Demonstrators, while chanting “free all political prisoners” and “in Iran, cry is freedom”, called for the release of all political prisoners.

Families of political prisoners brought photos of their relatives who are locked away in the notorious prisons Evin and Gohardasht (in Karaj).

State Security Forces and plainclothes agents tried to bring about an end to the protest by brutally attacking and beating the crowd. A number of demonstrators were injured seriuosly.

A number of protestors and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran held up photos of the leader of the Iranian Resistance Mr. Massoud Rajavi and the President-elect of the Iranian Resistance Mrs. Maryam Rajavi. While brutally attacking such people, agents of the SSF arrested several of them.

Following the attack by the SSF, the crowd dispersed and regrouped in nearby streets and continued their demonstration despite continued clashes. The regime’s suppressive forces blockaded the streets to prevent people from joining the demonstrators.

Political prisoners in Evin Prison and Gohardasht Prison in Karaj have been on hunger strike for more than a month in protest to prison conditions and lack of basic commodities, and as part of a boycott of the regime’s sham presidential elections.

Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
July 12, 2005