Iran Freedom Concert; Possible Ganji Release

I have the good fortune of being a part of this wonderful project to bring awareness of the lack of any civil rights for the people of Iran. This is a concert for which we hope to bring awareness to the American people of the atrocities that occur daily in Iran. Please read this press release. Even if you cannot attend, you can write on your site about this. We need all the help you can offer. Think of those without a voice, and think of the fact that you have one. It shouldn't be too hard to decide the right thing to do. Thank you.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Harvard Students Hold "Iran Freedom Concert" in Solidarity with Iranian Student Movement for Democracy and Civil Rights

CAMBRIDGE – On Saturday, March 18, Harvard University will host the Iran Freedom Concert, a rally organized by Harvard students to support their counterparts in Iran. Prominent Iranian student leader Akbar Atri and Harvard's Undergraduate Council president John Haddock will address the crowd.

"As tensions rise over nuclear issues, our diverse student coalition wants to spotlight the human side of the Iran crisis," said co-organizer Adam Scheuer, a senior and editor at the Harvard Middle East Review.

"Iranian students are denied basic rights Americans take advantage of every day. But there is a brave student movement in Iran working for change, and we need to support them." Widespread student protests in Iran have broken out in recent years, despite a brutal crackdown by the regime's security forces.

The concert, which begins at 9 p.m. at Leverett House, features leading campus musicians and speakers from campus groups exposing repression in Iran. Nine organizations are co-sponsoring, including an unusual alliance of campus Democrats and Republicans.

"The coalition doesn't take a stand on policy debates like foreign intervention," explained freshman co-organizer Alex McLeese. "But we agree that the fundamental rights of Iranians cannot be held hostage to diplomatic maneuverings over Iran's nuclear program."

The Iran Freedom Concert takes place just before the traditional Persian new year of Norouz – reflecting the students' hope for a new day for freedom in Iran.

"Iranian students are arrested for what they write on their blogs and have to take their exams in handcuffs," noted freshman co-organizer Nick Manske. "In fact, the essential elements of this concert are illegal in Iran: live singing, mixed dancing, and discussing social messages. Not to mention the restrictions on women, minorities, and journalists."

That message is being echoed on campuses across the country, with simultaneous rallies planned at Georgetown, UPenn, Duke, and other schools. Prominent Iranian dissidents, as well as the American Islamic Congress, are sending statements of support.

"This is a critical moment for Iran," Scheuer said. "Iranian activists need to know that American students are ready to help them hold the Iranian regime accountable. We want to help our counterparts in Iran seize the moment and advance their civil rights movement."

Now for the second part of this article. I mentioned that there is a possible release of Akbar Ganji. On March 17, one day before the concert, Ganji's 6 year prison sentence for writing a book and articles that did not please the regime will be over. At this time, by Iranian law, he is supposed to be released from Evin Prison.

I want everyone to pray for his health, his life, his release, and his safety upon release. He could possibly be the one man in all of Iran to lead the country into a democratic Iran. This would be a very good thing. Very good, indeed.

Editor's Note: I wrote this on the 15th, but I would like to keep it on top. It is very important for you to see this. Please sign the petition for the people of Iran. Thank you.

Update: Ganji's release has been denied, even though he has served every day of his six year sentence.

Update 2: There is a very good Op-Ed in the Crimson (the Harvard Newspaper) written by Nicholas B. Manske you should read. It will help explain what we are doing. Thank you.