A day of rallies around the world sent a message of protest yesterday to the Iranian leadership in the wake of the recent disputed presidential election.

In over eighty cities there were calls for Tehran to release hundreds of people who have been arrested in the violence since the vote. Nobel Peace Prize Winner Shirin Ebadi added her voice saying there were a lot of young people in Iran in the pursuit of democracy and that was why she was optimistic about the future. In New York, protesters wore green teeshirts, the symbol of Iran’s protest movement. Amnesty International which organised the rallies claimed human rights are being systematically abused in Iran. Akbar Gangi, a renowned Iranian writer and formerly imprisoned himself said he was worried about those being held as the authorities were accusing them of trying to dismantle the entire regime which is a serious accusation. Opposition supporters within Iran continue to contest the June 12 election result, which has plunged the country into crisis. After reports that one opposition supporter had died in prison there was a flurry of internet activity calling for leading clerics to intervene.More about: Iran, Protest

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