A Brief Report on Azerbaijanis in Iran Prepared



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A Brief Report on Azerbaijanis in Iran Prepared

by

The World Azerbaijanis Congress

June 01th ,2009

To Switzerland Parliament members and United Nations High Commission on Human Rights

01 June, 2009

The Special Representative of Switzerland Parliament members and The United Nations High Commission on

Human Rights

The situation on Islamic Republic of Iran,

With Especial reference to South Azerbaijan,

First, we deeply appreciate your giving us an opportunity to bring our peoples’ deep grievances to your attention. We also would like to thank you for defending all those whose basic and ethnic human rights have been grossly violated, especially millions of Azerbaijani Turks that have been exposed to forced assimilation and Persianization. We hope you will give due voice to over 30 million Azerbaijanis in your reports to the UN General Assembly. Helping us in our efforts to fight the systematic destruction of ethnic identities will promote freedom and equality worldwide. Only if you report these injustices to the world community can proper actions be taken to terminate the systematic destruction of ethnic identity and gross violation of human rights in Iran over the last 70 years. Azerbaijanis are looking for your help.

Iran is a multiethnic, multicultural and multilingual country. Persians (Farsis), Azerbaijanis (Azerbaijani Turks), Kurds, Arabs, Loris, Beluchies and Turkomans have lived in Iran for thousands of years. Until the 1920s, they all retained and promoted their unique culture, history and language, without harming each other's identities. However, the inception of the Pahlavi dynasty's supremacist policy in the 20s has endangered this semi-harmonious way of life.

With his alleged national unity policy, Reza Shah Pahlavi designed a plan, forcing all non-Persians to sacrifice their ethnic identity and language, in order to fulfill his vision of purely Persian Iran. Unfortunately, his successors, including the Islamic Republic, followed and perfected his inhumane conduct. Subsequent results have been brutal against all persons not of Persian descent. Azerbaijanis, Kurds, Loris,

Beluchis, Arabs and Turkomans have been under tremendous Persianization. Iran's reformist leader, President Khatami, deceived the global community with his talk of "dialogue between civilizations," meanwhile suppressing the people of Iran by ignoring Human Rights in general and Azerbaijani Turks in particular. However the reaction of World Human Rights’ organizations to this assimilation and rather cultural genocide has been very slow and ineffective due to lack of objective information from South Azerbaijan (Iran).

More than 30 million Azerbaijanis are on the verge of losing their language and rich cultural heritage, which they have preserved for thousands of years. They are paying heavy tolls to obtain Iran's purported "national unity." This “national unity” with “Islamic” and fanatically supported theocratic government is determined to annihilate Azerbaijani national and ethnic identity, the Iranian government has participated in forced assimilation and other methods of Persianization to create a monolingual "national unity." We would like to briefly highlight some of them:

Policy on Language

The Constitution of Islamic Republic of Iran in the article 15 claims: "The state and common language and script of Iran is Persian. Documents. Correspondence, official texts and text books shall be in this language and script. However, the use of local and ethnic language in the press and for the mass media and the teaching of their literature shall be allowed, besides the Persian language."

The Constitution Revolution in 1905-1911, the Democratic movement in 1945-46 and subsequent agreement by the Iranian government to guarantee ethnic rights as well as the constitution of Islamic Republic have for some degree taken ethnic grievances into consideration. However, the Iranian governments have all been against honoring their promises and the constitution.

The Iranian government has banned the Azerbaijani Turkish language in schools. Education is available only in the Persian language. Many first grade school children struggle to understand school books written in Persian. Those children unaccustomed to Persian suffer high drop out rates. To prevent this, some parents teach their children Persian as their primary language, rather than their native Azerbaijani Turkish. Said Persian instruction usually comes at the expense of children's mastery of Azerbaijani Turkish, thus children are encouraged to replace Persian with their mother tongue for social and job advancement.

Television and radio broadcasts help to propagate the hybridized

Azerbaijani Turkish, considered a local language. So-called "local languages," however, are rarely used and thus marginalized, with Persian predominating Iranian media. Azerbaijani Turkish ,in fact, has no place Islamic Republic’s midia.

Discrimination operates in other ways, as well. In cities like Tabriz,

where Azerbaijanis comprise more than 99% of the population, the judiciary and government systems still must operate solely in Persian. Incredulously, proceedings for a lawsuit comprised of a Azerbaijani plaintiff and an Azerbaijani defendant in a Azerbaijani city, with an Azerbaijani judge, prosecutor and defense lawyer, must be conducted in, not Azerbaijani Turkish, but Persian.

The Iranian government's destruction of language is one part of the multi-pronged attack to eliminate Azerbaijani ethnic identity. If this policy persists, Azerbaijani identity is doomed to perish.

The following CARTOONS show the attitude and view of Iran Islamic Republic and Persian chauvinism

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Policy on History

Azerbaijani Turks have been living in the Iranian plateau for thousands of years. Their history dates back to 5,000.BC . Their contributions to humanity include the creation of peaceful civilizations and the invention of the first alphabet, cuneiform, and written laws. Persian tribes migrated to the southeast and central Iranian lateau some 2700 years ago. Before Persian entry existed the Sumerian, Ilamaite, Assyrian and Mead civilizations, among others. Their histories should not be excluded from Iranian history lessons in schools, but, as it is, Iranian schoolchildren are taught to believe the birth of the Iranian people comes with the arrival of the Persian tribes. This revisionist history alleges that Azerbaijanis were actually Iranian Aryans forced to change their language, upon the arrival and subsequent rule of the Mongolians 800 years ago. Stemming from this distorted history is the argument that Azerbaijanis should forget their language, that is, the language of foreign invaders, and accept Persian as their true and original language. Moving Westward, Mongolians first had to conquer predominantly Persian areas, before occupying Azerbaijan. Mongolians had no impetus or wherewithal to arbitrate which portion of the Iranian plateau's inhabitants should accept their language and which portions should be left untouched.

Contrary to the claims of the Persianization policymakers, Azerbaijanis, like the Persians, Arabs and Kurds, had their own distinct language, culture and governing bodies well before the arrival of the Mongolians. Iranian children's history books should reflect all ethnic groups' historical roots, rather than the Persian-only revisionism. Policymakers bend history to create the allusion of inclusiveness to fool Azerbaijanis into thinking they are a people without history.

Policy on Historical Monuments and Geographical Toponyms

The Iranian government has attempted to destroy monuments not serving their assimilation policy or has left them to be destroyed naturally. Furthermore, they have changed or distorted geographical names, in efforts to eliminate Azerbaijani Turkish names in Azerbaijan. Iran has not tried to preserve any historical monuments, deliberately destroying some. Recently, the Iranian government bulldozed a vast expanse of the 700-year-old Erk Castle in Tabriz, leaving on the central grounds in tact. Bulldozing was said to make room for Friday prayers.

In further attempts to erase Azerbaijani culture, the Iranian government has repeatedly fractured Azerbaijan into increasingly smaller administrative territories and eliminated the name "Azerbaijan" from most of the aforementioned areas. Over the last 60 years, parts of Azerbaijan have been divided into five Azerbaijani-controlled areas, with some outlying areas partitioned to other non-Azerbaijani governingbodies. Portions of the once-Azerbaijani territory have since been

redistricted into the provinces of Gilan, Merkezi Tehran, Qazvin and Kurdistan. Of the five Azerbaijani-controlled regions, three, Zanjan, Hamadan and Ardabil, no longer retain the name Azerbaijan.

Within these provinces, names of geographical sites and cities have been altered, translated into Persian or reassigned derogatory names. In either case, actions have been made to remove all original Azerbaijani meaning and historical references.

