Millions of pro-democracy Iranians will boycott the riggedanti-democratic elections of the Islamic republic on June 17. Sincethe mullahs consider any vote in the election to be a vote for theregime, we urge all Iranians to boycott the regime's anti-democraticelection charade.
The Iranian people want freedom,democracy and human rights, andthey realize that they cannot be free as long as the Islamic republicexists.
The Islamic republic is a menace to Iranians and the world. Theregime has brutally violated the human rights of the Iranian people,and there are thousands of political prisoners. Many politicalprisoners have been in prison since the massive studentdemonstrations of July 1999.
Violations of human rights, lack of freedom of speech, and lack offreedom for pro-democracy political parties have caused strongresentment in millions of Iranians.
Massive corruption and gross mismanagement have seriously damagedIran's economy and caused great discontent especially among millionsof young Iranians who are unemployed
Unemployment among young Iranians is more than 30 percent. Theannual inflation rate is more than 20 percent, while the personalincome of most Iranians is stagnant, resulting in a persistentdecline in the standard of living. The Iranian currency has lost 99percent of its value since the creation of the Islamic republic, andas a result the savings of millions of Iranians have been eroded.These economic problems have resulted in millions of Iranians nowliving under the poverty line, and there are serious social andmedical consequences.
While the Iranian people have been impoverished, the mullahs havebeen plundering Iran's national wealth. Furthermore, the regimespends hundreds of millions of dollars of Iranian national wealth tosupport terrorists annually.
The Islamic republic is the most active sponsor of globalterrorism. The regime uses terrorism as one of its policy tools, andits support of terrorism will continue as long as the regime exists.The regime's adventurist policies, meddling in other countries, andpursuit of nuclear weapons endanger the national interests of theIranian people.
Some people inside and outside Iran believed the claims of theleaders of the Islamic republic that the regime could be reformed.However, the brutal and repressive actions of the regime in the pastfew years have clearly demonstrated that freedom and democracy arenot possible in the framework of the Islamic republic.
Contrary to the regime's propaganda, the Islamic republic hasnever had free and democratic elections. The mullahs handpick thecandidates from among the regime's Mafia families. None of thecandidates that are approved by the mullah Mafia support freedom,democracy and human rights. Furthermore, because of the convolutedand despotic nature of the regime, the power is controlled bynon-elected mullahs, and the elections are used as a tool to createthe perception of legitimacy for the regime.
The regime does not permit any pro-democracy candidates. Allpro-democracy parties are banned by the regime. All television andradio programs are owned by the mullahs. Any publication thatcriticizes the leaders of the regime is closed. The regime usesintimidation methods to coerce government employees and students toparticipate in the rigged elections. Therefore, the regime'sso-called elections are anti-democratic and totally illegitimate.
Because of the important reasons mentioned above, we urge alldemocratic governments and international pro-democracy organizationsand individuals to condemn the rigged and illegitimate mullahelections, and support the inalienable rights of the Iranian peopleto freedom and democratic elections. Iranians will remember those whosupport the Iranian democracy movement, and those who appease theIslamic republic and its terrorist leaders.
Tyrannies have been replaced by democracies in many countries inthe past few years, and the process can be repeated in Iran. Theworld will be a better place without the mullah regime. We lookforward to the day when Iran is liberated from the Islamic republic'sreign of terror, and Iranians enjoy freedom and democracy.
This declaration is signed by many pro-democracy Iranians,including the following prominent members of Iranian society who havea distinguished record of serving the Iranian people:
Ms. Dokhi Abdi. President of Organizationof Iranian Women in the United States
Mr. HamidAbdollahi Pro-DemocracyActivist
Ms. Narges Adib. Pro-DemocracyActivist
Mr. Parviz Afsari Iranian NationalPolice General
Dr. Amiraslan Afshar Iranian Ambassador to Britain
Dr. Keykavous AfsharGhasemloo University Professor.
Mr. Mehdi Ahmad Member ofConstitutional Monarchy Movement of Iran
Mr. Fereydoun Amirfarzaneh Pro-Democracy Activist
Mr. MehdiAmirnasri Pro-Democracy Activist
Dr. Cyrus Amoozegar Information Minister
Dr. Iman Ansari. Political Science Scholar
Mr. JamshidAnsari Member ofBoard of Alliance for Democracy in Iran
Dr. Masoud Ansari, University Professor
Dr. Hooshang Anvar, Member of ConstitutionalMonarchy Movement of Iran
Mr. Fereydoun Arabfarsim Pro-DemocracyActivist
. Mr. Abolfath Ardalan, Iranian Navy Admiral
. Mr. Nariman Ariaban, Member of ConstitutionalMonarchy Movement of Iran
. Dr. Iraj Arianpour, Writer
. Dr. Armand Ash, VP of Alliance for Democracy inIran
. Mr. Zia Atabay, NITV Television CEO
. Mr. Morteza Badri , Member ofConstitutional Monarchy Movement of Iran
. Mr. Manouchehr Baghai, CEO Pro-DemocracyActivist
. Mr. Bahman Batmanghelidj, Chairman of Alliancefor Democracy in Iran
. Mr. Ali Bazkiaei, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Dr. Heydar Boroumand, Physician Pro-DemocracyActivist
. Mr. Hassan Ebrahimi, Iranian National PoliceColonel
. Mr. Mehrdad Ehsanipour, Pro-Democracy Activist.
