For several days now, I’ve posted updates regarding the events in Iran. I have a great amount of hesitation in posting this, however; if one really wants to know what is going on with the protests, one cannot look away simply because the truth is ugly, vile or disturbing.
That said, I give you a video of a young Irania protester by the name of Neda and the last seconds of her life.
This video is very disturbing.
If you have ANY hesitation, if you DO NOT want to see a graphic scene created – apparently – by the Basij, an Iranian paramilitary force, DO NOT watch (LAST WARNING) this video…
This young woman, Neda, is the face of the Iranian revolution.
UPDATE on 6/21/09: The LA Times is covering it now, and check out the action on Twitter about her and it appears the video is now being shown on CNN.
UPDATE #2 on 6/21/09: Here is the Wikipedia entry for her.
UPDATE #3 on 6/21/09: Apparently her name was Neda Agha Soltan (also going by Neda Soltani)
UPDATE #4 on 6/22/09: La Figa has an email from an individual apparently from one of the people who tried to help Neda (from Andrew Sullivan)> Not confirmed but worth a read.
At 19:05 June 20th
Place: Karekar Ave., at the corner crossing Khosravi St. and Salehi st.A young woman who was standing aside with her father watching the protests was shot by a basij member hiding on the rooftop of a civilian house. He had clear shot at the girl and could not miss her. However, he aimed straight her heart.
I am a doctor, so I rushed to try to save her. But the impact of the gunshot was so fierce that the bullet had blasted inside the victim’s chest, and she died in less than 2 minutes.
The protests were going on about 1 kilometers away in the main street and some of the protesting crowd were running from tear gass used among them, towards Salehi St.
The film is shot by my friend who was standing beside me.
Please let the world know.
UPDATE #5 on 6/22/09: The “Guardian Council” is now admitting more than 100% of the vote was counted in a number of cities. Still does not help Neda at this point.
UPDATE #6 on 6/22/09: iReport has a picture of her grave, and it sounds like the government played the censorship card on this as well.
UPDATE #7 on 6/22/09: Neda’s fiance, Caspian Makan, spoke with BBC Persian about her Neda’s death. Good read. I find the following paragraphs to be sad:
On Monday afternoon, we had planned to hold a memorial service at the mosque.
But the authorities there and the paramilitary group, the Basij, wouldn’t allow it because they were worried it would attract unwanted attention and they didn’t want anymore trouble.
The authorities are aware that everybody in Iran and throughout the whole world knows about her story. So that’s why they didn’t want a memorial service. They were afraid that lots people could turn up at the event.
So as things stand now, we are not allowed to hold any gatherings to remember Neda.
Update #8 on 6/23/09: More from Caspian Makan, her fiance, saying Neda was caught up in the protest:
“She was near the area, a few streets away, from where the main protests were taking place, near the Amir Abad area. She was with her music teacher, sitting in a car and stuck in traffic,” it quoted him as saying. “She was feeling very tired and very hot. She got out of the car for just a few minutes.”
Update #9 on 6/23/09: Iran sent letters to mosques banning collective prayers for Neda.
Update #10 on 6/23/09: Now Caspian Makan, the reported boyfriend/fiance of Neda, is saying he asked her to not go to the protest:
“I tried to dissuade her from going out in the streets because I’d seen in my work as a journalist that, unfortunately, there are a lot of merciless behaviours,”
UPDATE #11 on 6/23/09: Jezebel has an outstanding wrap-up on the events surrounding Neda, including a bit I had not read before – the Iranian press is saying “incident was planned” by protesters.
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