Sample of Names translated to Persian

A river formerly known as Aji Chay is now known as Telkhiyye Rood

A river formerly known as Qara Su is now known as Siyah Rood

A region formerly known as Qara Dagh is now known as Siyah Kooh or

Arasbaran

A mountain Formerly known as Goy Dagh is now known as Kuh Sabz

A district formerly known as Devechi in now known as Shotorban

A city formerly known as Qoshachay is now known as Mianduab

Sample of Names Misrepresented (to make it look as if it is Persian)

A mountain formerly known as Savalan is now known as Sebelan

A region formerly known as Serderi is now known as Serdrud

A district formerly known as Yam is now known as Peyam

A mineral Fountain formerly known as Erkoyun is now known as Erkevan

Sample of Some Assigned Derogatory Names

An area formerly known as Akhma Qaya is now known as Ahmeghiyyeh

"Akhma Qya" in Azerbaijani Turkish means "giant rocks on the move" while "Ahmeghiyyeh" in Persian refers to "stupidity, land of stupid people"

An area formerly known as Sari Qaya is now known as Sareghiyyeh

Sari Qaya in Azerbaijani means "Yellow Ston or Yellow Rock" while "Sareghiyyeh" in Persian refers to a "place of thieves and robbers"

Sample of Names simply replaced

A city formerly known as Savuc Bulaq is now known as Mehabad

A city formerly known as Sulduz is now known as Neghedeh

A town formerly known as Tufarqan is now known as Azer Shehr

Policy on Economy and Migration

In comparison to Persian areas, Azerbaijani-inhabited regions have been purposely underdeveloped. Most heavy industry is concentrated in central Iran, chiefly occupied by Persians. The government has fostered a better climate for investment in central Iran. Most Azerbaijani businessmen flee to central Iran, seeking better returns on their investments. In turn, Azerbaijanis in increasing numbers relocate to central Iran to find work. Having migrated to primarily Persian areas, Azerbaijanis appropriate Persian language and culture. Already, more than ten million Azerbaijanis live in central Iran, with most unable to speak Azerbaijani Turkish. The Iranian government uses the economic situation to promote its agenda of Persianization.

Policy on Original Azerbaijani names

The Iranian government Prevents Azerbaijani parents from naming their newborns with meaningful Azerbaijani names. Said parents are often asked to translate their favorite Azerbaijani names into Persian . Difficult to translate names are asked to be replaced with a "common Iranian name" Birth certificates are given to infants with a government approved name only.

Sample Azerbaijani names that must be translated before issued a birth certificate

Aynaz (Azerbaijani) to Mehnaz (Persian)

Gozel (Azerbaijani) to Ziba (Persian)

Deniz (Azerbaijani) to Derya (Persian)

Azerbaijani names such as, Sevda, Sevgi, Aygun, Altan, Turkan, Yashil,

Gungor, Tomriz, Sevil, Chichek, Qaflan, .. are not allowed while all

last names have been Persianized.

Political Parties and Associations

Every attempt in rallying against injustices towards ethnic rights have been denied. All political parties and associations must be nationwide, approved and licensed by the government. Political associations concentrating on ethnic issues are shut down immediately. Groups or individuals defending ethnic rights are arrested and either charged with "spying for foreign countries" and executed or imprisoned and tortured. Parliamentary representations are under strict scrutiny. Any candidate

campaigning on human and ethnic rights is disqualified and arrested immediately. Numerous petitions to Iranian authorities by Azerbaijanis( i.e. academicians, university students and journalists) to lift the ban on Azerbaijani language have been ignored.

Conclusion

Iran is a multiethnic, multi-culture and multilingual country and signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted and proclaimed by United Nations General Assembly resolution 217 A (III) December 10, 1948. Iranian governments have been engaged in destruction of ethnic identities and forced assimilation of more than 30 million Azerbaijani Turks. While most articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including articles, 1, 2, 19, 20-1, 21-3, 26,3, 27-1, have continuously been violated by Iranian governments, the victimized Azerbaijanis are looking for help from the same universal body, the United Nations, that adopted and proclaimed these resolutions.

On December 18, 1992, The UN General Assembly (A/RES/47/135) reaffirms that on of the main purposes of the United Nations, "Declaration on the Rights of the Persons Belonging to the National or Ethnic, Religion and Linguistic Minorities," as proclaimed in the charter of the United Nations, is to achieve international cooperation in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion. Article 1, 2 and 4 of said resolution declares:

Article 1

1. States shall protect the existence and the national or ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic identity of minorities within their respective territories and shall encourage conditions for the promotion of that identity.

2. States shall adopt appropriate legislative and other measures to achieve those ends.

Article 2

1. Persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic

minorities (hereinafter referred to as persons belonging to minorities) have the right to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practise their own religion, and to use their own language, in private and in public, freely and without interference or any

form of discrimination.

2. Persons belonging to minorities have the right to participate effectively in cultural, religious, social, economic and public life.

3. Persons belonging to minorities have the right to participate effectively in decisions on the national and, where appropriate, regional level concerning the minority to which they belong or the regions in which they live, in a manner not incompatible with national legislation.

4. Persons belonging to minorities have the right to establish and maintain their own associations.

5. Persons belonging to minorities have the right to establish and maintain, without any discrimination, free and peaceful contacts with other members of their group and with persons belonging to other minorities, as well as contacts across frontiers with citizens of other States to whom they are related by national or

ethnic, religious or linguistic ties.

Article 4.4

4. States should, where appropriate, take measures in the field of education, in order to encourage knowledge of the history, traditions, language and culture of the minorities existing within their territory. Persons belonging to minorities should have adequate opportunities to gain knowledge of the society as a whole.

Iranian governments dismissal of UN resolutions and its insistence on cultural genocide against Azerbaijanis need to be brought to worlds attention. We hope you will help to stop Iranian governments' criminal activities against humanity.

Professor Gholam-Reza Sabri-Tabrizi,

President of World Azerbaijanis Congress

Gross violation of Human Rights in South-Azerbaijan

(May 4 ,2006 up to now as a case study)

“ On December 10, 1948 the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights the full text of which appears in the following pages. Following this historic act the Assembly called upon all Member countries to publicize the text of the Declaration and "to cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded principally in schools and other educational institutions, without distinction based on the political status of countries or territories."

PREAMBLE

In truth the violation of Human Rights within any country is the main cause of endangering peace on international level. For this reason the protection of Human Rights, regardless of different opinions, believes, nationality, gender, language and observed for international peace and humanism.

Herewith the World Azerbaijanis Congress presents this report of Human Rights violation in South Azerbaijan (Iran) during 2002-2007.Al though this is a partial section of our report, however, we do hope that this will enable attracting the attention of international organizations and hopefully will help disclosing the violation of all Human Rights in South Azerbaijan.

The violation Human Rights is, in general, taxiing place all over Iran on every level of life. Azerbaijan Turks, who form about % 50 of whole population in Iran, live under cultural, ethnic and socio-political pressure and imprisonment .This violation of Human Rights in such an scale would indeed disturb peace and stability in the country and area .Above all there is no freedom of speech, criticisms and writing in mass media at all.

The open street protests on May 4th 2006 in South Azerbaijan.A caricature had been published in the government paper “IRAN”,Deminising Azerbaijan iTurks in very cheap and inhuman way. This caricature brought out the pentup anger and protest like volcano.Thousands of protesters filled the street Tabriz,Ardabil,Urmiyeh,Zanjan and all over South Azerbaijan.All demostrations were peace and orderly,demanding cultural and political freedom.There were three demands 1-The recognition of Azerbaijan language and culture as official language of South Azerbaijan.2- the medium of teaching in schools must be in their mother tongue-namely Azeri Turkish.3- all arrested students and political groups must be freed and dealt by a civil court. None of these requeats was accepted by Islamic Republic government, instead military and police forces were Deployed in all cities of South Azerbaijan.In a small town like SULDUZ 16 people were shot dead in streets.Meny were killed and injured in Tabrizi,Ardabil,Zanjan and Urmiyeh.Hundereds of protesters and Leaders,like Abbas Lisani from Ardabil,Chengiz Bakhtavar from Tabriz Were arrested and imprisoned without trial.Since May 4th 2006 Thousands have been arrested,tortured,imprisoned or killed by Various unknown ways.A breif list of those who have been arrestedAnd sentenced without trial and defece lawer; even Those lawers who had Offered themselves to act as defence lawer were arrested and imprisoned as criminals are registered as follows:

