750 Protest Student Executions Planned by Iran
About 750 people gathered on the lawn of the Federal Building in Westwood Thursday evening to protest the planned execution of four college students in Iran who have been convicted of demonstrating against the Tehran government.
Thursday’s demonstrators said they also oppose the imprisonment in Iran of 13 Iranian Jews who are accused of spying.
The four condemned students were among thousands of demonstrators--most of them students--who attended an anti-government rally in July. The Iranian authorities responded with force; four students were killed and at least a dozen injured.
Suzy Yasher, 48, a protester at Thursday’s demonstration in Westwood, said she is part of a group of Iranian American mothers who would take extreme action--even committing suicide--if the Iranian government goes through with the executions.
Jimmy Sedghi, 57, one of the leaders of Thursday’s demonstration, said the protesters hope to draw attention to human rights abuses in Iran and prompt American and United Nations involvement in finding a solution to the problems there.
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