Free Republic

Preparations for the Rally of Millions in favor of judicial reform are in full swing. So far, hundreds of groups have been registered across the country for transportation to the demonstration that will be held the day after Independence Day. In response to demand, demonstration organizers opened a website with details and the possibility to register for transportation. The organizers report that the demand for shuttles is increasing and the list of hubs from which shuttles will depart is constantly expanding. The Rally of Millions will take place next Thursday, the day after Independence Day, at 19:00 in front of...

TEHRAN, Nov 7 (AFP) - Outspoken Iranian pro-reform journalist Hashem Aghajari, who was arrested on charges of "insulting the prophet", has been sentenced to death, his lawyer said Thursday. Lawyer Saleh Nikbakh told AFP that a court in the western city of Hamedan imposed the sentence on Wednesday. Aghajari is a member of the secular leftist Organization of Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution (OMIR) and is politically close to reformist President Mohammad Khatami. He was arrested in August after saying in a speech that Muslims "should not blindly" follow religious leaders and calling for a "religious renewal" of Shiite Islam.

TEHRAN, July 28 (AFP) - Iran's main pro-reform party threatened Sunday to quit the Islamic regime unless the conservatives who still dominate the courts and security forces stop undermining the elected reformist administration. The Islamic Iran Participation Front insisted it would rather resolve the country's political crisis by dialogue, but warned it could no longer tolerate the conservatives' persistent undermining of the policies it was elected to implement. We want to work towards agreement and not disagreement, and to hold a dialogue without preconditions in mutual respect," the party chief Mohammad-Reza Khatami, younger brother of moderate President Mohammad Khatami, said...