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|The list of |

|imprisoned |

|No |Name & Second name |Title |Job |date of arrest |picture |

|1 |Teymuri – Khodayar | |Student |22 may 2006 | |

|2 |Khodabakhsh – Sahebali |Elyaz – Yekanli |Journalist |22 may 2006 |[pic] |

|3 |Abbasi – Reza | |Jurnalist |22 may 2006 |[pic] |

|4 |Javanbakht – Alireza | |Journalist |22 may 2006 | |

| | | | | |[pic] |

|5 |Naimi Said | |Journalis |22 may 2006 | |

| |Salekiniya - Yagub |Ilgar - Marandli |Journalis |22 may 2006 | |

|6 | | | | | |

|7 |Bakhtavar Jahanbakhsh | | |22 may 2006 |[pic] |

|8 |Zarei Ghorban | | |22 may 2006 |[pic] |

|9 |Abdillahzade Asgar | |Student |22 may 2006 | |

|10 |Nuri Mehdi |Elman Tabrizli |Student |22 may 2006 |[pic] |

|11 |Jafari Rasul | |Journalis |22 may 2006 | |

|12 |Lisani Abbas | |Policy Activist |22 may 2006 |[pic] |

|13 |Hergoli Hasan |Hasan Azarbaijan | |22 may 2006 |[pic] |

|14 |Bakhtavar Changhiz | |Policy Activist |22 may 2006 |[pic] |

|15 |Ahmadiyan Huseyn | |Journalis |22 may 2006 | |

|16 |Alizade Behruz | | |22 may 2006 | |

|17 |Nasirzade Golamreza | |Journalis |22 may 2006 | |

|18 |Javadpur Muslim | | |22 may 2006 | |

|19 |Hoseyn Tahamtan – Ali | | |22 may 2006 | |

|20 |Heydari – Ahmad | | |22 may 2006 | |

|21 |Divband Mahammad hoseyn | | |22 may 2006 | |

|22 |Peyvand Razzag – Samad | | |22 may 2006 | |

|23 |Bahari Khaje | | |22 may 2006 | |

|24 |Babayi Mehdi | | |22 may 2006 |[pic] |

|25 |Arbabi Amir | | |22 may 2006 | |

|26 |Saburi Yusef | | |22 may 2006 | |

|27 |Golkari Ali | | |22 may 2006 | |

|28 |Asli Huseyn | | |22 may 2006 | |

|29 |Akbari Taghi | | |22 may 2006 | |

|30 |Mahammadkhani | | |22 may 2006 | |

| |Hamidreza | | | | |

|31 |Razzagi golamreza | | |22 may 2006 | |

|32 |Heydari Gader | | |22 may 2006 | |

|33 |Aziz Arab – Rahim | | |22 may 2006 | |

|34 |Ebrahimzade – Feridun | | |22 may 2006 | |

|35 |Ghahremani – Mahammareza | | |22 may 2006 | |

|36 |Abdipur – Mehdi | | |22 may 2006 | |

|37 |Mahammad golipur zamani – Ahmad| | |22 may 2006 | |

|38 |Pur hasan – Hamid | | |22 may 2006 | |

|39 |Ahadiyan – Bayram ali | | |22 may 2006 | |

|40 |Badali Ali | | |22 may 2006 | |

|41 |Amani Golamreza | |Policy activist |22 may 2006 |[pic] |

|42 |Rabbani Alireza | | |22 may 2006 | |

|43 |Saber Magsud | | |22 may 2006 | |

|45 |Morgdar Mahammadreza | | |22 may 2006 | |

|46 |Hemmati Majid | | |22 may 2006 | |

|47 |Madadi Ebadat | | |22 may 2006 | |

|48 |Salek Babak | | |22 may 2006 | |

|49 |Asadi AhadSamadi hanbakhsh | | |22 may 2006 | |

|50 |Zare Said | | |22 may 2006 | |

|51 |Daneshjui Rashid | | |22 may 2006 | |

|52 |Piruz Golamreza | | |22 may 2006 | |

|53 |Nejati Alireza | | |22 may 2006 | |

|54 |Adeli Heydar | | |22 may 2006 | |

|55 |Yadranji Behzad | | |22 may 2006 | |

|56 |Zabihi - Amir ali | | |22 may 2006 | |

|57 |Ekhtiyari Magsud | | |22 may 2006 | |

|58 |Munesi Ahad | | |22 may 2006 | |

|59 |Zaker Hedayat | |Teacher – |22 may 2006 |[pic] |

| | | |Policy activist | | |

|60 |Vesali Abolfazl Abadi Golamreza| | |22 may 2006 | |

|61 |Rezapur Belal | | |22 may 2006 | |

|62 |Balayi Hasan | | |22 may 2006 | |

|63 |Seyyedzade – Seyyed Mehdi | | |22 may 2006 | |

|64 |Baggal deljavan – Yashar | | |22 may 2006 | |

|65 |Dolatkhah yusef | | |22 may 2006 | |

|66 |Valipur Rahim | | |22 may 2006 | |

|67 |Ebadi Basir | | |22 may 2006 | |

|68 |Rashidi Adel | | |22 may 2006 | |

|69 |Bahramnejad Ramin | | |22 may 2006 | |

|70 |Tavvassoli Siyamak | | |22 may 2006 | |

|71 |Jafari Hasan | | |22 may 2006 | |

|72 |Alizade Taher | | |22 may 2006 | |

|73 |Alipur mahammad | | |22 may 2006 | |

|74 |Bakhshi Eynollah | | |22 may 2006 | |

|75 |Yusefzade Naser | | |22 may 2006 | |

|76 |Bageri Ali akbar | | |22 may 2006 | |

|77 |Bolandi Davud | | |22 may 2006 | |

|78 |Khakpur Hamed | | |22 may 2006 | |

|79 |Neyshaburi Asgar | | |22 may 2006 | |

|80 |Sadegi Bahman | | |22 may 2006 | |

|81 |Sheykh Beglu – Vahid | | |22 may 2006 | |

|82 |Farshi hasan | | |22 may 2006 | |

|83 |Dashti Ebrahim | | |22 may 2006 | |

|84 |Farajpur Javad | | |22 may 2006 | |

|85 |Abedifard Hamed | | |22 may 2006 | |

|86 |Adami Anush | | |22 may 2006 | |

|87 |Eshgi Ali | | |22 may 2006 | |

|88 |Gaffari Reza | | |22 may 2006 | |

|89 |Ashrafi Behruz | | |22 may 2006 | |

|90 |Ashrafi Behzad | | |22 may 2006 | |

|91 |Shakeri Reza | | |22 may 2006 | |

|92 | | | | | |

|93 |Dashti Aziz | | |22 may 2006 | |

|94 |Ahadpur Ebrahim | | |22 may 2006 | |

|95 |Zarei Gorban | | |22 may 2006 | |

|96 |Zahedi Adel | | |22 may 2006 | |

|97 | | | | | |

|98 |Ghahri Ali | | |22 may 2006 | |

|99 |Mohseni Farhad | | |22 may 2006 | |

|100 |Amani Jamil | | |22 may 2006 | |

|101 |Kuhi Yunes | | |22 may 2006 | |

|102 |Hasanpur Mahmud | | |22 may 2006 | |

|103 |Dashti Mehdi | | |22 may 2006 | |

|104 |Ebrahimpur Amir | | |22 may 2006 | |

|105 |Behzadi Mostafa | | |22 may 2006 | |

|106 |Zaernamazani Shahriyar | | |22 may 2006 | |

|107 |Parvini Babak | | |22 may 2006 | |

|108 |Gholipur Aziz | | |22 may 2006 | |

|109 |Gholipur Parviz | | |Babak | |

| | | | |10julay 2006 | |

|110 |Pashtu faramarz | | |Babak | |

| | | | |10 julay2006 | |

|111 |Ahmadzade Sharam | |Student |Babak | |

| | | | |10 julay2006 | |

|112 |Rostami Sahebali | | |Babak | |

| | | | |10 julay2006 | |

|113 |Bayoglu Reza | | |Babak | |

| | | | |10 julay2006 | |

|114 |Mohammadi Said | | |22may 2006 | |

|115 |Bidokht Said | | |22may 2006 | |

|116 |Nazari Rasul | | |21 Azar 2006 | |

|117 |Akbari Esmail | | |21 Azar 2006 | |

|118 |Badrmiran - Seyyed Alireza | | |21 Azar 2006 | |

