Students at Tehran University launched a protest against the regime to release all political prisoners. Of all people, a Reuters journalist was on the scene and wrote about it with pictures.

TEHRAN, July 12 (Reuters) – Iranian police beat dozens of protesters with batons on Tuesday at a demonstration to call for the release of Iran’s most prominent jailed journalist.

About 150 people, mostly students, had gathered in front of Tehran University chanting “political prisoners must be freed” when dozens of police moved in to break up the protest.

The rally was in support of Akbar Ganji, an outspoken critic of the Islamic state’s clerical leadership who was sentenced to six years in jail in 2001 for articles he wrote alleging links between senior officials and the murder of political dissidents.

Ganji’s family and lawyers say he is suffering from poor health and needs medical treatment outside prison. They say he has been on hunger strike for more than 30 days.

Judiciary officials say Ganji is in good health and is not on hunger strike.

A Reuters journalist saw police beat several protesters, including young women, in streets surrounding the university and was struck by batons several times himself.

It was not immediately clear if police made any arrests.

However, it is now being reported that the protests are continuing despite the police crackdown during which the Reuters journalist reported. FDI is reporting that the crowd of people continues to grow into the evening. This just days after the anniversary of the June 9, 1999 student uprising which lauched the rebellion.

Thousands of protesters gathered in the streets in front of Tehran University today, calling on the regime to free political prisoners, including jailed journalist and author, Akbar Ganji. According to callers from Tehran who gave live reports to National Iranian TV in Los Angeles, some 4,000 to 10,000 protestors had gathered, despite a police crackdown. Toward 8 PM local time (11:30 AM Eastern time), female protestors who had taken off their chadors were being assaulted by regime riot police and plainclothes bassiji enforcers, and hauled off to police stations. According to local residents, the regime shut down all phone service in the vicinity of the demonstration, so callers had to go to other parts of the city to get information out to overseas broadcasters. Despite the crackdown, NITV reported, the crowds of demonstrators continued to grow after the evening rush hour. Developing…

More as this continues to develop. A stream of reports at Regime Change Iran.

UPDATE: The White House has released a statement of solidarity with Ganji, taking the side of the protestors against the regime.

“Through his now monthlong hunger strike, Mr. Ganji is demonstrating that he is willing to die for his right to express his opinion,” McClellan said.

“President Bush is saddened by recent reports that Mr. Ganji’s health has been failing and deeply concerned that the Iranian government has denied him access to his family, medical treatment and legal representation,” he added.

The statement also had a message for Ganji that “America stands with you.”