. Mr. Mohsen Eskandari, Brigadier General Memberof Sarbaz Organization
. Mr. Ali Fargam, Journalist
. Ms. Parvin Ghaffari, President of Organizationof Disabled Iranians
. Mr. Abdollah Gharegozloo, Pro-DemocracyActivist
. Mr. Taghi Goltappeh , Iranian Army Colonel
. Mr. Sardar Haddad, Member of Board of Alliancefor Democracy in Iran
. Mr. Hashem Hakimi, Iranian Ambassador toSudan
. Mr. Masoud Haroun Mahdavi , Member of JebheMelli
. Dr. Sasan Haroun Mahdavi, Member of JebheMelli
. Mr. Youssef Hassanzadeh, Ianian National PoliceBrigadier General
. Dr. Dariush Hashempour, Vice President of EnergyCorp.
. Mr. BehrouzHatam, Governor of MasjedSoleiman
. Ms. MinaHomayoun, Pro-DemocracyActivist
. Mr. AzizHooshangi, Iranian ArmyColonel
. Mr. Kurosh Kalhor, Member of ConstitutionalMonarchy Movement of Iran
. Dr. Fereydoun Kasmai, WriterPro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. Amir Khatibi, Iranian NationalPolice Brigadier General
. Mr. Ardavan Khoshnood, Pro-DemocracyActivist
. Mr. Arvin Khoshnood, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Dr. Masoud Khoshnood, PhysicianPro-Democracy Activist
. Dr. Bahram Khoshnood Rashti, Pro-DemocracyActivist
. Mr. Mehdi Khoshnood Rashti, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. Parviz Khosravani, Iranian Gendarmerie Major General
. Mr. RezaMadadvand, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. ParvizMahdavi, Human RightsActivist
. Mr. Mohammad Reza Maher, Iranian Army Colonel
. Dr. Abdolmajid Majidi, Minister of Economic Planning and Budget
. Dr. Gholam Maleki, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. Badreddin Marashi, DeputyPrime Minister
. Ms. Shifteh Menalagha, Artist
. Mr. NasserMeymand, Iranian Navy Captain
. Mr. Sam Mirian., CEOPro-Democracy Activist
. Ms. Soraya Mohammadi Haghshenas, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. Mohammad Mehdi Mohiti, IranianArmy Colonel
. Mr. Rahim Morid. Member of PanIranist Party
. Ms. ShahinMortajaei, Member ofConstitutionalist Movement of Iran.
. Dr. Mohammad HosseinMoussavi, Senator
. Mr. Sohrab Nabavi, Member of ConstitutionalMonarchy Movement of Iran
. Mr. KiumarsNaimi, Member ofConstitutional Monarchy Movement of Iran
. Mr. MortezaNamdar, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Dr. MansourNaraghi, University Professor
. Mr. MortezaNaraghi, Iranian GendarmerieGeneral
. Dr. Assadollah Nasre Esfahani, Interior Minister
. Ms. ShohrehNazar, Member ofConstitutional Monarchy Movement of Iran
. Dr. KhosrowPanahi, UniversityProfessor
. Ms. Parichehr Parvahan, Member ofJebhe Melli
. Mr. Nasser Pol. Member of Pan Iranist Party.
. Mr. AhmadPourdad, Pro-DemocracyActivist
. Dr. Samad Rahmanzadeh, Writer Pro-DemocracyActivist
. Dr. Hassan Rahnavardi, Governor of Yazd Province
. Mr. Hassan Razavi Shabahang, Poet
. Mr. Reza Razmi. IranianNational Police Brigadier General
. Mr. Mehdi Rohani, Iranian Air ForceLieutenantGeneral
. Mr. Mehdi Sadeghi, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Ms. Bahereh Sadighian, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Dr. Fariborz Sadighian, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Ms. Vajiheh Sadighian, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. Parviz Safinia, Iranian Ambassador toIndonesia
. Ms. Shahla Samii, WriterPro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. MasoudSepand, Poet
. Mr. Ali Seyyedi. Iranian National Police General
. Mr. AmirShadjareh, Pars TelevisionCEO
. Mr. Behrouz Souresrafil, Writer andJournalist
. Mr. Fereydoun Tofighi, Journalist.
. Ms. Nezhat Yahyazadeh, WriterPro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. Fereydoun Yazdan Ashouri, Pro-DemocracyActivist
. Mr. Jahangir Yazdan Ashouri, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. Mohammad YazdanAshouri, Pro-DemocracyActivist
. Ms. Nahid YazdanAshouri, Pro-DemocracyActivist
. Ms. Narges YazdanAshouri, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. Abdolhossein Zahrai, Iranian ArmyColonel
. Dr. Iraj Zamanian, Physician Pro-DemocracyActivist
. Ms. Mandana Zand Ervin, Member of Board ofAlliance for Democracy in Iran
The Foundation for Democracy in Iran is a privatenon-profit corporation registered in the State of Maryland.Contact: Kenneth R. Timmerman Executive Director (exec@iran.org).FDI materials including the FDI Newswire are available free-of-chargevia the Internet at http://wwwiranorg/