After Iran's elections in June, hundreds of thousands of Iranians filled the streets for weeks, protesting the reelection of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Protesters claim that the government rigged the election so Ahmadinejad would be reelected.
In this NewsHour discussion, Margaret Warner talks to New York Times journalist Robert Worth about allegations that people arrested during these protests have been beaten and forced to confess to crimes they did not commit.
Worth discusses details of the allegations that some prisoners were beaten to death in prison and the impact that will have on the Iranian government especially conservative factions, which is still unsteady after the election demonstrations.
Quotes
"Iran's rulers cracked down hard last month when hundreds of thousands of demonstrators challenged what they said was a rigged presidential election. There were beatings and shootings in the streets, and police and militia arrested and jailed thousands of protesters." - Margaret Warner
"Well, (the political fallout) seems to have grown more serious by the day. Again, it's in part because conservatives have been brought into this" -Robert Worth
"We've never witnessed anything like this, even before the revolution, never seen anything like it. How can someone who supports the revolution, supports his country, who supports Islam, or even someone who's done wrong go to prison and come out as a corpse? Don't we speak of justice in Islam?" - Mir Hussein Mousavi, opposition leader
Warm Up Questions
1. Where is Iran? What region is it in?
2. What is the state of U.S.-Iranian relations? What do the United States and Iran disagree about?
Discussion Questions
1. Do you believe the allegations that Iranians were beaten and murdered in prison? Why would the government allow that to happen?
2. Do you think the alleged beatings and deaths will sway conservatives against the president? Why does it matter more when bad things happen to a family member, as is the case with one of the conservative Iranian leaders?
3. What should happen if there is evidence the election was rigged? What if the current president refuses to step down?
4. What should the United States do about this situation?
Additional Resources
