Iran: resistance grows as death toll tops 500

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[7]The independent Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA [8]) released [9] statistics finding that 522 protestors, including 70 children and youths, have been killed in Iran since the start of the national uprising in September. Authorities have arrested 19,400, including 168 children and youths. Of those detained, 110 are "under impending threat" of a death sentence. Four protestors have already been executed [10]. Thousands of Iranians from across Europe meanwhile gathered at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, to demand that the body officially designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. A statement [11] in support of the measure was issued by an underground alliance of protest groups, United Youth of Iran. The new underground network released a manifesto [12] last month, calling for a unified front of protesters, labor unions and opposition forces to bring about a secular, democratic government in Iran. (Photo via Twitter [13])

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The independent Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA [8]) on Jan. 16 released [9] statistics finding that 522 protestors, including 70 children and youths, have been killed in Iran since the start of the national uprising [10] in September. Authorities have arrested 19,400 people, including 168 children and youths. Of those detained, 110 are "under impending threat" of a death sentence. Four protestors have already been executed [10]. Human Rights Watch additionally reported [15] that authorities have fired assault rifles on protestors, and have subjected those in detention to torture, mistreatment and sexual abuse. (Jurist [16])

Also Jan. 16, thousands of Iranians from across Europe gathered at the European Parliament headquarters in Strasbourg, France, to demand that the body officially designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. Debate on such a measure is to be taken up at the EuroParliament's opening plenary session.

A statement [11] in support of the measure was issued by an underground alliance of protest groups in Iran. "We wish to declare our full support for listing [the IRGC] as a terrorist organization by the international community," said the statement from United Youth of Iran. The new underground network released a manifesto [12] last month, calling for a unified front of protesters, labor unions and opposition forces to bring about a secular, democratic government in Iran. (Iran International [17])