ADAPP's January 2010 Newsletter
ADAPP News
The systematic violation of human rights of Azerbaijanis within Iran continued through January 2010. Azerbaijani supporters of Tractor football club were under pressure, activists publishing and distributing posters of the club in Turkish were detained. Jail sentences were issued against Azerbaijani activists, arbitrary detention of activists, and long term temporary detentions were applied as in previous months. The detainees are deprived of their fundamental rights of access to a lawyer or visits from their families during detentions.
Detention of Azerbaijani supporters of Tractor football club
“Tiractor Football Club” soccer games have been transformed into the focal point of expressing the national demands of Azerbaijanis. The tens of thousands of supporters, carrying signs in Azerbaijani Turkish calling for linguistic and ethnic rights, chant slogans like “long live Azerbaijan”, and “Schooling in Turkish”.
Security forces have limited linguistic rights expression by using tactics such as body searches when entering to the sport stadiums and confiscating signs or any other item written in Azerbaijani Turkish.
Security forces also arrested makers of the Tractor Fan Club posters, which were allowed to be published by club and government authorities during past two months. Some printing and distribution offices for the posters as well as shops selling them were shut down.
Abdollah Sadughi, an Azerbaijani journalist and a member of Goal, Corner and Khos Khabar sport journals was arrested by Tabriz intelligence office agents on January 18, 2010. The agents arrested him and his brother after stopping their car. His brother Hossein Sadughi was released on bail after some hours but Abdollah Sadughi is still in detention.
Abdollah Sadughi was publishing and distributing posters in Azerbaijani Turkish after receiving permission from the government.
Mohammad Alimoradi, an Azerbaijani activist, was also arrested by security forces on January 23, 2010 in Tabriz for publishing Tractor Football Club posters. He was released on bail after one day of detention, but he was reportedly tortured and subjected to other ill-treatments.
Azerbaijani cultural activist Alireza Hosseinzade was arrested in Tabriz and his shop was searched by security forces. He was released on bail after one day of detention. He was detained for publishing and distributing Tractor football club posters.
Tabriz police forces arrested Ali Afiyet, the supervisor of the Afiyet printing office in Tabriz along with other managers in the office. They were released after two days of detention. The printing office was also closed down.
The security forces also arrested Davud Shiri, who has a shop selling electronic goods. His shop was closed down after his detention and the computer and some Tractor Football Club posters were taken. Shiri was released after one day of detention on bail, but his shop remains closed by authorities.
Azerbaijani activists are faced by jail sentences
Ali Bikas, an Azerbaijani political activist and a member of Islamic Iran’s Azerbaijanis Association who was arrested on Jun 15, 2009 is still in prison. He was tried and sentenced to seven years of imprisonment and four lashes. Bikas was accused of “crimes against national security”, “propaganda against the regime” and also “swaying of public opinion.” The claims are based on his interview with foreign media and his presence in streets on Jun 15 after the latest presidential election in Iran.
Bikas’s lawyer opposed the issued verdict against his client and his file has been sent to appellate court.
Bikas is a Ph.D. student of history and is the spokesman of the Islamic Iran’s Azerbaijanis Association He was an active participant in Mir Hossein Mousavi’s recent election campaign. He withdrew from his position after an internet video was released in which former Iranian President Khatami ridiculed Iranian Azerbaijanis. He was further compelled to write articles condemning Khatemis racist action. Khatami was an ardent supporter of Mir Hossein Mousavi during the election.
Yashar Hakkakpur, a human rights activist, was sentenced to six months of imprisonment and 50 lashes. He was charged with allegedly publishing and distributing false information, insulting the IRI by sending news to foreign countries, and participating in a meeting in which Azerbaijani poets were present to commemorate the 21 Azer in Zanjan University. He had been previously sentenced to six months of imprisonment on charges of propaganda against the regime.
Hakkakpour, a student at the time, was detained on January 21, 2006 by Maraghe intelligence office agents and was released on bail of 800 million rials ($80,000).
Hakkakpur believes that the verdicts are issued against his activities in defense of Azerbaijani human rights and also his student activities such as publishing student journals Qiziluzen and Zangan Sozleri.
Yashar Hakkakpur was a member of the board of the Islamic Association of Zenjan University, director-in-chief of student journal Heyme, and editor-in-chief of student journals Qiziluzen and Zangan Sozleri. He was also responsible for the NGO Azerbaijan’s Children Home in Maraghe. He now is living in Turkey and is a spokesman for the Association for the Defense of Azerbaijanis political prisoners in Iran (ADAPP).
Azerbaijani activists tried
Iran authorities banned using the colors and cultural symbols of Azerbaijan in advertisements, logos and ceremonies. Those who do are arrested and mistreated by authorities. Iran’s government has put limits on forming Azerbaijani NGO’s.
Behbud Gholizade, an Azerbaijani cultural activist and the director of Yasil Mountaineering Group was tried on January 16, 2010 in Miyandoab (Qosacay). He was subsequently released on bail. The group was banned by Miyandoab sport and physical training office because of group’s activity on ethnic rights. The group was an NGO which held activities advocating the preservation of natural environments and also in introducing Azerbaijani culture to youth.
The authorities also demanded that a photography shop owned by Gholizade remove anything in his store using colors or symbols of Azerbaijan. The shop owner will be tried and charged with managing Yasil Mountaineering Group and pan-Turkism only for use of such symbols in his shop.
Last summer, widespread protests were orchestrated throughout cities and universities of Azerbaijan in response to an internet video which showed Mohammad Khatemi, an ex-president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, making a racially-motivated joke and insulting the national integrity of Azerbaijanis.
