Tehran, December 29: The body of the nephew of Iran’s opposition leader – slain in the deadliest day of anti-government protests in months – disappeared from hospital yesterday, and security forces detained at least seven prominent activists, according to opposition reports.
Iranian state television said that eight people had died in Sunday’s street violence, but independent confirmation of the casualty toll was virtually impossible because of curbs on media coverage. Tehran residents say restrictions on internet access were intensified, and Iranians were unable to see opposition websites. Mobile phone and text-messaging services were sporadic.
Reza Mousavi said that the body of his brother, Ali Mousavi, was taken overnight from a Tehran hospital and that nobody had accepted “responsibility” for removing the corpse. Authorities were possibly seeking to deter mourners from organising more protests around the funeral.
–Agencies