Statement No. 6
Public's apathy forces mullahs to extend voting hours
-A dissident killed in west Azerbaijan

Twelve hours after the start of the voting, polling stations in Tehran and other cities continue to be deserted. The mullahs have, therefore, extended the voting hours in all cities, Mojahedin's Command Headquarters reported. At the same time, there has been heavy presence of security forces in different cities.

A report from west Azerbaijan province indicates that in the village of Abe-garm in Salmas, a man by the name of Farman began shouting slogans against the regime. A Revolutionary Guards member shot him from a roof top, killing him instantly.

Due to a lack of public interest in Tehran, the regime merged three polling stations into one in Damavand street. Frequent clashes have been reported between the people and the State Security Forces as well as among supporters of the regime's different factions.

In Shiraz (capital of the southern Fars province), many slogans calling for the election boycott were seen on the walls throughout the city.

In Hejrat and Imamat secondary schools as well as in Payam-e Nour University polling stations in Orumieh (capital of the west Azerbaijan province), not even one person showed up to vote.

In Zanjan, northwest Iran, a number of candidates paid people to vote for them. In a polling station located in Montazeri seminary, the busiest station in the city, people went to vote for only one hour. Many Revolutionary Guards are stationed in key locations around the city to maintain control.

Reports from Isfahan and Gorgan also speak of the presence of large contingents of the State Security Force and tight security control throughout these cities.

Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
February 26, 1999

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