Behind BlogCentral: Thursday: More unrest expected in Iran

As unrest in Iran enters its sixth day following allegations that last week's presidential elections were rigged, and despite the Iranian authorities' efforts to restrict internet access, information has been pouring in from Iranians on the micro-blogging site Twitter.

JPost ran an AP report on how the use of Twitter in Iran is revolutionizing the way information is consumed. There have been many other similar accounts including Andrew Sullivan's The Revolution will be Twittered, the Washington Times' editorial Iran's Twitter Revolution and TechCrunch's Is Twitter the CNN of the New Generation.

On Sunday, I ran a blog entry called Iranian reactions from across social media outlets, documenting updates coming in from various blogs, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube on events in Iran. The piece was picked up and cited as "proof" that an "Israeli conspiracy" was behind the unrest in Iran. See JPost's article in that here.

Twitterers have largely accused the mainstream media of failing to report what has been happening in Iran since Saturday and so the 'Twitter Revolution' was born. It seems that more and more people have turned to Twitter to receive updates about Iran and the information available is staggering.

On Wednesday, news services reported that Iran's Revolutionary Guard has issued a statement warning Iranian bloggers and those posting on websites that they must remove materials that "create tension" or face the consequences. Reports of arrests, disappearances and confiscations of computers, laptops and cellphone have been rampant. AP reported that  "international human rights organizations said Wednesday that many prominent activists and politicians have been arrested in Iran in response to protests over the country's disputed presidential election."

The Iranian authorities also banned the foreign press from reporting events in Iran, according to international news services. 

On Thursday, a mass pro-Mousavi rally is planned in Teheran in honor of those killed in clashes with government forces overnight Monday. Iran State TV confirmed on Tuesday morning that 7 people had died: 2 in Shiraz and 5 in student dormitories at the University of Teheran. Protesters are expected to wear black in mourning of the alleged rigged allegations and the deaths.

Here is the latest available:

Update 17:14pm: Photo from today's rally in Teheran, from Twitpic:

June, 18th, Toopkhane, Tehran, Iran - Green People in black [Twitpic]

Update: 17:03pm:  Footage of what appears to be this afternoon's rally in central Teheran:

Update 16:54pm: Reuters reporting that former president Akbar Hashemi Rfsanjani's children barred from leaving Iran, as heard by the semi-official Fars news agency:

Rafsanjani's daughter Faezeh addressed supporters of defeated presidential candidate Mirhossein Mousavi on Tuesday. Hardline students called for her and her brother, Mehdi, to be arrested. Fars did not give a source for its report."

Update16:28 pm: Twitterers reporting that Khameini is now Twitterers....

Iranian Supreme leader Khamanei is on Twitter, now we know how desperate they R! #iranelection #gr88

Update 15:45pm: Pro-Mousavi mass rally begins in Teheran. First reports from Twitterers:  

RT from iran: I have just come back for few minutes to tell u that the numbers of marchers today are very high - #Iranelection

Everybody is peaceful and quiet - everybody is wearing black - the number of people is unbelievable - SEA OF GREEN

Update 15:40pm: Reports on news services that 646 irregularities have been noted in the tallying of votes. AP reports: "The [Guardian] Council's spokesman, Abbasali Khadkhodaei, said Thursday they received a total of 646 complaints from the three candidates who ran against Ahmadinejad in the June 12 vote." 

Update 15:15pm: Pictures from what appears to be Wednesday's rally:

Click here for the rest. 

Update 15:01pm: Picture identified as of one of those killed in protests this wee. From Twitpic:

they killed him #iranelection

Update 13:37pm: Twitterers who appear to be in Iran report that Iran State TV has labeled protesters as "criminals":

RT state TV & Radio went berserk today all they saying r moosavi's supporters r all criminals & they will stop us at any cost #Iranelection

and how 'foreign' powers are behind the unrest:

Iranian state TV is showing a program about how evil Internet is and US + Britain + Israel are behind this #iranelection

Update 13:03pm: This e-mail was received by someone who identified himself or herself as Iranian and writing from Iran [unverified]:

 The situation inside Iran unfortunately is getting harder and the censor is going to ban everything. From the day before election (Thursday) SMS is down and our mobile phone doesn't work. Recently the most dangerous military inside Iran, which is called Sepah, (I want to emphasize that they are military group and they are not the Police) said we will arrest everyone who are using Internet to spread news from Iran. From 4 days ago I am using filter breaker software to have access to Facebook.

