Millions of pro-democracy Iranians will boycott the rigged anti-democratic elections of the Islamic republic on June 17. Since the mullahs consider any vote in the election to be a vote for the regime, we urge all Iranians to boycott the regime's anti-democratic election charade.
The Iranian people want freedom,democracy and human rights, and they realize that they cannot be free as long as the Islamic republic exists.
The Islamic republic is a menace to Iranians and the world. The regime has brutally violated the human rights of the Iranian people, and there are thousands of political prisoners. Many political prisoners have been in prison since the massive student demonstrations of July 1999.
Violations of human rights, lack of freedom of speech, and lack of freedom for pro-democracy political parties have caused strong resentment in millions of Iranians.
Massive corruption and gross mismanagement have seriously damaged Iran's economy and caused great discontent especially among millions of young Iranians who are unemployed
Unemployment among young Iranians is more than 30 percent. The annual inflation rate is more than 20 percent, while the personal income of most Iranians is stagnant, resulting in a persistent decline in the standard of living. The Iranian currency has lost 99 percent of its value since the creation of the Islamic republic, and as a result the savings of millions of Iranians have been eroded. These economic problems have resulted in millions of Iranians now living under the poverty line, and there are serious social and medical consequences.
While the Iranian people have been impoverished, the mullahs have been plundering Iran's national wealth. Furthermore, the regime spends hundreds of millions of dollars of Iranian national wealth to support terrorists annually.
The Islamic republic is the most active sponsor of global terrorism. The regime uses terrorism as one of its policy tools, and its support of terrorism will continue as long as the regime exists. The regime's adventurist policies, meddling in other countries, and pursuit of nuclear weapons endanger the national interests of the Iranian people.
Some people inside and outside Iran believed the claims of the leaders of the Islamic republic that the regime could be reformed. However, the brutal and repressive actions of the regime in the past few years have clearly demonstrated that freedom and democracy are not possible in the framework of the Islamic republic.
Contrary to the regime's propaganda, the Islamic republic has never had free and democratic elections. The mullahs handpick the candidates from among the regime's Mafia families. None of the candidates that are approved by the mullah Mafia support freedom, democracy and human rights. Furthermore, because of the convoluted and despotic nature of the regime, the power is controlled by non-elected mullahs, and the elections are used as a tool to create the perception of legitimacy for the regime.
The regime does not permit any pro-democracy candidates. All pro-democracy parties are banned by the regime. All television and radio programs are owned by the mullahs. Any publication that criticizes the leaders of the regime is closed. The regime uses intimidation methods to coerce government employees and students to participate in the rigged elections. Therefore, the regime's so-called elections are anti-democratic and totally illegitimate.
Because of the important reasons mentioned above, we urge all democratic governments and international pro-democracy organizations and individuals to condemn the rigged and illegitimate mullah elections, and support the inalienable rights of the Iranian people to freedom and democratic elections. Iranians will remember those who support the Iranian democracy movement, and those who appease the Islamic republic and its terrorist leaders.
Tyrannies have been replaced by democracies in many countries in the past few years, and the process can be repeated in Iran. The world will be a better place without the mullah regime. We look forward to the day when Iran is liberated from the Islamic republic's reign 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 have a distinguished record of serving the Iranian people:
Ms. Dokhi Abdi. President of Organization of Iranian Women in the United States
Mr. Hamid Abdollahi Pro-Democracy Activist
Ms. Narges Adib. Pro-Democracy Activist
Mr. Parviz Afsari Iranian National Police General
Dr. Amiraslan Afshar Iranian Ambassador to Britain
Dr. Keykavous Afshar Ghasemloo University Professor.
Mr. Mehdi Ahmad Member of Constitutional Monarchy Movement of Iran
Mr. Fereydoun Amirfarzaneh Pro-Democracy Activist
Mr. Mehdi Amirnasri Pro-Democracy Activist
Dr. Cyrus Amoozegar Information Minister
Dr. Iman Ansari. Political Science Scholar
Mr. Jamshid Ansari Member of Board of Alliance for Democracy in Iran
Dr. Masoud Ansari, University Professor
Dr. Hooshang Anvar, Member of Constitutional Monarchy Movement of Iran
Mr. Fereydoun Arabfarsim Pro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. Abolfath Ardalan, Iranian Navy Admiral
. Mr. Nariman Ariaban, Member of Constitutional Monarchy Movement of Iran
. Dr. Iraj Arianpour, Writer
. Dr. Armand Ash, VP of Alliance for Democracy in Iran
. Mr. Zia Atabay, NITV Television CEO
. Mr. Morteza Badri , Member of Constitutional Monarchy Movement of Iran
. Mr. Manouchehr Baghai, CEO Pro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. Bahman Batmanghelidj, Chairman of Alliance for Democracy in Iran
. Mr. Ali Bazkiaei, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Dr. Heydar Boroumand, Physician Pro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. Hassan Ebrahimi, Iranian National Police Colonel
. Mr. Mehrdad Ehsanipour, Pro-Democracy Activist .
