Locking up a Nation

The recent post-election protests in Iran, so far peaking from June 13 to June 30, were triggered by widespread suspicions of voter fraud, but is often seen as a wider push for for democracy, human rights, women's equality and freedom of speech.

People from all over the world has become involved through participation on Twitter.

The Iranian government has attempted complete media black-out and police lock-down and diplomatic isolation.

Western media are barred from reporting from the streets and often rely on anonymous testimony or unconfirmed Twitter reports.

Iran has initiated a campaign to arrest, torture and possibly prosecute dissent.

Using one of the last remaining outlets where Iranians at the risk of their lives are updating the world about current revents.

Reports revolve around news broadcasts from Persian media, eye witness reports from street rallies and nightly "Allahu Akhbar" chanting protests, and accounts of arrests, torture and daily oppression by police and Basiji.

Written accounts are often backed by cell phone photos uploaded to Flickr, Picasa, Twitpic and other photo sharing sites, as well as extensive video documentation uploaded to YouTube and other social websites with streaming capacity.

All statements are from day 14 of the protests, June 26 2009. They are presented here mostly to give Iranian officials, MPs and leading clerics an impression of how the image of a nation, the "radiant face" of Iran, has been destroyed with one brutal swing of the iron fist.