Iranians Continue Protest over Elections

Violence, Social Networks, and Martyrdom

Tear gas and clubs have not deterred many Iranians from continuing to protest over alleged fraudulent elections. Iran's reformist leaders have vowed to continue the protest, as well as press on with legal challenges to the election that took place on June 12, 2009. The protest has been going on for weeks, with no end in sight.

The government has used the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRG) and the Basij, a pro-government militia, to crush the protest. They have been notorious in beating, shooting and killing people, especially students. Furthermore, reports have been confirmed that Basij members have been recruited from abroad. Despite government brutality, Iranians have found a way to fight back.

Iranians Exploit Social Network Sites to Inform the World

The Iranian election protest has been widely broadcast throughout the world, despite government attempts in banning journalists from reporting. Much of what has been reported has come from eyewitnesses and from videos that have leaked out onto YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Iranians have been quick to take advantage of the Internet in order to inform the world of events.

Taking their protest online has garnered plenty of attention and sympathy for Iranian people and much contempt for the government. Networking sites such as Twitter have been crucial in leaking information about recent events and giving Iranians the opportunity to express their hope for change to the world.

Neda and Martyrdom in Iran

On June 22, an amateur video emerged showing a women identified as "Neda" being brutally killed. People around her tried desperately to save her. People posting the video claim she was murdered by a member of the Basij, a pro-government militia.

Neda means "voice" or "calling" in Farsi and her death has become a rallying cry for opposition protesters. Her death showed the full extent of the government's brutality against its citizens. Videos of her death have only further isolated Ahmadinejad's government and aroused much anger in Iran.

In Iranian society, martyrdom is something special and sacred. Ali Saeed, whose brother was killed during the revolution and martyred, said in an interview with CBN News that those who have become martyrs are alive and we who are alive are really dead.

"This is something that you cannot understand. Martyrs never die and I am praying to become one," he continued.

There have been reports that she was buried at Tehran's Behesht Zahra cemetary, which has been called the world's largest cemetery for Islamic martyrs.

Iranian Women Bring More Challenges for Ahmadinehad

Since the election dispute, there have been images of Iranian women protesting alongside men. Some have even become martyrs, as in the case with Neda. In a place where women are often repressed, these images have catapulted Iran's female demonstrators to the forefront of the opposition movement and one that will present Ahmadinehad's conservative government with ever greater challenges.

"Iranian women are very powerful and they want their freedom," said one woman in Tehran who said she's been taking part in the protests. Like all women in Iran interviewed, she did not want to be named, for fear of government retribution.

While an alleged fraudulent election has been the core of the protests for Iran's 35 million women, there is an extra layer of resentment and fear. Many believe that a second term would only worsen the conditions for women. It is no wonder that their presence is more prominent.

While female demonstrations in the Middle East have occurred in the past, the latest demonstrations have showed women protesting side-by-side with men, enduring the same blows and threats. These images have shown their determination in preventing Ahmandinehad from seeking a second term in office.