In a presidential campaign speech by Mousavi in Tabriz on May 25, 2009, security forces attacked the participants who were chanting slogans in condemning Khatemi’s racist action and demanding human rights for Azerbaijanis. Some activists were detained during the speech.
Ali Imani, an Azerbaijani student activist along with Azerbaijani cultural activists Jahanbakhs and Nader Bakhtavarz were tried on January 19, and 20, 2010. The activists were arrested during Mousavi’s Tabriz speech by security forces and were released on bail to be tried later.
They are being charged with “violation of the public order” by chanting Azerbaijanis ethnic and linguistic rights slogans and condemning Khatemi’s racist joke. The trial was not public. Reportedly, the activists were tortured and subjected to other ill-treatments and were not allowed to access a lawyer during detention.
The trial of Jamshid Zarei, Vahid Sheykhbaghlu, and Nima Puryaghub took place on January 4, 2010 in Tabriz. The Azerbaijani activists are charged with “violation of public order.” The trial was not public.
Zarei and Sheykhbaghlu were arrested when participating in a meeting in front of Tabriz University and were released after 9, and 49 (respectively) days of detention on bail to be tried later. Prior, they also were charged with movement against national security and were acquitted.
Azerbaijani activists released from prison
Ebrahim Asmani, Ebrahim Farajzade and Mohammadreza Yusefi, Azerbaijani activists in Tabriz who were arrested during funeral ceremony of Changiz Bakhtavar (an Azerbaijani prominent activist in Tabriz), were released after 26 days of detention on bail of 300 million rial ($30,000) to tried later. They were arrested and charged with propaganda against regime, membership in illegal groups and also movement against national security by participating in a funeral ceremony.
Prior Mehdi, Majid, and Nasib Javadpur, who were arrested at the same ceremony, were also released on bail. During this funeral ceremony many were arbitrarily arrested, severely beaten and pepper sprayed by security agents.
Hushang Rezayi, director of “Parlak Dan Uludz”, a non-governmental cultural center in Tabriz were released after 20 days of detention on bail of 300 million rial ($30,000). He was arrested in his work place by Tabriz intelligence office agents on December 29, 2009.
The cultural center actively works on Azerbaijani Turkish education and research in the field of Azerbaijani language. The building of the organization was searched by agents and the center was closed down. All books and articles existing in the center were confiscated by security forces.
Majid Makui, an Azerbaijani student activist at Esfahan Malekashtar University, was conditionally released from Tabriz prison after serving his jail term in December 24, 2009.
Makui was arrested on August 31, 2008, along with eight other student activists, and was released on bail to be tried later. Later, Makui was tried and sentenced to one year of imprisonment and two years of suspended imprisonment on February 2009. He was charged with participation in establishing of illegal groups in order to violate national security and propaganda against regime by moderating AZOH (Azerbaijan Student Movement) blog.
Faraz Zehtab, Aydin Khajeyi, and Ehsan Najafi Nasab who were released several months ago were also given the same charges. Amnesty International issued urgent actions on November 21, October 23, and September 23, 2008 condemning the detention of the student activists called for the unconditional release of all students.
21 Azer refers to the date December 12, 1945, at which time the Azerbaijani-Turkish language regained its official status and once again became the official language of Azerbaijan. Every year, the people of Azerbaijan throughout the cities celebrate its anniversary by giving Azerbaijani-Turkish books as presents, distributing leaflets and making fireworks to commemorate the year that the Azerbaijani language became the official language of their homeland. Iranian authorities arbitrarily prevent any celebration in a heavy-handed manner every year around 21 Azer day.
Said Chalabiyani, Azerbaijani cultural activist and director of the “Varliq Childrens Poem Reciting Group” who was arrested on December 10, 2009 in Tabriz, was released on bail of 200 million rial ($20,000) after 24 days of detention. His trial is scheduled for a later date. He is charged with movement against national security by organizing private ceremonies.
The activist was arrested at the home of one of the Azerbaijani activists during a private celebration of 21 Azer. Although the ceremony was a cultural ceremony with poem readings and Azerbaijani music performances, the security forces attacked the guests spraying pepper gas and beating participants. Security forces confiscated the IDs of participants.
Reza Gordani, Jamil Tasujiyan, and Bahram Bahmani were released on bail on December 22, 2009.
Long term arbitrary detentions
Iran authorities detain Azerbaijani political and cultural activists arbitrarily for long periods of time and deprive them from their fundamental rights of access to a lawyer or visits from their family.
Hadi Mortaza Selab, the director-in-chief of “Dan Ulduz” student journal at Esfahan Technical University; music teacher Ali Tahamtan; and Reza Abri and Yghub Vujudi, cultural activists who were arrested during Changiz Bakhtavar funeral ceremony on December 29, 2009 are still detained. The reason of their detention is propaganda against regime and membership in illegal groups and movement against national security by participating in funeral ceremony.
Azerbaijani poem books are banned
Pressure on Azerbaijani poets and writers is an old story in Iran which started from Pahlavi era. It reached a peak in 1946 in which the government burned hundreds of thousands of books in Tabriz. Such pressure has not decreased since the 1979 Revolution. Iranian authorities have banned books written in Azerbaijani Turkish.
“Elimde Elli Barmaq” by Negar Khiyavi, “Su Piciltisi” by Malihe Azizpur, and “Bahar Gelmedi” by Saman Hasanzade, which are poems published in Republic of Azerbaijan, were confiscated by Astara border intelligence agents when entering Iran on January 15, 2010.
Iran authorities do not accept the application for publishing books in Azerbaijani Turkish and some books are waiting for acceptance for more than five years. In Qom, authorities did not accept the publication of “El Edebiyati” and a poem book by Ali Seyfi.