Other websites such as CNN, BBC, and almost all protest's websites and news papers are blocked. I really don't feel good with this situation and unfortunately I am not hopeful about future. Many people say they are punishing people because of what they have done (because it was not what they wanted)

In Iran people say it is [a] "coup de ta" [sic] and not an election. Because before the election starts they switched off the SMS and they said from the day after election every gathering more than 4 is forbidden and also postponed all universities exams. If they didn't want to fabricate results from where they knew that people will come to streets to protest? Is there any other reason for those thing from before the start of election?

Yesterday in only one hospital, which is my university hospital my friend who was an intern there told me 18 people died. [After got shot by the military groups (and not the Police)]

We don't have access to any other media else than state TV and they are not fair at all. The state TV obviously supports Ahmadinejad and says the people who were killed was some risky people! While in the movies you can see while they were calm and leaving the gathering, the military group (and not the Police) shot them with military and army weapons. (Such as AK41)

My friends who they live abroad are translating news from Iran in English and you can find that news here: www.en.balatarin.com I should add the state authority also banned foreigner reporters to leave their hotel and they don't let them to report anything from Iran. You can find news about this event in the CNN today.

"A crackdown on dissent continued, with more arrests of opposition figures reported, and the country's most powerful military force – the Revolutionary Guard - saying that Iranian Web sites and bloggers must remove any materials that "create tension" or face legal action." It  is From yahoo news.

What you said about your heart is with us, is the most important thing for us. With this, we feel we are not alone and our voice is heard through the world. 2 days ago the police battle students of my university from 3.5 am and until 5 am while there were in their Dormitory. they battle them and killed 7 people ( until now their family don't have their corpus ) and many others injured. Their properties are broken using axes and 70 people were arrested. They also through many other students from the building (for example from the window) out and from height of something like 7-10 meters and their bones were broken. My English is not good in explaining such things because I have not experiences to learn the appropriate words about this kind of news, so please don't see my mistakes in translation.

Maybe I could not visit Facebook anymore. Just see the movies in YouTube that I share in Facebook and follow news from en.balatarin.com

After we heard European parliament supported people in Iran we really felt better, the worst thing for us is to be hurt and not allowed to say anything! They hurt us, they killed many and from today we are not allowed to leave our home from 8 pm and also they say you should not say anything. If we say something they easily say you are rioter and they arrest us and hit us. They don't let the reporters to spread any news and this is awful. 

Thanks again for supporting us with your sympathy

Update 12:25pm: The blog Revolution in Iran has apparently published the list of those allegedly killed so far in clashes with government forces

Update 12:12pm: The Tech site Mashable has published figures of tweets about #IranElection: 

Stats: 221,744 tweets per hour at peak 

Update 12:08pm : A comprehensive photo album of Tuesday's pro-Mousavi rally.

Update: 11:47am: Tribute footage of events as they happened since June 12th [WARNING: disturbing images]

A video uploaded June 16 of apparent shootings by the Basij [paramilitary force]

Another video posted June 16th of what appears to be doctors and nurses protesting outside a hospital after 7 were reported killed in clashes overnight. 

Update 11:36am: Another mass protest in Iran has been planned for tomorrow (Friday) according to the Twitter feeds:

Events for FRIDAY(so far conf.)Haft Tir Sq.11am,mousavi,karroubi, karbaschi and other major figures expected

There are those who warn against going on Friday:

Don't attend the friday prayers. IRIB will be using the pictures for propaganda purposes. Please stay away!

Update 10:10am: Support from non-Iranians has been pouring in with many sending tweets of support:

The world is watching you, Tehran, and we are inspired by your courage. I wish there was more I could do to help. #iranelection #gr88

Many young Americans' thoughts and prayers are with you all. I hope your peaceful demonstrations don't have to becom.. #iranelection

#iranelection all peace-loving peoples of the world are behind free Iran! Remember that! The Dream never dies!

And many Twitterers turning their user pictures to the color green in solidarity with Iranians, the color pro-reformist Mir Hussein Mousavi used throughout his presidential campaign. Here is how to green your avatar.

And due to the immense popularity of Twitter, even seemingly pro-Ahmadinejad supporters are getting in on the action. Those tweeting on #Iranelection have published a list, apparently containing those usernames they suspect to be working for the Iranian regime.

RT IranPeople: List of fake/Iran govt tweeters at http://twitspam.org/?p=1403; block/ignore them all - #iranelection #gr88 - PLS RT