. Mr. Mohsen Eskandari, Brigadier General Member of Sarbaz Organization
. Mr. Ali Fargam, Journalist
. Ms. Parvin Ghaffari, President of Organization of Disabled Iranians
. Mr. Abdollah Gharegozloo, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. Taghi Goltappeh , Iranian Army Colonel
. Mr. Sardar Haddad, Member of Board of Alliance for Democracy in Iran
. Mr. Hashem Hakimi, Iranian Ambassador to Sudan
. Mr. Masoud Haroun Mahdavi , Member of Jebhe Melli
. Dr. Sasan Haroun Mahdavi, Member of Jebhe Melli
. Mr. Youssef Hassanzadeh, Ianian National Police Brigadier General
. Dr. Dariush Hashempour, Vice President of Energy Corp.
. Mr. Behrouz Hatam, Governor of Masjed Soleiman
. Ms. Mina Homayoun, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. Aziz Hooshangi, Iranian Army Colonel
. Mr. Kurosh Kalhor, Member of Constitutional Monarchy Movement of Iran
. Dr. Fereydoun Kasmai, Writer Pro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. Amir Khatibi, Iranian National Police Brigadier General
. Mr. Ardavan Khoshnood, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. Arvin Khoshnood, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Dr. Masoud Khoshnood, Physician Pro-Democracy Activist
. Dr. Bahram Khoshnood Rashti, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. Mehdi Khoshnood Rashti, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. Parviz Khosravani, Iranian Gendarmerie Major General
. Mr. Reza Madadvand, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. Parviz Mahdavi, Human Rights Activist
. 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, Deputy Prime Minister
. Ms. Shifteh Menalagha, Artist
. Mr. Nasser Meymand, Iranian Navy Captain
. Mr. Sam Mirian., CEO Pro-Democracy Activist
. Ms. Soraya Mohammadi Haghshenas, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. Mohammad Mehdi Mohiti, Iranian Army Colonel
. Mr. Rahim Morid. Member of Pan Iranist Party
. Ms. Shahin Mortajaei, Member of Constitutionalist Movement of Iran.
. Dr. Mohammad Hossein Moussavi, Senator
. Mr. Sohrab Nabavi , Member of Constitutional Monarchy Movement of Iran
. Mr. Kiumars Naimi, Member of Constitutional Monarchy Movement of Iran
. Mr. Morteza Namdar, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Dr. Mansour Naraghi, University Professor
. Mr. Morteza Naraghi, Iranian Gendarmerie General
. Dr. Assadollah Nasre Esfahani, Interior Minister
. Ms. Shohreh Nazar, Member of Constitutional Monarchy Movement of Iran
. Dr. Khosrow Panahi, University Professor
. Ms. Parichehr Parvahan, Member of Jebhe Melli
. Mr. Nasser Pol. Member of Pan Iranist Party.
. Mr. Ahmad Pourdad, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Dr. Samad Rahmanzadeh, Writer Pro-Democracy Activist
. Dr. Hassan Rahnavardi, Governor of Yazd Province
. Mr. Hassan Razavi Shabahang, Poet
. Mr. Reza Razmi. Iranian National Police Brigadier General
. Mr. Mehdi Rohani, Iranian Air Force Lieutenant General
. 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 to Indonesia
. Ms. Shahla Samii, Writer Pro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. Masoud Sepand, Poet
. Mr. Ali Seyyedi. Iranian National Police General
. Mr. Amir Shadjareh, Pars Television CEO
. Mr. Behrouz Souresrafil, Writer and Journalist
. Mr. Fereydoun Tofighi, Journalist.
. Ms. Nezhat Yahyazadeh, Writer Pro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. Fereydoun Yazdan Ashouri, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. Jahangir Yazdan Ashouri, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. Mohammad Yazdan Ashouri, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Ms. Nahid Yazdan Ashouri, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Ms. Narges Yazdan Ashouri, Pro-Democracy Activist
. Mr. Abdolhossein Zahrai, Iranian Army Colonel
. Dr. Iraj Zamanian, Physician Pro-Democracy Activist
. Ms. Mandana Zand Ervin, Member of Board of Alliance for Democracy in Iran
The Foundation for Democracy in Iran is a private non-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-charge via the Internet at http://wwwiranorg/