|119 |Asgarzade Karim | | |21 Azar 2006 | |

|120 |Azad Akbar | | |Babak |[pic] |

| | | | |10 julay 2006 | |

|121 |Egteshami Mohsen | | |21 Azar 2006 | |

|122 |Salek Babak | | |// | |

|123 |Morgdar Mahammad | | |// | |

|124 |Azizan fazael | | |21 Azar 2006 | |

|125 |Mehralibeyglu Ayat |Yurush |Student |// | |

|126 |Purazhari Abbas | | |// | |

|127 |Abbasi Ghurban | | |// | |

|128 |Pirbudagi Yusef | | |// | |

|129 |Jafarzade Ebrahim | |Teacher |Babak |[pic] |

| | | | |10Julay 2006 | |

|130 |Peyvandi Samad | | |// | |

|131 |Hoseyni Amir | | |// | |

|132 |Hasanzade MArziba - Ali | | |// | |

|133 |Azimi Qadim | | |24 August |[pic] |

| | | | |Sattarkhan | |

|134 |Purali parviz | | | | |

|135 |Kamrani Saleh | |Human rights |22 may 2006 |[pic] |

| | | |activist |reparations | |

|136 |Pur abdollah- Akbar | |Student |19 November | |

| | | | |Sattarkhan | |

|137 |Rashidi Ebrahim |Savalan |Palicy activist |21septambre 2006 | |

| | | | |(mother tongue | |

| | | | |accession ) | |

|138 |Rashedi Hasan | |Engineer – |For Journal activity |[pic] |

| | | |journalist | | |

|139 |Salimi Asadollah | |Journalist | | |

|140 |Jeddi Mansur | |Activist |21septambre 2006 | |

| | | | |(mother tongue | |

| | | | |accession ) | |

|141 |Yusefi Alireza | |Activist |// | |

|142 |Saidi Ali | |Activist |// | |

|143 |Khodadadi Rahim | |Policy activist |// | |

|144 |Madadlu Zulfali | | |// | |

|145 |Hatami Elchin | |Policy Activist |Babak | |

| | | | |10Julay 2006 | |

|146 |Farajzade Amir | | |21septambre 2006 | |

| | | | |(mother tongue | |

| | | | |accession | |

|147 |Hoseynpur Mohammad | | |// | |

|148 |Mokhtari Fardin | | |// | |

|149 |Jalali Mehdi | | |// | |

|150 |Bayat Heydar | |Studrnt and |For jurnal activity |[pic] |

| | | |journalist | | |

|151 |Orfani - Mahammad ali | |Teacher |21septambre 2006 | |

| | | | |(mother tongue | |

| | | | |accession | |

|152 |Huseynzade Hasan | | |// | |

|153 |Ebrahimzade Tayyeb | | |// | |

|154 |Nasiri Mahammad | | |// | |

|155 |Sari ojagi – Farhad | | |// | |

|156 |Shokri Adel | | |// | |

|157 |Shamsi Hoseyn | | |// | |

|158 |Molayi Reza | | |// | |

|159 |Hatami Mahammad-Reza | | |// | |

|160 |Rahstbari Sohrab | | |// | |

|161 |Musavi Hamed | | |// | |

|162 |Adil Tagi | | |// | |

|163 |Pajuhifam Majid | | |// | |

|164 |Azimzade Davud | | |// | |

|165 |Yeganepur Hamed | | |// | |

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

| |2007 | | | | |

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

|166 |Hamidi-Shafag Hadi | |Student |22may 2007 |[pic] |

|167 |Asadi Hasan | |Student |// |[pic] |

|167 |Moini Ebrahim | |Policy activist |// |[pic] |

|168 |Pashayi Akbar | | |// |[pic] |

|169 |Matinpur Said | |Journalist |// |[pic] |

|170 |Matinpur Ali-Reza | | |// |[pic] |

|171 |Ghanilu Jalil | |// |// |[pic] |

|172 |Safari Behruz | |Activist |22 may 2007 |[pic] |

|173 |Heydari Leyla | | |// |[pic] |

|174 |Abbasi- Javan Abdollah | |University – |// |[pic] |

| | | |teacher | | |

|175 |Salekiniya Yaghub |Marandli İlghar |Journalist |December 2007 |[pic] |

|176 |Meydan navard – Mostafa | | |22 may 2007 | |

|177 |Nosrati Mahammad | | |// | |

|178 |Binayi – Kazemi Amir-Abbas | |Policy activist |// |[pic] |

|179 |Heydari Mahammad- Ali | |University – |25 October 2007 |[pic] |

| | | |Teacher | | |

| | | |In Tehran | | |

| | | |University | | |

|180 |Ali-mahammadi Sahand | | |// | |

|181 |Mahammadi Bakhshali | | |// | |

|182 |Ghasemzade Ebadollah | | |// | |

|183 |Ghasemzade Mehdi | | |// | |

|184 |Rezayi Rasul | | |October 2007 – | |

| | | | |Sattarkhan | |

|185 |Rastghu Vahid | |Student |// | |

|186 |Rafiyi Esrafil | |// |// | |

|187 |Shafiyi Hamidreza | |// |// | |

|188 |Ebadpur Daryush | | |// | |

|189 |Pejman Jafar | | |// | |

|190 |Sattari Huseyn | | |// | |

|191 |Farahani Amir | | |22may 2007 | |

|192 |Siyami Sirus | | |// | |

|193 |Rezayi Mirali | | |// | |

|194 |Fathipur Karim | | |// | |

|195 |Sultani Parviz | | |// | |

|196 |Azizi Sirus | | |// | |

|197 |Azizzade Hasan | | |// | |

|198 |Hajilu Shirzad | |President of |2 February 2007 – | |

| | | |Avrin groups |international mother | |

| | | | |tongue’s day | |

|199 |Jafarzade Ebrahim | |Member of Avrin |// | |

| | | |groups | | |

|200 |İsmayilpur Shahin | | |// | |

|201 |Shadi Ali | | |// |[pic] |

|202 |Hasanpur Javad | | |// | |

|202 |Soltani Masud | | |// | |

|203 |Bahram Nejad Ramin | | |// | |

|204 |Tavvassoli Siyamak | | |// | |

|204 |Balayi Hasan | | |// | |

|205 |Sadeghiye- Asl Ramin | | |// | |

|206 |Movvahedi Amir-hoseyn | |Journalist |// | |

|207 |Gholizade Behbud | | |21 September 2007 | |

|208 |Hasani Shahin | | |// | |

|209 |Andalibiyan Daryush | | |// | |

|210 |Faramarzi Mohsen | | |// | |

|211 |Mahammadi Behkam | | |// | |

|212 |Sultani Ali | | |// | |

|213 |Dolatkhah Mostafa | | |// | |

|214 |Lak Mortaza | | |// | |

|215 |Ahanghari Eynollah | | |// | |

|216 |Saghfi Amir | | |// | |

|217 |Aghazade Amir | | |// | |

|218 |Zohrabi VAliallah | | |// | |

|219 |Shokriyan Yusef | | |// | |

|220 |Shiri Seyfali | | |22may 2007 | |

|221 |Mahammadi Soltanali | | |22may 2007 | |

|222 |Mahammadi Hoseyn | | |22may 2007 | |

|223 |Mahammadzade Mahnaz | |Student |22may 2007 | |

|224 |Mirzayi Siyamak | | |22may 2007 | |

|225 |Saadati Vadud | | |22may 2007 | |

|226 |Gholami Shahnaz | |Woman Activist |22may 2007 |[pic] |

|227 |Naji İraj | | |22may 2007 | |

|228 |Bazzaz- Ghadim Afshin | | |22may 2007 | |

|229 |Karghar Karim | | |22may 2007 | |

|230 |Shokri-sarghini Mortaza | | |22may 2007 | |

|231 |Hasanpur Avaz | | |22may 2007 | |

