Iranian student killed in riots named 'person of the year'

[iandhr]

Source: Haaretz


The British newspaper Times named an Iranian woman killed in post-election riots in Iran as its "person of the year."

The Times explained that 26-year-old Neda Agha-Soltan became a "symbol of opposition to tyranny" when a 40-second clip documenting her tragic death at the hand of Iranian authorities was seen by millions around the world.

The riots erupted immediately following the announcement of a landslide victory for incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Iran's presidential election in June. Opposition supporters demonstrated en mass over allegations of election fraud.

"Ms. Soltan, 26, joined the protest because she was outraged at the way that the regime stole the presidential election," the newspaper said on its front page.

"Even if a bullet goes through my heart it's not important," Times quotes Soltan as having told her fiance. "What we're fighting for is more important. When it comes to taking our stolen rights back we should not hesitate. Everyone is responsible. Each person leaves a footprint in this world."

Read more: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1137759.html

[Warpy]

1. Things have been heating up there

since Montazeri's funeral last week. Reports are that even the rural villages are seeing demonstrations against a government increasingly seen as hopelessly corrupt.

[iandhr]

2. and repressive

The result of the revolution the Iranian people traded one dictatorship for another

[marshall]

3. It'd be nice if they included her name in the headline

But then I guess she is representing all the nameless, faceless crowds who die at the hands of tyranny.

[Odin2005]

4. I remeber that. Poor woman.

And there where assholes here claiming that the story was all a CIA psy-op. :puke:

[Posteritatis]

6. *twitch* Dammit, I'd almost forgotten about those. (nt)

[Odin2005]

9. Looks like one of them just popped up in the thread.

:banghead:

[Posteritatis]

11. Was waiting for that one to show up.. (nt)

[Faygo Kid]

5. Great choice.

Heartbreaking.

[AverageJoe5]

7. How would other governments deal with similar riots?

Iran is doing the best it can do deal with rioters who refuse to accept the fact that their preferred candidate lost the election. How would the British government react if some Britons refused to accept the legitimacy of the last election, and started rioting and throwing rocks at the police? How would the Obama administration react if the "Birthers" started rioting and engaging in acts of anarchy?

[Odin2005]

8. Ahma-nutjob blatantly STOLE the election.

When it happened several DUers posted stuff that showed that the election results were simply impossible.

[Flaneur]

13. Well, it must be true then!

But maybe we should revisit that. What if Ahmadinajad actually won?

There's a good recap on Wikipedia (I know, but...): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_presidential_election,_2009

[zerox]

10. If the Obama administration reacted by sending police to fire live rounds at protestors...

it wouldn't last very long. The protests no longer have a great deal to do with the election-- this is about the removal of the theocratic regime.

[Vidar]

12. She's a good choice.