Iran’s “unfree” elections get underway
Campaigning started yesterday for Iran’s parliamentary elections, despite calls for a postponement after 2,300 “liberal” candidates were banned from participating by the ruling Guardian Council.
About 5,000 candidates will vie for 290 seats in the Majlis, or Parliament. They have until midnight on Wednesday to make their pitch to Iran’s 46.3 million voters.
Elections will be held on February 20th.
Some 80 sitting MPs are on the “black list” of rejected candidates. The Interior Ministry says 607 approved candidates decided not to stand as of Saturday.
The main reformist coalition – Reformist Coalition for Iran (RCI) – was decidedly despondent yesterday after many of its candidates were disqualified.
Ali Akbar Mohtashamipour of the RCI said his party would be a “minority” in parliament.
A leading Iranian dissident – imprisoned academic Hashem Aghajari – has launched a scathing attack on the country’s right-wing clerical establishment.
In an open letter, Mr Aghajari said reform was at an end and urged Iranians to passively resist hard line clerics.
Mr Aghajari said the election was “unfree”.
He rebuked reformist president Mohammad Khatami for lacking the political “will and courage” to foster lasting change in the country.
And the student organisation Office to Consolidate Unity has issued a statement criticising the president and urging voters to boycott the election.
