This is an account from a protester who was arrested and thrown into the "temporary jail" that was recently closed due to outrage at the appalling conditions there.

WARNING:
This testimony is very graphic, and may be disturbing and triggery for some people:
( Read more... )

It has been confirmed that the official number of deaths in the past months has now risen. 69 people have been identified, with many hundreds more unaccounted for. Some of those are probably dead. Many are still being detained.

Reports are coming out of multiple deaths in various "holding facilities" where they have been detaining protesters...without trial, without lawyers, without even registering their names or answering inquiries from concerned relatives.

We may never know the exact number of the dead. Their names may never be known, but they will not be forgotten.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090811/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iran

Here is a current list of the dead, those arrested, and those released. This list names 89 dead. I fear there are a great many more to come.
http://shooresh1917.blogspot.com/2009/07/list-of-killedarrested-and-released-in.html

I asked an Iranian friend if he thinks Rafsanjani will truly help promote democracy in Iran, separating church and state, and whether Raf would be leading the Friday prayers.

My friend said this:

Rafsanjani understands Iranis simply will not tolerate any half measures.
on the roofs we are singing and dying,
on the streets we are walking and dying,
in the prisons we are screaming and dying
for the Iranian Republic, separate from Islam.

we will sing and walk and scream and die again. others will die as a result. Rafsanjani is not blind or stupid, and he is aware (to paraphrase Jefferson) when religion and politics are mixed, both institutions will suffer.

the IRG has much power, and they have nothing to lose. terrible accidents may begin to happen with alarming regularity to members of the regime and the opposition. similar to all the recent plane and train accidents in Iran. unless Raf is assured of his safety, (and the safety of protesters, he does care if they are shot in the streets when coming out to see him!) he will likely not be at FP this week.

and he has been known to 'drop in' for an unexpected guest appearance. it is his right and prerogative. if he does appear , we must listen closely again to what is said. much will have to happen in the next few days. this seems an exciting week for Iran.

please let me know if i may be of service again, my friend and sibling.

ps. if the rapings do not stop, if the stonings do not end, if the hangings do not cease- how much will Hell ask for payment? i have heard they are not big bargain-makers there. one's silence is taken for collusion.

One of my friends in Iran has offered to answer any and all questions we have. If there's something you want to know more about, or anything you'd like to ask him, please leave a comment here and I'll get the questions to him.

This is from an Iranian on a certain message board, who seems very reliable and well-informed.
This is currently UNCONFIRMED but deemed reliable. THIS IS NOW CONFIRMED FROM INDEPENDENT SOURCES.

Rafsanjani does have the power to legally remove the Supreme Leader. he can do this through the Assembly of Experts, if he has enough votes. the number of votes available to Raf has been in dispute. but apparently no more.

several hours ago, the Grand Ayatollahs Bayat-Zanjani and Montazeri have let it be known that Khamenei is no longer welcome. he must comply with the Constitution and the Assembly, or be removed. since he has already violated the Constitution, it should be beyond discussion. of course, this is the opinion of a construction worker, and not the Assembly. i suspect he is still being given the chance to save the system and therefore prevent total chaos, before he is removed.

remember, we are talking about destroying the economy, complete radical regime change, and a popular uprising. any of these things separately has the potential to completely throw Iran into utter chaos and devastation. we are witnessing all three simultaneously. one or more must be approached slowly or an imminent total collapse will open Iran up in a way no political leader will wish to see. unless you are an enemy of Iran. Raf does not want to jump off a roof, when the stairs provide a safer, if slower, transition to the earth and normalcy. a Republican, non-Islamic normalcy will take time unless we are plunged into civil war.