Monthly Report

of Association for the Defense of Azerbaijani Political Prisoners in Iran – June 2009

The systematic violation of Azerbaijani rights in Iran continued in June 2009. Many civil rights activists were arbitrarily detained and tortured as well as barred from consulting their lawyers or seeing their families.

New detentions of Azerbaijani activists

Sima Didar, an Azerbaijani journalist and the former editor-in-chief of the Yashmaq student journal in Tehran University, was arrested on Jun 18, 2009 when visiting her husband Alireza Farshi in Tabriz Prison. She was informed by Tabriz security and court authorities over the phone that she and her lawyer were granted permission to visit Farshi in prison. Upon arrival in Tabriz prison, Didar was arrested by Tabriz Intelligence Service officers.

According to her lawyer, Abbas Jamali, Didar was arrested for “promoting propaganda for her ethnicity, participating in the May 22 rally in Tabriz.”     

Alireza Farshi, a University professor and the spouse of Sima Didar, was arrested on May 22, 2009 in a rally in El Golu Park in Tabriz by Tabriz Intelligence officers. He was captured while chanting slogans demanding Azerbaijanis language rights. Didar, who was an eyewitness that day, wrote a report describing the events in her weblog. She later participated in a gathering protesting the detentions of Farshi and other Azerbaijani political prisoners.   

Ali Bikas, a Ph.D. student in History and Azerbaijani cultural rights activists, was arrested on Jun 15, 2009 by Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS or Ettelaat) officers in Tehran. Bikas’s friend has claimed that he called to inform him that he is being held in Section 209 of Tehran’s Evin Prison, which is governed by the Ministry of Intelligence.

Ali Bikas is not allowed access a lawyer or visits from his family. His relatives are afraid that the authorities will connect his case to the unrest in Tehran after Iran presidential election and therefore he may be tortured or treated badly.

Bikas is a member of “Islamic Iran Azerbaijanis Association” and was an active member of Mir Hossein Mousavi’s recent election campaign. He withdrew from his position after an internet video was released in which former Iranian President Khatami, who was a supporter of the Mousavi campaign, was seen telling racist jocks against Azerbaijanis.  Bikas wrote articles and participated in protests against the racist insults.

Behnam Sheykhi and Mahmud Ojagli, two Azerbaijani civil rights activists, were arrested in Tehran’s Eslamshahr region on Jun 9, 2009 by Ministry of Intelligence officers. They are currently held in Section 209 of Evin Prison. They were arrested for painting Azerbaijani language rights slogans on building walls. Security forces searched Sheykhi’s home and shop on June 13, and found his painting tools and the stencil that he used to write the slogans. Security officials have also taken some of his books and personal property items.

Sheykhi was summoned by phone to the Tehran Intelligence office, but he refused and demanded that a warrant be presented to him. The intelligence officers then stormed his shop and after physically assaulting him and his brother, arrested him without any warrant. Ojagli was arrested as he was recording the event on his video camera. According to Sheykhi’s family, court authorities have informed them that Sheykhi is being held in Section 209 of Evin Prison.

Novelist and Azerbaijani cultural rights activists Ilgar Moazenzade was arrested on June 15, 2009 in Meshghinshahr (also known as Khiyav) by Ministry of Intelligence officers. Prior to his arrest, security forces had searched his home on both May 31 and June 8 and threatened his family. He is now being held in Ardebil Prison.

Ali Feyzi, another Azerbaijani activist from Meshghinshahr, was arrested on Jun 9, 2009 by Ministry of Intelligence officers and released on bail after 23 days of detention. Both Moazenzade and Feyzi were arrested after distributing articles about Azerbaijani language rights and condemning any insult against Azerbaijani identity throughout the town. They are barred from access to a lawyer or visits from their families. 

Azerbaijani activists Majid Pajuhfam, Mustafa Golizade and Yaser Mikaili were arrested during a rally supporting presidential candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi on June 10, 2009 in Maraghe after chanting slogans in Azerbaijani Turkish demanding ethnic rights. They were detained for one day and interrogated using force. They were released on bail.

On Jun 15, 2009, a demonstration took place in Tabriz protesting the result of the latest presidential election, which protesters claimed were rigged. The protests were coupled with calls for Azerbaijani ethnic and cultural rights. The protests, although peaceful, were harshly suppressed by police and security forces. According to eyewitness, three people were killed in the crackdown, but no information has been released on their identities. After the protests, security forces entered a dormitory in Tabriz University and arrested Amir Mardani and Amin Jahani along with eight other Azerbaijani student activists. Mardani and Jahani were later released on bail.

Mardani was previously detained for three months in summer 2008. He was then charged with “membership in an illegal group that threatens national security” and was tried and sentenced to three years of imprisonment.

Security forces also arrested other Tabriz political activists after the demonstrations. Sharabiyanlu, Farzadi , Ghaffarzade, Soltani Azar, Panahi, Seyflu, Laya Farzadi, Jaberi, Dadizade, Mehdiyar Behrami, Mansur Ghaffari, Hojjatollah Emiri, Emir Hossein Jahani, Rahim Yavari, Abbas pur Azheri, Yagubzade, Mehdi Khodadadi, Sabeti, Ruhullah Rahimpur and Shamlu were all among the detainees who were released after one week. Musa Saket, the director of the Tabriz branch of Iran Scholars Organization (Advar-e Tahkim) was arrested on Jun 17, 2009. He is still held in intelligence office custody.