|232 |Heydari Farhad | | |22may 2007 | |

|233 |Tahmasebi Anushirvan | | |22may 2007 | |

|234 |İlghami Ramin | | |22may 2007 | |

|235 |Bakhshi Ramin | | |22may 2007 | |

|226 |Safarniya Hoseyn | | |22may 2007 | |

|227 |Barzghar Farid | | |22may 2007 | |

|228 |Heydarpur Mehrdad | | |22may 2007 | |

|229 |Jafari Mahammad | | |22may 2007 | |

|230 |Soleymani Mehdi | | |22may 2007 | |

|231 |Bagheri Parviz | | |22may 2007 | |

|232 |Esfandiyari jalal | | |22may 2007 | |

|233 |Salamanzade Reza | | |22may 2007 | |

|234 |Akhshi Naser | | |22may 2007 | |

|235 |Dust-mohammadi Abolfazl | | |22may 2007 | |

|236 |Soleymani Reza | | |22may 2007 | |

|237 |Ghane Parviz | | |22may 2007 | |

|238 |Zolfi Ebrahim | | |22may 2007 | |

|239 |Seyfi omid | | |22may 2007 | |

|240 |Jamlu Mojtaba | | |22may 2007 | |

|241 |Zareiyun Yunes | | |22may 2007 | |

|242 |Khorshidzade Behzad | | |22may 2007 | |

|243 |Soltani parviz | | |22may 2007 | |

|244 |Soltani Ghahraman | | |22may 2007 | |

|245 |Karimi-khiyavi Ardashir | | |22may 2007 | |

|246 |Jahani Ramin Lotfi Adel | | |22may 2007 | |

|247 |Abbasi Adalat | | |22may 2007 | |

|248 |Roshanipur Elshan | | |22may 2007 | |

|249 |Gharadaghi Majid | | |22may 2007 | |

|250 |Gholizade Mostafa | | |22may 2007 | |

|251 |Avazpur Mostafa | |Student |22may 2007 |[pic] |

|252 |Habibpur Ghafur | | |22may 2007 | |

|253 |Emamizade Daryush | | |22may 2007 | |

|254 |Nurmohammadi behnam | | |22may 2007 | |

|255 |Elyari Mansur | | |22may 2007 | |

|256 |Karimi Jafar | | |22may 2007 | |

|257 |Parizad Musa | | |22may 2007 | |

|258 |Esmailzade Daryush | | |22may 2007 | |

|259 |Alvafa Aref | | |22may 2007 | |

|260 |Jafari Rasul | | |22may 2007 | |

|261 |Mahde-Gharabagh Nader | | |22may 2007 | |

|262 |Asadi Asghar |Eldaniz | |22may 2007 | |

|263 |Eyvazpur Arsalan | | |22may 2007 | |

|264 |Abdoli Vahid | | |22may 2007 | |

|265 |Yari Ali | | |22may 2007 | |

|266 |Altay Reza | | |22may 2007 | |

|267 |Abdipur Ahmad | | |22may 2007 | |

|2682 |Ghazani rasul | | |22may 2007 | |

|269 |Alizade Bahman | | |22may 2007 | |

|270 |Ahmadi Afshin | | |22may 2007 | |

|271 |Ahmadi Hemayat | | |22may 2007 | |

|272 |Abbasi Mehdi | | |22may 2007 | |

|273 |Behjat Omid | | |22may 2007 | |

|274 |Amidi Davud | | |22may 2007 | |

|275 |Purbaba Vahid | | |22may 2007 | |

|276 |Gholizade Reza | | |22may 2007 | |

|277 |Rahbari Mahammad | | |22may 2007 | |

|278 |Purghorbani Mahammad hoseyn | | |22may 2007 | |

|279 |Shafaghi Khanom | | |22may 2007 | |

|280 |Tahami Eyvaz | | |22may 2007 | |

|281 |Nasiri Said | | |22may 2007 | |

|282 |Bahadori Vahid | | |22may 2007 | |

|283 |Molla-presazar İraj | | |22may 2007 | |

|284 |Molla-presazar Turaj | | |22may 2007 | |

|285 |Ahmadiyan Bagher | | |22may 2007 | |

|286 |Nuri lotfallah | | |22may 2007 | |

|287 |Mohammadi Farhad | | |22may 2007 | |

|288 |Keyvani Sasan | | |22may 2007 | |

|289 |Sarkhosh hadi | | |22may 2007 | |

|290 |Rezayi Mirali | | |22may 2007 | |

|291 |Ghasemi Mostafa | | |22may 2007 | |

|292 |Taghipur Reza | | |22may 2007 | |

|293 |Hasani Shahin | | |22may 2007 | |

|294 |Bazmani Mehdi | | |22may 2007 | |

|295 |Kuydarilu Jalal | | |22may 2007 | |

|296 |Aghazade Amir | | |22may 2007 | |

|297 |Hashempur Majid | | |22may 2007 | |

|298 |Ahanghari Eynollah | | |22may 2007 | |

|299 |Faramarzi Shahrokh | | |22may 2007 | |

|300 |Faramarzi Mohsen | | |22may 2007 | |

|301 |Abbasi Adalat | | |22may 2007 | |

|302 |Shabi-niyazi Nemat | | |22may 2007 | |

|303 |Ghanizade-niyazi Yusef | | |22may 2007 | |

|304 |Ghanizade-niyazi Reza | | |22may 2007 | |

|305 |Abbasizade-niyazi Amir | | |22may 2007 | |

|306 |Khodayi Eslam | | |22may 2007 | |

|307 |Hanidekhu Alireza | | |22may 2007 | |

|308 |Mahamdour Mehdi | | |22may 2007 | |

|309 |Sababi Hoseyn | | |22may 2007 | |

|310 |Zoghi Fathollah | | |22may 2007 | |

|311 |Soleymani Yusef | | |22may 2007 | |

|312 |Hasanvand Hamid | | |22may 2007 | |

|313 |Sattari Huseyn | | |22may 2007 | |

|314 |Vahedi Mehdi | | |22may 2007 | |

|315 |Bahrami Esmail | | |22may 2007 | |

|316 |Yeghani İsa | |Journalist |22may 2007 | |

|317 |Nuri Faraj | | |22may 2007 | |

|318 |Khezri Reza | | |22may 2007 | |

|319 |Pajuhfam Majid | | |22may 2007 | |

|320 |Haghi Alireza | | |22may 2007 | |

|321 |Bazarghan beytollah | | |2 February 2007 – | |

| | | | |international mother | |

| | | | |tongue’s day | |

|322 |Shafaju hamid | | |// | |

|323 |Alilu Abolfazl | | |// | |

|324 |Ghoreyshi Ahmad | | |// | |

|325 |Hoseynikiya Hoseyn | | |// | |

|326 |Hoseynikiya Jamshid | | |// | |

|327 |Teymuri Khodayar | | |// | |

|328 |Jafari Rasul | | |// | |

|329 |Teymuri Atabak | | |// | |

|330 |Hakkakpur Yashar | | |// | |

|331 |Ghaffarlu Abbas | | |// | |

|332 |Fazli Marefatollah | | |// | |

|333 |Nemati Davud | | |// | |

|334 |Moradi Mortaza | | |// | |

|335 |Jalili Karim | | |// | |

|336 |Bayat-tabar Rahmatollah | | |// | |

|337 |Mahammadi Mahammad | | |// | |

|338 |Baradaran Aydin | | |// | |

|339 |Asadi Hasan | | |// | |

|340 |Bahrami Peyman | | |// | |

|341 |Vaghefi Ghoshtasb | | |// | |

|342 |Aslanli Mahmud | | |// | |

|343 |Sadeghi-Asl Moghanlu Ramin | | |// | |

|344 |Barzi Arsalan | |Student |// | |

|345 |Azmandiyan Arsalan | |// |// | |

|346 |Nemati telnaz | | |// | |

|347 |Nasiri Amir | | |// | |

|348 |Yusefi Kiyanush | | |// | |

|349 |Taghizade Hushangh | | |// | |

|350 |Moradzade Ramin | | |// | |

|351 |Ahmadi Ebrahim | | |// | |

|352 |Ghoreyshi Ahmad | | |// | |

|353 |Allahverdipur Adel | | |// | |

|354 |Ebrahimi Masud | | |// | |

|355 |Ebrahimi Amir | | |// | |

