GERMANY: Some 100 demonstrate outside Iran's embassy in Berlin protest against "undemocratic presidential elections in Iran"
Record ID:
313690
GERMANY: Some 100 demonstrate outside Iran's embassy in Berlin protest against "undemocratic presidential elections in Iran"
- Title: GERMANY: Some 100 demonstrate outside Iran's embassy in Berlin protest against "undemocratic presidential elections in Iran"
- Date: 13th June 2009
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (JUNE 12, 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF IRANIAN EMBASSY IN BERLIN, PROTESTERS GATHERED OUTSIDE TO DEMONSTRATE AGAINST "UNDEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN IRAN" SIGN READING "EMBASSY OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN" POLICEMEN STANDING BETWEEN PROTESTERS AND EMBASSY PROTESTERS CHANTING BEHIND POLICE LINE, BANNER READING IN GERMAN "END THE OPPRESSION OF WOMEN IN IRAN" WOMEN CHANTING IN GERMAN "IRANIAN EMBASSY: TERRORIST CENTRE" PROTESTER HOLDING BANNER PLACARD READING "FREEDOM FOR ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS IN IRAN" (SOUNDBITE) (German) SARAH DEJAM, PROTESTER AND FORMER POLITICAL PRISONER SAYING: "People in Iran have to choose between bad and worse. We don't want that although we know that our demands within this government are not possible." (SOUNDBITE) (German) KASIM MOUSSAWI, PROTESTER FROM "STOP THE BOMB" CAMPAIGN SAYING: "Should Ahmadinejad continue it's a directive from the supreme leadership as part of the Iranian nuclear bomb project and that his government wants to continue to rule." (SOUNDBITE) (German) GOLROCH JAHANGIRI, PROTESTER SAYING: "This system, or this constitution was written by God. Only if this regime disappears can something happen. It's all based on the constitution: against women, against human rights -- everything is in there. They are saying that all activities must be under Islam. Islam is against human rights." PROTESTERS BEHIND BARRIER PAN ACROSS PROTESTERS TOP EXTERIOR OF EMBASSY SIGN IN FARSI, PAN TO MEN WALKING ALONG EMBASSY FENCE IRANIAN FLAG ON FENCE (SOUNDBITE) (German) LUNA SHAMSI, IRANIAN VOTER SAYING: "I don't support a theocracy either but I believe that when you get the opportunity to vote at least you should vote for the lesser of the two evils. I support more reforms and more freedom in Iran. I believe that with Mousavi we are better off than with Ahmadinejad." SIGN IN FARSI (SOUNDBITE) (German) SUNNY SHAMSI, IRANIAN VOTER SAYING: "He (Mousavi) will stick to the nuclear programme and change nothing because that's impossible. But he is very reformed. He will strengthen the country and the economy."
- Embargoed: 28th June 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Germany
- Country: Germany
- Reuters ID: LVA9LG41GZQHEFGQWXKGZZLLT9YN
- Story Text: Some one hundred demonstrators have gathered outside Iran's embassy in Berlin on Friday (June 12) to protest against what they called the "undemocratic presidential elections in Iran."
The protest in the German capital's leafy Zehlendorf district was held as voters in Iran headed to the polls in a hotly contested election and a senior ally of Mirhossein Mousavi said the moderate candidate was on track to defeat hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Protester Sarah Dejam, who said she was a former political prisoner in Iran, said "people in Iran have to choose between bad and worse."
"We don't want that although we know that our demands within this government are not possible."
Luna Shamsi, a young man who had cast his ballot, said "I don't support a theocracy either but I believe that when you get the opportunity to vote at least you should vote for the lesser of the two evils."
"I support more reforms and more freedom in Iran. I believe that with Mousavi we are better off than with Ahmadinejad," Shamsi said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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