From the organizers:
During the week of June 10, 2010 Unite for Iran was launched, a week of awareness raising events in London for human rights in Iran from June 10 – 18, 2010. The week was organized by Unite4Iran in collaboration with Amnesty International UK, ARTICLE 19, Human Rights Watch, Exiled Writers Ink, International Coalition Against Violence, One Million Signatures Campaign, and Prisoners of Conscience. Unite for Iran successfully brought together the work being done by these NGOs and provided an insight into various human rights issues in Iran. Internationally, over 85 cities worldwide were involved in events on and around June 12th to bring the world’s attention to these issues, focusing on the situation since the fraudulent 2009 presidential election.
The week started with a mobile billboard carrying the pictures of the seven leaders of the Bahai community in Iran who have been in Evin prison for over two years and Habibollah Latifi, a Kurdish activist accused of being a Moharreb and in imminent risk of execution. The mobile billboard traveled around central London on the 10th June and in front of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Embassy in London on the 12th June to bring to the attention of the Londoners prisoners of conscience in Iran and the deteriorating human rights situation.
On Monday 14th “Offside” by renowned Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi was shown at Human Rights Action Centre in London in solidarity with Jafar Panahi who was arrested and imprisoned on 1st March 2010 and only released on bail after an international campaign demanding his release. Wednesday 16th June, Exiled Writers Ink, International Coalition Against Violence in Iran and the One Million Signature Campaign commemorate the Women of Iran by presenting a memorable evening of music, poetry, short films, analysis and debate, held at Free Word Centre. The week concluded on Friday 18th June with an evening devoted to Prisoners of Conscience and their families with a panel discussion with Iranian journalist and writer Masih Alinejad, author and women’s rights activist Rouhi Shafii and Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa. As part of Global Day of Awareness of Prisoners of Conscience in Iran, United4Iran have adopted the seven Bahai leaders and we will campaign for their unconditional release and lobby the Iranian authorities and seek the support of UK government through our e-campaign for their release. To find out more about the week of action and our ongoing campaigns, please visit http://www.uniteforiran.org.uk and follow us on twitter @uniteforiran.
