Iran Focus: Tehran, Jun. 15 – The Office for the Strengthening
of Unity (OSU), the main student body operating legally in Iran, adopted a declaration today calling on voters to stay away from the polls on Friday and warning that the clerical authorities will inflate turnout figures to show support for the regime. Adopted by a two-thirds majority, the declaration noted that the election masquerade has had many scenes, including power struggle among rival factions, threats and incentives, and efforts to … Iran Focus
Tehran, Jun. 15 – The Office for the Strengthening of Unity (OSU), the main student body operating legally in Iran, adopted a declaration today calling on voters to stay away from the polls on Friday and warning that the clerical authorities will inflate turnout figures to show support for the regime.
Adopted by a two-thirds majority, the declaration noted that the election masquerade has had many scenes, including power struggle among rival factions, threats and incentives, and efforts to hide undemocratic and reactionary faces behind deceptive masks. But all these fraudulent tactics have failed to lure the public to vote.
The declaration was adopted by delegates from 32 universities in Tehran, Isfahan, Mashad, Tabriz, Kashan, Sabzevar, Hamedan, Kermanshah, Yazd, Kerman, Orumieh, Zahedan, Shahre Kord, Ardebil, Sanandaj, Bandar-Abbas, Sari, and Rasht.
The students declaration added, The regime urgently needs a high voter turnout, but is unable to persuade people to vote. The presence of military forces at polling stations and the emphasis by both factions of the regime (conservatives and reformists) on the need for maximum turnout have fuelled concerns that there will be rigging and fraudulent results concerning the number of votes cast in the election.
The OSU called on all competent parties, domestic and international, to supervise the election and not allow the authorities to diminish the scale of non-participation in the election.
Even before the vote is taken, the absence of independent observers cast doubt on election results and the vote tally, the declaration concluded.