According to Tabriz judiciary authorities, between 50 and 60 people have been detained in Tabriz during the unrests. Unofficial sources, however, believe that more than 200 people were detained. Most of the detainees have been released on bail.

The results of Iran’s presidential elections were followed by some demonstrations in Urmia, another predominantly-Azerbaijani city in Iran. Around 3000 people, who were also demanding Azerbaijani linguistic and cultural rights, protested the results of the poll and claimed that the election was rigged. Police attacked the protestors and arrested scores during the rally. According to the eyewitnesses, two people also were killed during the demonstrations. We have no detailed information about the identity of those killed or arrested.

Ahad Rizayi, Jalal Bahrami and Sadeg Rasuli, three political activists from Zanjan were arrested on Jun 20, 2009 by Zanjan intelligence officers. They were released after 10 days in detention to be tried at a later date. Asghar Bazargani, another activist from Zanjan, was detained starting Jun 24 and was released on bail after one week.

Long-term detention of Azerbaijani activists by Iranian Intelligence

Nagi Ahmadi Azar Mogaddam, an Azerbaijani writer, was arrested on April 4, 2004 and was transferred to Tabriz Prison after 75 days of temporary detention by the Ministry of Intelligence. His case still is unclear. 

Ahmadi’s family members had a chance to visit him after he was taken to prison. According to them, he was interrogated for having cultural connections to the Republic of Azerbaijan. Judiciary authorities, however, refuse to discuss the cause for his detention. Ministry of Intelligence security personnel have searched his home twice and have taken some of his books and articles.

Ahmadi is a writer of Azerbaijani literature and history and has also translated several books into Azerbaijani Turkish. He is a member of the “Iranian Writers Association” and additionally is an honored member of the “Azerbaijani Writers Association”.

Azerbaijani Activists Aydin Zakeri, Mansur Seyfi and Fardin Nobakht were arrested on May 31, 2009. They still remain custody their cases are unclear. Judiciary authorities have transferred them to Ardebil Prison after finishing investigations, but they are not allowed to access a lawyer or see their families.

On May 14, 2009, an internet video emerged that showed former Iranian President Mohammed Khatami, gathered among a number of Iran’s reformist politicians, belittling ethnic Azerbaijanis. He can easily be seen making dehumanizing jokes against the Azerbaijani community as others laugh and partake in the insults. Following release of the video, Azerbaijanis in Iran organized peaceful protests in many Azerbaijani cities and universities in a display of Azerbaijani solidarity against racism. Scores of activists were arrested during and after the demonstrations in Tabriz, Urmia, Ardebil, Miyandoab (Ghosachay), and Meshginshahr (Khiyav). The identities of only 35 detainees have been determined. There is no information of their whereabouts. 

Ali Eslami, Asghar Chamani, Bayram Khalegzade, Behzad Sadeghiyan, Mohsen Golestan, Arash Eshgi, Vahid Alizade, Akbar Mohammadi, Gader Hemmati, Sajjad Garebaghli, Mortaza Moradpour, Hekam Moradpour and his wife, Vahid Agajani, Sahar Fathi and Hale Fathi were arrested in the protests at El Golu Park on May 22. Husband and wife, Vahid Agajani and Sahar Fathi along with Sahar’s sister Haleh were released after three days of detention. Hekam Moradpur and his wife were released on bail after one month. The others may still be detained.

On May 23, 2009 during a demonstration in Urmia in defence of Azerbaijani ethnic rights, scores of Azerbaijanis were arrested. Farshid Adli (Urmia University student), Hamed Birang and Mohammadi were among the detainees. Adli was released after two days. ADAPP has no information about the situation of the two other detainees.

Tabriz University students Ali and Mehdi Imani, Babak Meynagi, Jahanbakhsh Bakhtavar, Farid Bagherzade, Armin Shakeran Vahi, Ali Sadegi and Abdullah Sadugi were detained on May 25, 2009 and released on bail on June 2.

Azerbaijani prisoners of conciseness are physically abused in prisons

Azerbaijani political prisoner Ali Abbasi, who is sentenced to five years in jail for “activities against national security” and espionage, was subjected to maltreatment in Ardebil Prison.

Abbasi along with a few other political prisoners have reportedly been transferred to a section in Ardabil Prison which holds ill prisoners, including those carrying HIV virus and various other contagious diseases. Abbasi’s visits and phone calls have been restricted, and his ears show signs of cutting. Abbasi has started a hunger strike since Jun 13, to protest the ill-treatments.

Abbasi was arrested on September 14, 2007 and after 38 days in Ardebil intelligence custody, he was tried. His trial was not made public. Abbasi was sentenced to 11 years in prison, but his sentence was reduced to five years after an appeal. His travel to the Republic of Azerbaijan was the primary reason for his arrest.