RFE/RL Exclusive: Vaclav Havel Expresses Solidarity with Iranian Protestors
Iran -- Iranian supporters of defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Musavi march in Tehran, 15Jun2009.
June 15, 2009
(PRAGUE, Czech Republic) Former Czech President Vaclav Havel tells RFE/RL that Western countries should "express solidarity for those [Iranians] who are defending human rights" [
full interview]. Earlier, an eyewitness claimed that at least one person was killed today and many others wounded by gunmen who opened fire at a mass rally in support of Mir Hossein Musavi in Tehran [
more].
In Iran, RFE/RL's Persian Service, Radio Farda, is broadcasting live, uninterrupted news from the streets. In the last 72 hours, Radio Farda aired more than 200 interviews with demonstrators, political experts, students, and ordinary Iranians in Tehran and 15 other cities across the country. It also covered live demonstrations in Europe, Canada, Australia, Malaysia, and Dubai.
Radio Farda's (Persian-language) website has video, photos, message boards, and continuous updates from reporters and eyewitnesses in Tehran. The site is attracting more than 300,000 visits each day (at least 100,000 from inside Iran) and more than 2.4 million page views.
Thousands of messages are also pouring in to Radio Farda's Facebook and Twitter pages.
SEE ALSO: BBG Calls on Iranian Government to Open Airwaves (June 15)