gorzini, Member and Senior Advisor for Middle Eastern Affairs of Social Democratic Party in Germany: “On the day of the strike, I will undertake special consultation sessions with the members of the Social Democratic party in finding ways to support the freedom movement in Iran.”

Shayda Jafari-Gorzini, Ph.D. in Genetics, University of Mainz, Germany: “I will devote my time to inform my colleagues about Iran’s worsening human rights situation.”

Nader Jahanfard, Sports Journalist, San Jose, California: “I will inform the sports and athletics community as well as the media about Iran.”

Masoud Kazemzadeh, Professor at Sam Houston University, Texas: “I will go on symbolic work strike for half of the day and I will arrange to have a radio show recorded on the subject of violations of human rights in Iran.”

Bahareh Keshavarz, City Planner and Nazi D'jahanshahi, Electrical Engineer , Florida: “We will devote half of our working day on Friday to develop an action plan against Dalian Eagle-Sky Co., a Chinese firm which is sending anti-riot combat vehicles to Iran to be used against the anti-government freedom seekers movement in Iran.”

Faramarz Khodayari, Producer and Host of Havaye Tazeh Radio Show, San Francisco: “In support of the symbolic strike, I will devote my weekly radio program to this cause.”

Azar Khounani, Founder and Executive Director of a Community Day Care Center, Illinois: “I will not work for at least 4 hours and I will contact a number of women’s rights organizations in the state and nationally, as well as the Democratic Party members, for impressing upon them the necessity of recognizing and giving vocal and moral support to the leading role of Iranian women in the Iranian pro-democracy movement.”

Arash Mahajeri-Nejad, College Student, Berkeley, California: “I will not attend my classes on Friday and in collaboration with three of my friends, we will engage in publicity work in several colleges and universities, including City College of Berkeley and University of California/Berkeley.”

Reza Mahajeri-Nejad, Student at San Francisco State University and former Pro-Democracy Student Political Prisoner of the Islamic Republic, “I will be on symbolic strike for the whole day. I will make personal contacts with the professors in the social sciences and I will seek their active support for the imprisoned students, including Majid Tavakoli and Bahareh Hedayat.”

Manijeh Marashi, Social Worker, Chicago, Illinois: “I will organize information sharing sessions with women form different countries on the situation of women in Iran.”

Lily Mazahery, Attorney at Law and Human Rights Activist, and Ehsan Moghadasi, Human Rights Activist, Washington DC: “In defense of human rights of our compatriots in Iran, we will suspend all of our work on Friday, and we will visit the office of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to ask for support for democracy movement in Iran. Moreover, we will request that Jack Dorsey, the founder of Twitter, to issue a statement in support of the symbolic strike for Iran.”

Amin Miraftabi, Special Education Teacher, Northern California: “I will engage in publicity work for part of the day.”

Nasser Moheb, Professor at Essex College, New Jersey: “I will forego my regular work on Friday, and I will meet with my colleagues to explain the situation in Iran and seek their support.”

Cameron Niakan, Attorney at Law, Washington DC: “I will engage in an activity in support of freedom and democracy in Iran.”

Shahnaz Nakhaie, Journalist and Columnist of Shahrvand Newspaper, Toronto, Canada: “I will devote my time on the strike day to contact the international media and institutions about the horrible state of human rights in Iran.”

Shohreh Nateghi, Sports Coach, Germany: “I will contact human rights organizations and I will prepare a petition in defense of the rights of Iranian people.”

Amir Normandi, photographer, human right activist and “Change for Equality” campaign volunteer, Illinois: “I shall call on Illinois congressional offices in Chicago to present my written and verbal denunciation of the IRI’s brutal suppression of peaceful pro-democracy demonstrators in Iran on December 27, 2009, and urge my legislators to do the same in their power.”

Omid Nouri, Student and Engineer, Germany: “I will not work on that day and I will personally connect with my contacts to inform them of Iran’s human rights conditions via Internet.”

Misagh Parsa, Professor at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire: “I go on symbolic strike on Friday and devote my time to collect support from academics for a petition in support of Iranian people.”

Layla Radan, Writer, Theatre Actress, Yoga Teacher, Northern California: “For the symbolic strike day, I will contact the media and will publicize the freedom movement in Iran via Facebook.”

Shayan Radan, Dr. of Acupuncture, Northern California: “I will spare part of my time on that day for contacting the media and personalities in support of freedom in Iran.”

Nasrin Rahimieh, Professor and Maseeh Chair and Director, Dr. Samuel M. Jordan Center for Persian Studies and Culture School of Humanities at University of California – Irvine: “I will devote 4 hours of my working day speaking with student organizations here and disseminating information about the horrors taking place in Iran.”

Sepher Ramezani, Student of Business Management, England: “I will join the symbolic strike and I will focus on contacting the charity and humanitarian institutions in London in order to inform them about the necessity of ending the Islamic Republic’s violence against Iranian people.”

