By DPA,
Tehran : Iran’s opposition leader Mir-Hossein Moussavi called on his supporters Sunday to continue their protests against alleged election fraud, but cautioned them to show restraint against any violence.
“Protesting against lies and fraud is your legitimate right but you should constantly show restraint,” Moussavi said in a statement carried on his website.
He blamed the government for the killings of protesters Saturday and said the interior ministry’s refusal to grant permission for the rally provoked clashes between protesters and police and led to the deaths.
According to official figures, at least ten people were killed and hundreds injured during the demonstrations against alleged fraud in June 12 presidential election. The actual number is feared to be much higher.
“The people are shocked and devastated by the heart-breaking news of the killings of another group of protesters,” Moussavi said while expressing sympathy for the families of the victims.
“Shooting at people, turning the city into a barrack and other forms of power show-off will not solve the problem. All this (killing) would not have happened if paragraph 27 of the constitution (people’s right to peaceful protests) was not ignored (by the interior ministry),” Moussavi said.
Moussavi also called on police and military forces to prevent “irreversible damage” in their relations with the people.
Referring to the arrests of more than 450 demonstrators, he called for an immediate stop to “quantity arrests”.