UN SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS ON IRANIAN AUTHORITIES TO STOP VIOLENCE
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
23.06.2009 11:01 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed dismay at
the violence and urged "an immediate stop to the arrests, threats and
use of force," UN spokeswoman Michele Montas said at UN headquarters
in New York.
"He calls on the authorities to respect fundamental civil and political
rights, especially the freedom of expression, freedom of assembly
and freedom of information," Montas said.
Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered opposition supporters
on Friday to halt their marches and respect the election outcome,
saying President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had won a resounding victory.
Iran says at least 17 protesters have died in a week of unrest,
including at least 10 killed in confrontations the day after Khamenei’s
speech.
Opposition candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi, who has alleged widespread
and systematic fraud, issued his own challenge Sunday, telling
supporters: "The country belongs to you … Protesting against lies
and fraud is your right."