Iman Rezapour, Student and Political Refugee, Turkey: “I will engage in dialogue and publicity work about Iran’s democratic movement with other refugees in Turkey.”

Fazi Riahi, Professor at Harper College, Illinois: “For the whole day, I will interrupt my normal activities, and I will engage in intense publicity action against the Islamic Republic’s cruelty shown to my fellow Iranians in Iran.”

Maryam Riahi, Coordinator of Sales at a Department Store, Illinois: “For part of the day, I will distribute informational flyers among the public.”

Mansoureh Saboori, Documentary Filmmaker, Boston, Massachusetts: “I will be on symbolic strike in the a.m. of Friday and I will communicate with my contacts in the Democratic Party in the Boston area about crimes against the Iranian people. Moreover, I will specifically contact Representative Barney Frank’s office.”

Kourosh Sajjadi, Business Owner, England: “I will prepare fact sheets about the human rights situation in Iran and provide it to my employees and I will engage in Internet activism.”

Maryam Salehi, Germany: “In collaboration with my friends and colleagues, we will organize a campaign in front of the central train station in our city. We will gather signatures for a petition and we will send it to Germany’s parliament.”

Kianoosh Sanjari and Kourosh Sehati, Democracy Activists and former Student Prisoners of the Islamic Republic, Washington DC: “Together, we will plan an event in support of political prisoners in Iran.”

Khosrow Semnani, Omid for Iran, Utah: “I will work within the mission of Omid for Iran in support of this symbolic strike.”

Ghazaleh Semnani, Omid for Iran, Utah: “I will work within the mission of Omid for Iran in support of this symbolic strike.”

Behnaz Shahriari, Democracy and Human Rights Activist, Illinois: “I will devote the entire day to contacting human rights organizations focused on Iran, including Abdorrahman Boroumand Foundation in Washington DC, and Iranian Minorities Human Rights Organization for exploring ways for demanding more pressure to be applied on the Islamic Republic by the international human rights organizations.”

Parviz Shokat, Human Rights Activist, Berkeley, California: “I will use the entire day for planning a number of Teach-ins on democracy movement in colleges.”

Abbas Shokri, Journalist, Norway: “I will contact the Journalists’ associations in Norway and prepare a news story on the causes for this strike.”

Arash Sobhani, Architect, Singer and Song Writer of Kiosk Band: “I will actively contact the media in defense of human rights in Iran.”

Amir Soltani, Director of Operations of Omid for Iran, Utah: “I will devote the day of the strike to drafting editorials and press releases devoted to educating and informing the media about the historic significance of the protests in Iran.”

Parsa Sorbi, Executive Producer, Mardom TV, Washington DC: “Mardom TV supports this symbolic strike: the beatings, insults, detentions, and executions must stop. Freedom of expression and freedom of political parties and organizations must prevail in Iran.”

Shahram Tabe-Mohammadi, Researcher, Film Critic, and Professor at University of Windsor, Canada: “I will go on hunger strike for 12 hours and will inform my colleagues about the situation in Iran.”

Mirza Taghi-Khan, Satirist, Toronto, “I will be on hunger strike for one day and I will expose the crimes of the oppressive regime of the Islamic Republic by sending faxes and E-mails to foreign embassies and consulates in Toronto.”

Farrah Taheri, Journalist, Toronto: “I will focus on providing an in-depth coverage to the stories of oppression in Iran for the January 8th edition of Shahrvand. I will especially work on the news stories regarding imprisoned journalists, Ahmad Zeyd Abadi and Bahman Ahmadi Amoi.”

Mohammad Hassan Talebi, Former Secretary of Islamic Student Association in Iran and Political Refugee, Switzerland: “I will hold sessions with refugees of other countries to share the horrifying stories of the Islamic Republic atrocities against my people.”

Shohreh Vafaie, Academic Advisor, Stockholm Royal Technique University, “I join the symbolic strike on January 8th and I will devote my time to contacting student organizations of the university and informing them of the crimes committed against Iranian students and people in Iran.”

Maryam Yaghoobi, Businesswoman, Switzerland: “I will interrupt my work and together with my husband, we will set up an information table in an appropriate location advocating support for human rights of Iranian people.”

Monir Zand, Store Owner and Manager, Northern California: “I will set up an information table about the crimes of the Islamic Republic in front of my store for the entire day.”

Hamid Zengeneh, Professor at Widener University in Pennsylvania: “I will engage in a relevant action on Friday.”

Hassan Zerehi, Chief Editor of Shahrvand Newspaper, Toronto, Canada: “I will go on hunger strike for 12 hours and will devote the Friday, January 8th issue of Shahrvand to this cause.

Mehdi Zolfaghari, Business Owner and Program Producer at Apadana Television, Northern California: “I will produce a program for Apadana TV on the causes pursued by this symbolic strike.”