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Eyewitness Account: "My Brother Was Beaten"
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As violence flares in Tehran, The Daily Beast's Parvez Sharma spoke over Yahoo! Chat with a young Iranian journalist and Mousavi supporter who says she was arrested at the protests today and released. She describes the fresh violence--including a family member who was beaten, and shares extremely graphic video of a young women who was shot. Below is the unedited transcript of their instant message conversation, which took place at 9:36 p.m. in Tehran (1:06 p.m. EST). Her full name has been omitted from the transcript to protect her safety – we are identifying her only as “NS”. CAUTION: The video link included in this is extremely graphic and disturbing.
Me: (Parvez Sharma)
what is going on?
can we do an interview
NS
hi
yes go ahead
Watch a video of the violence emailed from Tehran by NS. WARNING: Content is extremely graphic and includes footage of a young woman who was shot.
Me:
are you ok?
first question: Where have you been today?
NS
ye sim fine back home now
could shoot at all
we got arrested aroind 5 PM or so
i wa around azadi square and shrif university
we were 3 photographer
all with cameras in our bags
they stopped us
asked some questions
then asked to check the bags
Me:
Who arrested you?
Basij or Revolitionary Guard?
NS
so they saw the cameras and they said you have to give the cameras and called for a patrol to come to take us
BASSIJ
Me:
Where were you taken?
NS
but then another one of them came and asked few more questions and let us go
we were not taken
he was nice compare to the others and let us go
Me:
What is happening right now? Are people being killed?
NS
but told us to go from another direction, as we told him we wanted to reach our car
there are all sorts of news coming out every minute
but yes
some attsckes
were confirmed
Me:
How many people on the streets?
NS
many injured confirmed
no one knows
Me:
Are you at home now?
NS
as they couldn't get together in the beginning
Me:
How are people communicating with each other?
NS
but seems like they are getting more and more
mobiles were cut down there
as well as sms
Me:
So sms is working?
NS
no
some people were watching from their houses and informoing others
Me:
Are you going back outside?
NS
we may
Me:
What is the time right now?
NS
we are just waiting to see how it will go with the allah o akbar tonight
it's9:30
Me:
Have the people gone back home? Are you able to see any reports on BBC Persian?
NS
im checking it online
some have gone home
from the ones i know
Me:
Where are you getting reports from?
NS
and some we still have no news as the mobile sare cut
from whoever that comes out the bad areas and can mak ea phone call
Me:
So in Tehran you have no idea of how many people are killed?
NS
cuz the mobiles start working after you are away from the battle field
not yet
no news
nothing confirmed
Me:
Have you seen anything else with your own eyes NS?
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Benjamin Sarlin is a reporter for The Daily Beast. He previously covered New York City politics for The New York Sun and has worked for talkingpointsmemo.com.
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Jacob Bernstein is a senior reporter at The Daily Beast. Previously, he was a features writer at WWD and W Magazine. He has also written for New York magazine, Paper, and The Huffington Post.
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NS thank you for your courage and trust that love and light will prevail.
This stuff is so difficult to watch, lord help them...
NS - Be assured that millions of people are keeping their eyes on all of you. We're all Iranians now! The people of the world LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please look at my blog article: "The Light of the Iranian People"
Madison
Iran zindabad! Allah'u'akbar!
These are excellent, raw dispatches from the center of the action. Thank you Parvez for these reports. I am so afraid for the brave protesters yet cautiously hopeful.
NS and ALL the daughters of Iran, as a father of 2 daughters myself, my heart and prayers go out to you. About 38 years ago I was also involved in a revolution that sprang from the denial of election results. After a lot of blood-shed we achieved our freedom. YOU will get yours too. I will be waiting for that day, when all of you can stand side by side with my daughters and proclaim to the world: We are FREE, we are EQUAL, we are CITIZENS of this world.
From an old revolutionary to the new blood -- VICTORY will be ours.
Be safe, but prepare to sacrifice.
Allahu-Akbar
Thank you so much NS.....we are watching and praying for all of you.
I hope the people of Iran know that we stand with them. Americans.. take note, This is what brave people do when their leaders fail them.
Thank you.
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