- Title: FRANCE: French intellectuals join Paris protest over Iran elections
- Date: 20th June 2009
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (JUNE 19, 2009) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS LISTENING TO SPEAKER WITH EIFFEL TOWER IN BACKGROUND VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS LISTENING TO SPEAKER VARIOUS OF BERNARD-HENRI LEVY, FRENCH INTELLECTUAL, SPEAKING AT PODIUM PROTESTERS LISTENING PROTESTERS WITH EIFFEL TOWER IN BACKGROUND (SOUNDBITE) (French) BERNARD-HENRI LEVY, FRENCH INTELLECTUAL, SAYING: "We have an extraordinary case of a stolen election, a confiscated election. There were doubts during the first hours but now there is no doubt. This election was a masquerade, a farce, and that is difficult to accept." PROTESTERS WITH EIFFEL TOWER IN BACKGROUND (SOUNDBITE) (English) JACK LANG, FRENCH PARLIAMENTARY DEPUTY, SAYING: "We want to be present to tell our friendship to the Iranian people. During the last few days the Iranian people have shown great political sense. They try to express with dignity their will for real democracy." JACK LANG SIGNING A PLAQUE ENTITLED "NO TO MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD, YES TO THE IRANIAN PEOPLE" CLOSEUP OF BERNARD-HENRI LEVY'S SIGNATURE ON PLAQUE PLAQUE ENTITLED "NO TO MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD, YES TO THE IRANIAN PEOPLE" WITH EIFFEL TOWER IN BACKGROUND
- Embargoed: 5th July 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: France
- Country: France
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVAOTI3TGSM5J6F6567AGIP7GJT
- Story Text: French intellectuals join Paris protest against declared victory of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in last week's Iranian presidential election.
High-profile French intellectuals joined hundreds of demonstrators in Paris on Friday (June 19) to protest the declared result of last Saturday's Iranian presidential election.
Hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad defeated moderate challenger Mirhossein Mousavi by a surprisingly wide margin.
Mousavi has called for annulment of the election result, and thousands of Mousavi supporters have staged demonstrations in Teheran since the election.
French author Bernard-Henri Lévy spoke to demonstrators near the Eiffel Tower.
"We have an extraordinary case of a stolen election, a confiscated election. There were doubts during the first hours but now there is no doubt. This election was a masquerade, a farce, and that is difficult to accept," said Bernard-Henri Lévy.
Jack Lang, a deputy from the French parliament, also joined the demonstration.
"We want to be present to tell our friendship to the Iranian people. During the last few days the Iranian people have shown great political sense. They try to express with dignity their will for real democracy," said Jack Lang.
Large demonstrations are expected in major European cities this weekend. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