|356 |Azarshin Sina | | |// | |

|357 |Vayzadeghan Peyman | | |// | |

|358 |Firuzi Firuz | | |// | |

|359 |Oruji Mohsen | | |// | |

|360 |Nurani Davud | | |// | |

|361 |Hoseyni Arash | | |// | |

|362 |Tayi Abbas | | |// | |

|363 |Mahammadzade Vahid | | |// | |

|364 |Mahammadzade Aran | | |// | |

|365 |Abolghasemi Mehdi | | |// | |

|366 |Aghasi Ata | | |// | |

|367 |Teymuri Meghdad | | |// | |

|368 |Dastan Yusef | | |// | |

|369 |Nikju Moslem | | |// | |

|370 |Asadzade Abuzar | | |// | |

|371 |Asadzade Amir | | |// | |

|372 |Rezayi Mortaza | | |// | |

|373 |Mahammadi Babak | | |// | |

|374 |Hoseynzade Said | | |// | |

|375 |Tavakoli Kave | | |// | |

|376 |Abdi Davud | | |// | |

|377 |Malek-Khaneghin Esmail | | |// | |

|378 |Haghnazari Jafar | | |// | |

|379 |Jeddi Ahmad | | |// | |

|280 |Hatefi Beghlari Mehdi | | |// | |

|381 |Moghaddam Ali | | |// | |

|382 |Vejdani Reza | | |// | |

|383 |Hazrati Sirus | | |// | |

|384 |Kazemi Ebarhim | | |// | |

|385 |Najafpur Hedayat | | |// | |

|386 |Azardokht Ghadir | | |// | |

|387 |Jeddi Amin | | |// | |

|388 |Mahbubtape Mostafa | | |// | |

|389 |Nejati Aydin | | |// | |

|390 |Ghoharfar Yaghub | | |// | |

|391 |Didevar Reza | | |// | |

|392 |Ghadimi Amin | | |// | |

|393 |Ark Hasan | | |// | |

|394 |Salahshir Yusef | | |// | |

|395 |Moghaddasi Jalil | | |// | |

|396 |Talebi Mehdi | | |// | |

|397 |Esmayilpur Shahin | | |// | |

|398 |Mohajeri Mahmud | | |// | |

|399 |Abdini Jafar | | |// | |

|400 |Soleymani Yusef | | |// | |

|401 |Bidokht Said | | |// | |

|402 |Seyyedinzade Mir-ghasem | | |// | |

|403 | |Umudoghu Hasan | |// | |

|404 |Jabbari Ali | | |// | |

|405 |Esmayili Nader | | |// | |

|406 |Ghasemi Mostafa | | |// | |

|407 |Azariyun Vali | | |// |[pic] |

|408 |Semed Gurbani |Hamadan | |04.03.2008 | |

|409 |Yusif Shakari |Miyandab | |04.04.2008 | |

|410 |Hasan Purhusein |Miyandab | |04.04.2008 | |

|411 |Jelal Kudrilu |Miyandab | |04.04.2008 | |

|412 |Ahmed Jiddi |Miyandab | |04.04.2008 | |

|413 |Shahrokh Feramerzi |Miyandab | |04.04.2008 | |

|414 |Behbud Qulizadeh |Miyandab | |04.04.2008 | |

|415 |Mir Qasim Seyyedinzadeh |Zengan | |06.04.2008 | |

|416 |Mohammad Nosreti |Zengan | |06.04.2008 | |

|417 |Jelil Qnilu |Zengan | |06.04.2008 | |

|418 |Alirza MatinPur |Zengan | |06.04.2008 | |

|419 |Behrooz Safari |Zengan | |06.04.2008 | |

|420 |Abdullah Abbasi |Zengan | |06.04.2008 | |

|421 |Peyam Aliqululi |Xoy | |22.05.2008 | |

|422 |Akbar Abdullahi |Xoy | |22.05.2008 | |

|423 |Salar Araqi |Xoy | |22.05.2008 | |

|424 |Salman Araqi |Xoy | |22.05.2008 | |

|425 |Hugget Araqi |Xoy | |22.05.2008 | |

|426 |Elyaz Yekanli |Urmiya | |22.05.2008 | |

|427 |Khudayar Teymuri |Urmiya | |22.05.2008 | |

|428 |Seid Hashimpoor |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|429 |Vahid Hashimpoor |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|430 |Reza Abbasguluzadeh |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|431 |Feruz Abbasguluzadeh |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|432 |Kerim Memmedzadeh |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|433 |Semed Furuteni |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|434 |Aziz Emani |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|435 |Hasan Asadpoor |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|436 |Ebrahim Tulue |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|437 |Mahammad Rahmani |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|438 |Mehdi Naggari |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|439 | Vahid Rezai |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|440 |Reshid Mustafai |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|441 |Hasan Turi |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|442 |Mahammad Bennai |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|443 |Ismayil Fethi |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|444 | Rahman Qasimi |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|445 |Hasan Huseynzadeh |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|446 |Nadir Mahammadpoor | Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|447 |Hoggat Velipoor | Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|448 | Abdullah Tariverdi |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|449 | Asker Naimi |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|450 |Hogget Seyfinegat | Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|451 |Mursel Baxshi | Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|452 |Mehdi Dehqan | Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|453 | Veli Abdullahpoor |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|454 |Hoccet Muxtarzadeh |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|455 | Yasir Heydarnegat |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|456 | Mahammaed Farhadi |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|457 |Akber Huseynzadeh |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|458 |Samed Mehemmedgaferi |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|459 |Huseyn Mirzakhani |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|460 |Ereg Hasani |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|461 |Hogget Tanriverdiyan |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|\462 |Ali Sedigi |Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|463 |Hasan Asadi | Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|464 | Kamal Ashrafi | Tebriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|465 | Jamshid Zarei | Tabriz | | 22.05.2008 | |

