VOA标准英语2010年-Iranian Government Releases Prisoners

Iran has released a top politician, a film maker¹ and a journalist, among others, to mark the Persian New Year. Al-Arabiya TV is also reporting that an opposition² activist³ who took part in opposition demonstrations⁴ has been sentenced to death.

The Iranian government is making a gesture to its opposition adversaries⁵ by releasing several prominent detainees to mark the Persian New Year, Nowrouz. Three of them were released on bail⁶.

One of the prominent figures from the televised trials of opposition leaders last summer, Mohsen Mirdamadi, was temporarily released in exchange for nearly half a million dollars in bail. Mirdomadi leads the Islamic Iran Participation⁷ Front, the country's top reformist party.

Film-maker Mohammad Rasoulof was also granted a temporary release on bail, according to opposition Web sites Kalameh and Rahesabz. Director Jafar Panahi, in whose company he was arrested, remains⁸ in custody⁹.

Opposition journalist Akbar Montajabi was also reportedly released. But Irandokht, the newspaper for which he worked, was closed by the government earlier this month.

Paris-based press watchdog Reporters Without Borders indicated on its Web site that three other journalists and bloggers arrested since the beginning of the year, were also released earlier this week.

Writer Scott Lucas of the University of Birmingham in Britain, who runs the popular Iran blog Enduring America, says that the Iranian government continues to use a "carrot-and-stick" approach towards the opposition Green Movement, noting that Mohsen Mirdomadi was released at almost the same time that his party was banned:

"Mirdomadi's release happens at almost the same time they slap a ban on the Islamic Iran Participation Front, so you get almost a carrot-and-stick here, which is: all right, we will let Mirdomadi out temporarily, at the same time this organization that he heads up is put beyond the pale,” said Lucas. “So, if they behave themselves, then a temporary release might be coming, or they might have to have to have set up personal bail conditions."

Lucas says he does not think the Iranian government strategy is going to work in the long term:

"The regime is basically trying to break this movement, but they are trying to break it at the same time not just simply by complete oppression, but by giving just a little bit, in exchange for silence and concessions,” Lucas adds. “This is a long-term game, and the government could not land a knock-out blow on these folks. Now, they many be trying to win a battle of attrition, but I do not see them doing it."

Ten opposition demonstrators, who were accused of being enemies of God, were recently given death sentences for participating in anti-government demonstrations in December. Al-Arabiya TV reports another young demonstrator was sentenced to death Wednesday.
 

1 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

2 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

3 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

4 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

5 adversaries   

n.对手，敌手( adversary的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• That would cause potential adversaries to recoil from a challenge. 这会迫使潜在的敌人在挑战面前退缩。 来自辞典例句
• Every adversaries are more comfortable with a predictable, coherent America. 就连敌人也会因有可以预料的，始终一致的美国而感到舒服得多。 来自辞典例句

6 bail   

v.舀（水），保释；n.保证金，保释，保释人

参考例句：

• One of the prisoner's friends offered to bail him out.犯人的一个朋友答应保释他出来。
• She has been granted conditional bail.她被准予有条件保释。

7 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

8 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

9 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。