June 20-2014
Another protest against water diversions has been broken up forcefully by the authorities.
This protest was a human chain of more than 500 people along the Zayandeh River in Esfahan. It was the latest in a long series of protests in many communities against the regime’s policies of diverting river waters to drier parts of the country.
The local website Saheb News reported that the Esfahan protesters were quickly swarmed by officers and forced to leave the area. The report said at least two people were injured and seven to 10 were arrested.
The report said security forces beat a 45-year-old man carrying his child on his shoulders, which caused him to drop the child.
The Zayandeh River has been nothing but a dry riverbed several months each year in recent years. Part of that is a natural result of drought conditions, but local residents say much water has also been diverted to drier regions by the government.
The Kaleme opposition website denounced as a double standard the police attitude toward protesters who don’t have a permit depending on whether the protesters support or oppose conservative positions. This referred to gatherings against the Rohani administration held last month; they were not confronted by police although they lacked any official permits.
