MEDIA RELEASE
June 3, 2009
Contacts: Shervin Nekuee, Kamran Ashtary, Farhad Golyardi
Contact form below
Vote for Iran: voteforiran.com
In just a few days, Iranians will go to the polls to elect a new president. This has been an historic campaign with unprecedented use of new media for campaigning and communicating with voters inside and outside Iran. Chances are, this election will also feature the highest turnout of Iranians living abroad. Vote for Iran (voteforiran.com) is a project to communicate with Iranians in diaspora. It has no ties with the government of Iran.
What was unthinkable just four years ago is a reality today. People like us, who disagree with the Islamic state and are great supporters of human rights, recognize the need to participate in the presidential elections in Iran. Four years ago, we were not actively promoting the electoral process in Iran. Four years ago, we did not imagine bringing family and friends with us to the embassy to cast our votes. This election is different, though, and that is why we have created Vote for Iran (voteforiran.com).
The 12th of June Iranian presidential election can become a historical moment for our country. Iranian people can make a choice. For many years the basic rights of our nation have been violated time after time: our civil rights, freedom of speech, and free press. The miserable situation that Iran is in – nationally and internationally as well as politically and economically – can change for the better. Sending the government of President Ahmadinejad home on election day and voting for a reform candidate (Mousavi or Karroubi) can send the message that Iranians are ready to join the world community.
Domestic issues are the key to presidential elections both in Iran and the United States. Almost four years ago, Ahmadinejad was elected to respond to corruption in politics. He promised honesty and more equitable sharing of Iran’s oil wealth. Despite a plethora of domestic issues including runaway inflation and the high jobless rate, this year Iranians will be sending a message about whether or not the country will engage with the West.