|467 | Ahad Rezevi | Tabriz | |22.05.2008 | |

|468 |Yaqub Salekinya | Zengan | |14.06.2008 | |

|469 |Ibrahim Jeferzadeh | Xoy | |22.07.2008 | |

|470 | Huseyn Huseyne | Ardabil | |22.07.2008 | |

|471 | Arif Ulufi |Urmiya | |01.08.2008 | |

|472 |Ali Huseyn Negat |Ardabil | |13.08.2008 | |

|473 |Hamid Yeganepoor |Maraga | |01.08.2008 | |

|474 |Magid Paghuhfam |Maraga | |01.08.2008 | |

|475 |Alirza Haggi |Maraga | |01.08.2008 | |

|476 |Davud Azimzadeh |Maraga | |01.08.2008 | |

|477 | Yashar Haggagpoor |Maraga | |01.08.2008 | |

|478 |Daryush Hatemi |Tebriz | |20.08.2008 | |

|479 | Shahrukh Hatemi |Tebriz | |20.08.2008 | |

|480 |Ali Abdullahzadeh |Tebriz | |24.07.2008 | |

|481 | Peyman Ghulami | Tebriz | |24.07.2008 | |

|482 |Gholamrze Najefi | Tebriz | |08.08.2008 | |

|483 |Bahram Vahidi | Zengan | |09.08.2008 | |

|484 | Surena Hashimi |Zengan | |26.07.2008 | |

|485 | Mohsun Rahimi |Reshd | |26.07.2008 | |

|486 | Huseyn Rahimi |Reshd | |26.07.2008 | |

|487 | Hamid Valaei |Tabriz | |18.08.2008 | |

|488 |Amr Mardani |Zengan | |11.08.2008 | |

|489 |Alirza Fereze |Zengan | |24.08.2008 | |

|490 | Magsud Ahadi |Zengan | |24.08.2008 | |

|491 |Ebrahim Rashidi |Tebriz | |09.08.2008 | |

|492 | Aydin Khajei |Tebriz | |20.07.2008 | |

|493 | Faraz Zehdab | Tebriz | |20.07.2008 | |

|494 | Saggad Radimehr | Tebriz | |20.07.2008 | |

|495 | Macid Makui |Maku | |04.09.2008 | |

|496 |Mansur Aminiyan |Maku | |24.08.2008 | |

|Martyred |

|No |Name and second name |Place of dead |Time |Picture |

|1 |Azariyun Tohid |Sulduz (nagade ) |26 may 2006 |[pic] |

|2 |Esmizade Himmat |// |// |[pic] |

|3 |Fathipur Huseyn |// |// |[pic] |

|4 |Ghasemi Asgar |// |// |[pic] |

|5 |Jannatniya Mahammad-Ali |// |// | |

|6 |Noruzi Yahya |// |// | |

|7 |Ashrafi Tohid |// |// | |

|8 |Niyazi Hamze |// |// | |

|9 |Gholipur Ali-reza |// |// | |

|10 |Razavi Habib |// |// | |

|11 |Shekari Asgar |// |// | |

|12 | |// |// | |

|13 |Razzaghi |// |// | |

|14 |Abidi Jalil |Khiyav ( Meshkin shahr ) |27 may 2006 |[pic] |

|15 |Taregh Sina |Tabriz |22 may 2006 |[pic] |

|16 |Sabuhinejad Behzad |Tabriz |22 may |[pic] |

| | | |2006 | |

|17 |Mir agapur Darvishi – Reza |Tabriz |22 may 2006 |[pic] |

|18 |Noruzi Akbar |// |// | |

|19 |Asadpur Farzad |Urmiye |23 may 2006 | |

|20 |Sayyahi Avaz |// |// | |

|21 |Farhad Mohseni |Tabriz | | |

|22 |Nuraddin Dargahi |Mugan | | |

|Wounded |

|No |Name and second name |Place of Wounded |Time |Picture |

|1 |ShahirDavarpanah Vahid |Tabriz |22may 2006 |[pic] |

| | | | |[pic] |

| | | | |[pic] |

|2 |Hasanzade Behzad |Urmiye |22may 2006 | |

| | | | | |

|Banned newspapers and journals |

|By the government |

|No |Name of jurnal |Place |Kind of journal |Editors |

|1 |Atabay |Urumiye ’ s university |Student’ journals |Yahyavi Vahid |

|2 |Sahar |Ardabil’s Azad university |// | |

|3 |Goy |Ardabil’s Azad University |// | |

|4 |Khazar |Ardabil’s Azad University |// | |

|5 |Dilmanj |Tabriz |Monthly journals |Sarrafi Alireza |

|6 |Shand |Urumiye’s university |Student’ journals | |

|7 |Talangar |Tabriz’ s University |// | |

|8 |Addim |Germ- Payame nur’ s |// | |

| | |Univrsity | | |

|9 |Oyanish |Urumiye ’ s university |// |Haj – Mahammadi Ali |

|10 |Yashil |// |// | |

|11 |Ulus |// |// | |

|12 |Akhar su |// |// | |

|13 |Haray |// |// | |

|14 |Yol bir |// |// | |

|15 |Bilim yol |Urmiye |NGO |Shafei Hamid |

|16 |Evrin |Khoy |NGO | |

|17 |Azerbaijan |Tabriz |Musical journal |Hergoli Hasan |

|18 |Sedaye Urumiye |Urumiye |Weekly journal |Khadem Mahammad – Reza |

|19 |Gipchag |Zanjan’ s University |Student’ journals |Shahbazi Ebrahim |

|21 |Araz sasi |// |// | |

|22 |Gizil uzan |// |// | |

|23 |Sayan dergi |Ardabil University |// | |

|24 |Sattarkhan dergisi |Tabriz |// | |

|25 |Yagish |Urmiya |// | |

January- Aprel -2009

Detentions of Azerbaijani ethnic and human rights activists continue in Iran. Activists are arbitrarily detained without being tried or even told the reason for their detention. They are usually denied access to a lawyer and are generally tortured or subjected to other ill-treatment. Religious minorities in Iran are also discriminated against.

Azerbaijani scholar detained for over two months

Abdullah Abbasi Javan, an architect and lecturer at Tehran’s University of Shahid Rajai, is still being held in section 209 of Evin Prison, controlled by the Iran Intelligence Service. He was arrested on November 13, 2008 while participating in the Settar Khan celebration (Settar Khan is a national hero for Azerbaijani Iranians who lead the constitutional movements of 1906-14). He has not been allowed access to a lawyer or his family, who have not been told the reason for his detention. Abdullah’s brother, Yedollah Abbasi Javan, told to Radio Free Europe: “Abdullah has been arrested because of participating in a ceremony which took place on Sattar Khan’s grave for his Remembrance Day and is held incommunicado for more than two months.” He argued that “Is it a crime to demand the right to learn your mother tongue in schools?” Yedollah added that he believes that his brother is not healthy and is being tortured.

Abdullah was also detained for 130 days beginning on August 18, 2007 in section 209 of Evin Prison. During the detention he was subjected to psychological and physical torture. He was later sentenced to a year of suspended imprisonment, which was postponed for five years.

Azerbaijani activists released on bail

Huseyin Huseyni (Hossein Hosseini), the former president of the student union at the University of Razi, Ardebil, who was arrested on November 13, 2008 while participating in the anniversary of Settar Khan Celebrations, was released on bail of 500 million rials ($50,000) on January 20, 2009. The date of his trial and the charges against him has not been released.

Huseyin is the nephew of Abdullah Abassi Javan, who was held incommunicado for 68 days in detention. He says he was tortured and put under severe psychological and physical strain by security forces. He had already been held for three weeks in June 2008 in Naghadeh (Sulduz) Intelligence Service custody, where he was interrogated and tortured. He was later released on bail of 100 million rials ($10,000).

Vahid SheykhBaghlu, a graduate student in economics at Azad University in Tabriz and a former member of Arman student organization, was arrested on December 24, 2008 and is still being held in Tabriz Prison. During his time in detention he has been summoned twice to be present at trial, but his family has not been told the reason for his detention. The judge has told his family that his file is not yet complete and the case against him is still being investigated. His last trial, on January 28, 2009, was not public and his lawyer was not there.

Azerbaijani journalist and women’s rights defender Shanaz Gholami has been released on bail of 200 million rials ($20,000) on January 17, 2009, after 69 days in detention. The date of her trial has not been released. According to her lawyer, she will be charged with “provocation of public opinion” and “sending news to media connected to People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran.”

Gholami is the moderator of a blog for Azerbaijani-Iranian women, azarwomen, and is also a member of Iran Women Journalists Association. She was arrested on November 9, 2008 and went on an eight-day hunger strike to object to the detention. Gholami was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment last September after being convicted of distributing “propaganda against the regime.” She was also in prison for five years from 1989 to 1994 as a result of her political activities.

New detentions

Azerbaijani ethnic rights activist Hasan Asadi was arrested on January 20, 2009 by Tabriz Intelligence Service forces and transferred to Tabriz prison. No information has been released about the reason for his detention.

Asadi was previously arrested in May 2008, the second anniversary of Azerbaijani demonstrations against a cartoon comparing Azerbaijanis to cockroaches published in state-run newspaper Iran, which Azerbaijanis found offensive. He was not allowed to visit his family and denied access to a lawyer. Local human rights activists say he was tortured and badly treated during the detention. He was transferred to hospital as his health deteriorated as a result of torture. His nails were pulled out and some of his fingers were broken. He also went into a coma several times during the interrogations. He was released on bail after 33 days in detention.

Prior to this, Asadi was detained for four months starting on February 8, 2007 in Ardebil Intelligence Service custody and Tabriz prison because he participated in a demonstration against the jail sentence for Abbas Lisani (a prominent Azerbaijani ethnic rights activist) in front of Ardebil prison. He was later released on bail of 700 million rials ($70,000) and charged with “membership in separatist parties”.

Asadi was also charged with membership in GAIP (South Azerbaijan Independents Party) and on January 29, 2008 was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment. The sentence was later reduced on appeal to six months. He was released on December 17, 2008 after serving his six-month sentence.

Azerbaijani student activists tried

The trial of eight Azerbaijani student activists took place on January 17, 2009 in Tabriz Revolutionary Court. These activists, including Maghsud Ahdi, Mansur Imanian, Aydin khajeyi, Amir Mardani, Faraz Zehtab, Sejjad Radmehr from Tabriz University along with Majid Makuyi from Esfahan’s Malek Eshter University and Driush Hatemi, who is completing his military service in Iranian army, were charged with “establishing or membership in illegal organizations in order to organize activities against national security” and also “propaganda against the regime.” The trial was not public.

The students were arrested just after start of the university summer holidays and were detained for three months in Tabriz Intelligence Service custody. They were tortured, denied access to a lawyer and were not allowed to visit with their families. The detainees were finally released on bail of 200 or 500 million rials ($20,000 and $50,000 respectively) and are to be tried later.

The first stage of the trial of Hamid Valayi, an Azerbaijani writer and human rights activist, took place on January 28, 2009 in Tabriz Revolutionary Court. According to his lawyer, he was charged with “propaganda against the regime.” Valayi’s trial was supposed to take place on December 1, 2008, but it was postponed by the trial judge, even though Valayi and his advocate were present at the appointed time. Valayi was arrested on July 15, 2008 and was tortured in custody. His teeth were broken and his right leg and head were injured.

