IND:  This is a positive step forward.  We need as much transparency as possible in order not to repeat the same mistakes as in 1979.  One glaring omission, though, is the absence of any reference to the two pillars of democracy: separation of powers and checks & balances.  Sadly, Iran’s history is full of examples of the corrupting influence of power – of idealistic individuals who in time and with an overdose of chaplosy (Persian word for kiss a**ing) by those surrounding them eventually turned into tyrants.

Five religious intellectuals, Abdolkarim Soroush, Mohsen Kadivar, Seyyed Ataollah Mohajerani, Abdolali Bazargan, and Akbar Ganji, while expressing their full support for Mir Hossein Mousavi’s statement #17, outlined ten demands of the Green movement in their view:l

1. Resignation of Ahmadinejad and holding a re-election under the supervision of independent organization, cancelation of the pre-approving screening by the guardian council, and formation of an independent commission consistent of the representatives of the protesters to the election results for legislating new criteria to enable fair and free elections.l

2. Release of all political prisoners and the investigation of the cases of torture and assault of the protestors over the past few months in open trials with the presence of juries and the right to select and have lawyers as well as compensating the victims and their families.l

3. Freedom of all media including press, audio and video media and cyber media; allowing the newspapers that were closed down by the government to re-open; permitting independent and non-governmental satellite television channels and the removal of extensive filtering of internet; clearing state-run televisions and radios from liars.l

4. Recognizing the right of non-governmental organizations to operate; recognizing the right of people, unions, and women’s right activist and other groups to hold peaceful demonstrations as allowed by article 27 of the constitution.l

5. Independence of universities and leaving university affairs to the academics; removal of military and paramilitary forces from the universities and shutting down the illegal high commission for Cultural Revolution (government’s agency responsible for identifying and removing government’s opposition in universities).l

6. Immediate trials of the torturers, the operatives and the masterminds of the past crimes especially over the past few months.l

7. Giving independence to the judiciary by holding election for its head and clearing the judiciary of unfair puppet judges and stopping show trials.l

8. The removal of armed and security forces from the culture, politics and economics scenes.l

9. Giving political and financial independence to the seminary schools from the government; stopping the practice of buying the Friday prayer Imams for political goals.l

10. All top ranked positions become elected ones with limited terms.