According to a police statement released Monday, there were at least 457 arrests made in post election protests in Tehran over the weekend.  The statement said those arrested were “people who have caused insecurity, disrupted public order and clashed with police around Tehran’s Enqelab Square on Saturday.”  The arrests put an end to the bloody protests, at least for a while; Tehran has been eerily quiet since Saturday after 13 people were killed. 

Police used tear gas and water cannons to bring order to the crowd of angry protestors of Iran’s Presidential election June 12.  

In a message to his supporters, presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi told his young protestors to continue the fight, saying, “the revolution is your legacy.  To protest against lies and fraud is your right.  Be hopeful that you will get your right and do not allow others who want to provoke your anger…to prevail…the nation belongs to you.”

Meanwhile, the High commissioner for Human Rights at the United Nations was concerned about the high number of arrests during the unrest.  Navi Pillay said in a statement that illegal acts by security forces and militia “could provoke a serious deterioration in the security situation.” 

© 2009 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)