Hundreds Of Turkish-Minority Activists Arrested In Iran

Iranian security forces arrested hundreds of Turkish citizens demonstrating in Tabriz and other cities in northwestern Iran, between May 22 and May 26.

Thousands of Turkish citizens living in Iran gathered to protest against the Iranian regime's repression of the Turkish minority in the country. Among those arrested were political activists, journalists, human rights activists, and intellectuals.

Tabriz MP Akbar A'alami, member of Iran's Parliamentary Committee for National Security and Foreign Policy, spoke out against the arrests and the actions of the security forces, saying that it was not possible to revoke freedom of expression, opinion, and organization, or to repress marches of unarmed protestors, for the sake of Iran's integrity and independence.

Source: Aftab, Iran, May 29, 2007; Rooz, Iran, May 31, 2007

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Egyptian blogger Abdelkareem Nabil Suleiman was arrested for allegedly "defaming the President of Egypt" and "highlighting inappropriate aspects the harm the reputation of Egypt" on his blog.

A petition calling for his release has been posted online by the HAMSA organization ("Hands Across the Mideast Support Alliance"), an American Muslim association for promoting civil rights in the Middle East.

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