New Year’s Day 13 – No. 11

NCRI - Hundreds of residents of Tehran and other cities across Iran were arrested during protests on the 13th day of the Iranian New Year holiday (Sizdeh-be-dar) on Friday.

The Iranian regime's State Security Forces (SSF) arrested a number of protesters in various locations across Tehran, including Melat, Daneshjoo, Shaqayeq and Chitgar parks, Azadi Square and Janat-abad district.

In central city of Esfahan, a number of people were arrested in Aineh Park, Kourosh Park and other locations in the city. They were transferred to unknown location.

In western city of Orumieh, the suppressive forces clashed with a large crowd who had gathered on a bridge over the Orumieh Lake on Friday. The suppressive forces fired teargas to break up the crowd and at least a hundred were arrested. The SSF established checkpoints on roads leading to the area to prevent people from joining the protest. A number of people who were trying to reach the lake on buses coming from cities of Ilkhchi and Salmas were arrested.

The Iranian Resistance calls on all international human rights organizations particularly the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and UN Special Rapporteur on arbitrary arrests to condemn the Iranian regime and to take immediate actions to free the detainees.

Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
April 3, 2010