Bizarre, Constitutional Law, International, Media, Politics, Religion, Society

Negating Neda: Iranian Government Seeks to Erase Memory of Iranian Martyr

amd_neda_headshotActing true to it authoritarian form, the Iranian government is seeking to erase evidence of Neda Solton, the 26-year-old woman who died during protests when government forces used live rounds to disperse crowds.


Officials have ordered the family to take down mourning posters and have barred any gatherings in her name. They have even blocked the family from holding a public burial or memorial service.

Nevertheless, posters have started to appear around the city and the effort to block internet access has not been entirely successful. In the meantime, most of the media has been blocked from even mentioning her name. One of the few references on television claimed to have debunked the story and suggested that the scene was staged, here.

She was shot when she was walking to a demonstration in Freedom Square in central Tehran. As the video below depicts, she died on the street. Her last words were: “I’m burning! I’m burning!”


Tributes have been posted on Youtube to Neda:

For the full story, click here.

63 thoughts on “Negating Neda: Iranian Government Seeks to Erase Memory of Iranian Martyr”

  1. KABUL – The top U.S. general in Afghanistan will soon formally order U.S. and NATO forces to break away from fights with militants hiding in Afghan houses so the battles do not kill civilians, a U.S. official said Monday.

    Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who took command of international forces in Afghanistan this month, has said his measure of effectiveness will be the “number of Afghans shielded from violence,” and not the number of militants killed.

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090622/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan

    In other news, the Taliban announced that they were purchasing 2,000 Winnebagos for moving troops around the country. “We have assurances that civilian homes will not be targeted by Nato forces, and we expect that to extend to motor homes as well.”
    G
    G
    G
    G
    Well people, it is time to bring the troops home from Afganistan now. You can’t win a war with a President like we have & orders like this. The most immoral act you can commit is to send American soldiers to their deaths in a war you have no intention of winning.

  2. So while kids in Eye-ran were getting shot and beat up protesting that fake election, what was the Communist-in-Chief doing?

    Was he writing an amazing speech that would inspire the Eye-ranians, like “tear down this wall”? Maybe he was in all-day meetings figuring out to do when the wrong guy wins over there and shuts off our oil.

    Nope. The Teleprompter Kid went for ice cream with his kids – and making sure we all knew about it by bringing reporters along! On the campaign trail, Obama wanted to be left alone to eat his waffles – but I guess that was different.

    So while other people’s kids are getting killed in Eye-ran, Obama’s DOG is getting a Frozen Puppy Pop! If the Teleprompter Kid cares so much about what the rest of the world things of America, maybe letting it get out that we make special ice creams for our pets isn’t the smartest idea.

    What’s worse is that Obama let some guy skateboard down the halls of the White House!

    Back in my day, if you’d seen a forty year old man wearing running shoes and riding a skateboard all day, he would’ve been the retard fella who lived with his grandma and swept up the hair at the barbershop — not a damn millionaire!

  3. Jill,

    Juan Cole is a lunatic and your referring others to him proves you are a lunatic also. He is a puppet of Al Jazzeera.

  4. Oh quite shedding the alligator tears.

    NOT ONE OF YOU here cares anyway and our “President” cares even less about the Iranian people.

    Phonies, fakers, charlatans, hypocrites, worms, weasels. You are all that and more.

  5. The attempt by the Iranian theocracy to erase what was done to this poor girl will not work.

    Too many have seen the images and will pick up Neda torch and what she represents to the fight for freedom.

    We could argue back and forth over the veracity of the pictures and who is really behind instigating this revolution. But who cares?

    WE should all hope the revolutionaries are successful in toppling this oppressive regime.

    And EVERY Muslim apologist SHOULD be rooting for the people because if they are successful Islam may take a step into the modern world. The world may be able to treat them with legitimacy and NOT just because they sit on top of most of the worlds oil reserves.

    I cheer for the Iranians in the voice of all humanity. To end the oppression of the people of the Muslim world as a whole and to especially end it for all the underclasses and minorities who truly have NO liberty in those lands.

    Though our great presidents remarks lack the forcefullness I would like, at least he is saying something that can be taken as at least a “Fist-Pump” of support for these brave and courageous people.

    In the name of freedom, liberty, democracy and Neda may the Iranian people win.

  6. TAFKAFFN:

    “I know I am about to get flamed for this, but we very well all could be taken for a ride. There is a possibility that ‘Neda’s’ ‘death’ on video is just a astroturfed video used to gain sympathy for the protesters”

    so what does it matter if it is staged? A free Iran is not good if someone scams the Mullahs? They should gain their freedom using Marquis of Queensbury rules or not at all?

  7. This is an interview from Terry Gross. It’s very much worth hearing:

    “Bloody protests in the streets of Iran following that nation’s June 12 presidential election have captivated the world’s attention, but what does it all mean? Political analyst Karim Sadjadpour weighs in on the unprecedented events — and who holds the power.”

    http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=13

  8. I am sure that Iranian Embassies and Ambassadors would love to have the chance to answer any questions you might have concerning Neda’s death and how her family has been treated according to the traditions of Islam but the Islamic republic. Their names and addresses are easily found on the internet, it doesn’t matter if they are Ambassadors to your country or not, I’m sure they will be happy that you dropped them a note, snail mail would be appreciated too!

  9. The Artist Formerly Known As FFN-
    What you may be feeling is uncertainty about the results of the Iranian elections, not neccesarily the authenticity of the videos of the death of Neda Solton.
    I have been reserving judgement on the result, because there are several scenarios that are being pushed on us by our own corporate media and the world’s different media outlets, it’s hard to believe any of them. It seems that everyone has a stake in the outcome.

    Ballot stuffing, CIA support of opposition candidates, polls showing the current government with popular support, Neocons in the media, Iraq, Israeli agents, propaganda, cencorship, etc…

    It’s not surprising that there are doubts. I have doubts.

  11. TAFKAFFN,

    That is why reporters, the people who “twitter” et al. often are cautiously saying, allegedly, or reportedly, etc.

    Of course, we must all be aware of problems of fraud in this digital world, especially from secretive nations where fact is had to acquire, if at all.

    You should not be criticized for your skepticism.

  13. I know I am about to get flamed for this, but we very well all could be taken for a ride. There is a possibility that ‘Neda’s’ ‘death’ on video is just a astroturfed video used to gain sympathy for the protesters. Neither Neda’s existence nor death, so far as I know, have been independently confirmed by any news media outlet. That being said, not much has been independently confirmed in Iran over the past week so I understand if the confirmers may tarry. And, of course, if what is purported to be shown in the videos did actually happen, then that’s a tragedy. However, I can’t shake this Jessica Lynch / Pat Tillman / teabaggers feeling I have about this video.

  17. Today ,although not usually, I agree with Richard Cohen in the Washington Post. Obama is just not upset enough about what is going on in Iran. He is just too disconnected and cool. No one expects an invasion but he could appear to be much more outraged and much more supportive of the Iranian people.

  18. I am aghast that they would do something like thins. But this should be no surprise either. May she rest in peace.

    Now with the controversy of yesterday, naming a solider as a murder and now we have what I would call a martyr, how do we reconcile the two different sides?

    The governments in each case have decided that they should not be named. Albeit for different purposes. What is the balance professor?

  19. The Mullahs’ attempts to erase the memory of this woman’s death are bound to fail. No amount of official edicts can neither erase people’s memories or assuage their anger.

  20. Thanks, Prof.

    Neda should not be forgotten. Not just by Iranians either, but by anyone who values freedom over tyranny.

Comments are closed.