Why isn't the Irish Embassy in Iran accepting injured civil rights protesters?

international | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Sunday June 21, 2009 02:41

by gurgle-tweet iosaf mac diarmada

As of 25 minutes a complete list of those states with embassies in Iran who have opened their doors to injured civil rights protesters has become available. So far only the state of Canada has refused to take in the injured from the ongoing serious unrest in the Iranian capital of the last 24 hours during which there have been over 20 confirmed deaths and untold injuries concurrent with the bombing of the Islamic state's founder's tomb.

I apologise to readers who might find my ongoing updated coverage of Iranian civil rights protests fragmented over several threads. However, each update has been placed to continue on from previous comments with related information.

This article presents a specifically Irish angle and as such merits its own thread.

Irish Embassy in Tehran, is located on
North Kamranieh Avenue
Bonbast Nahid Street, No. 8
19369
in the centre of the city of Tehran.

It is as proximate to both the crowd dispersal routes and bottling zones which followed yesterday's demonstration held by those Iranians whose civil rights to protest peacefully are supposedly guaranteed under the 27th article of the Iranian constitution. It shall be operating its normal office hours within four hours of the writing of this article. There are staff on site at all times.
Phone: +98-21-22803835 (08.30-16.30 Sun-Thurs)
Fax: +98-21-2283-2731 (09.00-12.00 Sun-Thurs)
Email: tehranembassy@dfa.ie

Yet it is not counted in the list of diplomatic legations which have allowed injured civil rights protesters to seek temporary sanctuary and avail of international red cross or other medical assistance.

At present the embassies of Belgium, Mexico, Portugal, France, Poland, Spain, Austria, Denmark have followed the British legation in opening their doors to civilians who have been brutalised, tear gased, fired at with plastic bullets and reportedly sprayed with irritants by helicopters.

The 2 hospitals in central Tehran have confirmed a death toll of over 20 people.

Rasoul Hospital - 11 confirmed dead.
Bank Melli Hospital 9 confirmed dead.

In addition there are is now ample video evidence on the libertarian and alternative as well as commercial citizen journalist networks to attest to deaths on the street including minors.

The atmosphere in Iran both Tehran and beyond in other cities is rapidly turning critical as all sides to the current political crises react to the bombing of the Ayatollah's tomb. There are credible reports of tanks and artillery being deployed in Tehran at this moment.

It is time for Ireland to put her "Lisbon European" exception behind her, as well as her butter sales and join with other European states in supporting civil rights of peaceful protest guaranteed under the Iranian constitution.
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last 24 hours related links comprising of considered selection and cross-referenced reading of twitter postings, blogs, iranian state media & other sites with the assistance of the new Google Persian language translation tool :-

Saturday 4pm Iran time - people on street discussion of nightly chants & martydom theme
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/92779?comment_limit=0&c...54202
Saturday 6pm Iran time - bombs goes off first reports & first notion of Mausavi as martry as repression begins
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/92779?comment_limit=0&c...54216
Saturday 10pm Iran time - British open embassy compound to injured - Mausavi reported by western press & Irish times as being a martry while others die
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/92779?comment_limit=0&c...54231
Sunday 1.30am Iran Time - spreading violence, hospitals policed, panic, fires and polarised communities
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/92779?comment_limit=0&c...54239
Sunday 1.45 Iran Time - Obama issues statement alluding to "civil rights"
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/92719?comment_limit=0&c...54241