Up to 30 people gathered on O?Connell Street in Dublin today to protest against the Iranian government, exactly one year on from the country?s disputed presidential election in 2009.
As part of a global day of action, members of Amnesty International?s Irish branch assembled outside the GPO to launch the organisation?s campaign to free Iranian prisoners, jailed for expressing their political beliefs.
About 5,000 prisoners, including journalists, students, political activists and clerics have been imprisoned for opposing the present regime. Many prisoners say they have been tortured and a number have been executed, according to a report by Amnesty International.
Amnesty International Ireland executive director Colm O?Gorman said: ?The Iranian government is determined to silence all opposition. If genuine charges exist against prisoners, they should receive a fair trail, without threat of execution.?
A small crowd of protesters, mostly Iranians living in Ireland, held a separate demonstration adjacent to Amnesty?s protest. They chanted `Down with the terrorist regime of Iran, and down with the dictator?.