The trial of Azerbaijani student and cultural activists Behruz Alizade, Vadud Saadeti, Rahim Gholami, Huseyin Huseyni, and Ardashir Karimi Khiyavi took place on January 29, 2009 in Ardebil. According to their advocate, they are charged with “propaganda of ethnicity.”

All five activists were arrested on April 8, 2008 by Ardebil Intelligence Service forces and were detained for 20 days. They were released on bail of 300 million rials ($30,000) and are to be tried later. They were denied access to a lawyer, not allowed to visit their families and subjected to torture and other ill-treatments.

Bloody event of Sunni village of Qizil Khanaya, Urmia

On January 14, 2009, Iranian police forces attacked the farmers of Qizil Khanaya Village (Khaneghah-e Sorkh), Urmia, in the West Azerbaijan province of Iran. Hundreds of farmers of the Qizil Khanaya had gathered to prevent the redirection of the village’s underground water supplies for industrial consumption. In Urmia-Salmas road, dozens of police attacked farmers using tear gas and firing on unarmed demonstrators. Police also damaged the farmers’ vehicles, which were parked in the village, confiscating their registration plates.

More than 30 people were arrested including Barzad Nizami Afshar, Mighdad Nizami Afshar, Said Jafarpur, Muhammad Samadzada, Bahram Quluzada, Nadali Quluzada, Nadali Alipur, Meraj Alipur, Heydar Alipur, Suleyman Ibrahimzada, Nasir Quluzada, Akbar Rustami, Iskandar Aslani, Allahverdi Aslani, Faramaz Jafari, Muahammad Jafari, Naqi-A and Davud-Sh.

Some of the detainees were wounded. They were transferred to Imam Khomeini Hospital, Urmia after just five hours. The detainees were interrogated and tortured before being released over 10 days. They are to be tried in Nushin Shahr Court and will be charged with “rebellion against the government” and “contempt of court order.”

Qizil Khanaya village (pop. 2,000) is located 30 kilometres north of Urmia city and the people are mainly Sunni Muslims. Sunni Azerbaijanis, who are called “Sunni Turks” or “Kuresunni,” by other Azerbaijanis in Iran, mainly live in Ardabil province as well as the West Azerbaijan province. Sunni Azerbaijanis in Iran are subjected to both ethnic and religious discrimination.

Unofficial sources estimate that more than 400,000 Sunni Turks live in four cities of West Azerbaijan province near the Turkish border: Urmia, Khoy, Salmas and Piranshahr (Khana). Because of persecution and insecurity, hundreds of thousands of Sunni Turk inhabitants of the West Azerbaijan immigrated to Turkey both before and after 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran. Sunnis are restricted in their access to higher education and state jobs. They are not allowed to establish associations, non-governmental organizations or set up religious schools.

According to the residents of some Sunni Azerbaijani villages, the officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran try to redirect underground water supplies away from their villages to cause water shortages on their farms.

More student journals shut down

Khalaj student journal published in the Azerbaijani Turkish and Persian languages in Yazd University was closed down, the latest in a series of similar incidents. The reasons given were that articles in the journal promoted ethnic propaganda and Pan-Turkism.

Many Azerbaijani student journals have been closed down by the government over the last year. Some of them include: Bulud, Ulus, Nasim, Araz, Ozluk, Oyanish, Sattar Khan, Kimlik, Yoldash, Yagish, Aydin Gelecel, Gunesh, Yarpaq, Telenger, Yashil, Yol, Anayurdu, Achiq Soz and Sayan.

Azerbaijani cultural activists are under increasing pressure from Iranian security and judiciary systems. They are subjected to arbitrary detentions and are held in prisons without trial, without access to legal representation or to their families. During detention security forces often coerce the detainees to confess to crimes they have not committed by means of torture or other abuse in order to ensure that heavy sentences will be imposed upon them.

Fears for Safety of Two Brothers Arrested in Ardebil

Forces of the Ardebil Intelligence Service arrested two Azerbaijani activists, Ramin and Ebrahim Sadeghi Asl, on February 5, 2009. Another brother, Mohhammad Sadeghi, was arrested on February 25. Although Ebrahim was released on bail after two weeks of detention, the remaining two brothers are still in the custody of the Ardebil Intelligence Service. The reasons for the detentions have not been released; additionally, the brothers are being deprived of basic rights including access to a lawyer and visits from their families.

According to information obtained from other detainees released from custody of the Ardebil Intelligence Service, the Sadeghi brothers have been tortured to give false confessions which include statements against other Azerbaijani activists.

Prior to this episode, Ramin Sadeghi had been detained for a period of one month: he was arrested on February 21, 2007 during the International Mother Tongue Day celebrations after distributing articles about mother tongue language. He was later released on bail. At the time of his detention, Amnesty International released a public action in which the liberation of Ramin Sadeghi, prisoner of conscience, was strongly demanded.

Recently Released Azerbaijani Student and Cultural Activists

Abdullah Abbasi Javan, an architect and lecturer at the University of Shahid Rajaii-Tehran, and a prominent Azerbaijani ethnic rights activist, was released on 700 million rial bail ($70,000) on February 25 after 105 days of temporary detention in Evin Prison. He was released just one day after the death of his ailing mother.

Abdullah Abbasi Javan is charged with “propaganda against the regime”: the case against him is still being investigated in Rey Revolutionary Court.

On November 13, 2008 Javan was arrested while participating in the Settar Khan celebration (Settar Khan is a national hero for Azerbaijani Iranians; he led the constitutional movements of 1906-14). He has not been allowed access to a lawyer, and was only allowed to see his family after three months of detention. According to his family, Abdullah has been tortured and has endured physical and psychological abuses during his detention in Section 209 of Evin Prison, which is operated by the Iranian Intelligence Service.

Abdullah was also detained in section 209 of Evin Prison for 130 days beginning on August 18, 2007. During the detention he was subjected to psychological and physical torture. He was later sentenced to one year of suspended imprisonment, which was postponed for five years.

Mehdi Nuri, Azerbaijani student and ethnic rights activist, was released on February 20 after serving his two year jail term in Tabriz Prison.

Nuri was arrested in May 2006 during massive demonstrations condemning a cartoon which Azerbaijanis found offensive that was published in the state-run Iranian newspaper. He was released on bail after months of detention. Later he was tried in the Urmia Revolutionary Court and was sentenced to four years of imprisonment, three years of exile and also three years of suspended imprisonment. After going to the court of appeals, his sentence was reduced to two years of imprisonment along with three years of suspended imprisonment.

Vahid SheykhBaghlu, a graduate student in economics at Azad University in Tabriz, and a former member of the Arman Student Organization, was released on a 500 million rial bail ($50,000) after 49 days of temporary detention. He will be tried later, and will be charged with “movement against national security” as well as “violation of public order”. He was arrested on December 24, 2008 and was being held in Tabriz Prison.

Prior to this, Vahid had been arrested during the Azerbaijani demonstrations against the offensive cartoon in May 2006 and was released on bail after 50 days of detention in the custody of the Tabriz Intelligence Service. He was later tried and sentenced to 91 days of suspended imprisonment.

Heavy Sentences Against Azerbaijani Activists

The Ardebil Revolutionary Court sentenced five Azerbaijani ethnic rights activists—Behruz Alizade, Vadud Saadeti, Rahim Ghulami, Huseyin Huseyni, and Ardashir Karimi Khiyavi—to five years of imprisonment in addition to exile. The trial was not public.

According to the released verdict, the activists are charged with “establishing or membership in illegal organizations in order to organize activities against national security” and to ensure the security of the province they must serve their jail terms in Zahedan, Kerman, Hormozghan, Bojnurd and Semnan, and Hamedan. (far from their hometown)

All five activists were arrested on April 8, 2008 by forces of the Ardebil Intelligence Service; they were detained for 20 days. Released on a 300 million rial bail ($30,000), they are to be tried at a later date. They were denied access to lawyers, not allowed to see their families and were subjected to torture and other forms of ill-treatment.

The trial of nine Azerbaijani student activists took place in Tabriz on January 18, 2009 but was not made public. Six student activists from Tabriz University —Sejjad Radmehr, Faraz Zehtab, Aydin khajeyi, Amir Mardani, and Ehsan Najafi Nasab—along with Majid Makuyi from Esfahan’s Malek Eshter University have been charged with “establishing or membership in illegal organizations in order to organize activities against national security.” They were sentenced to one year of imprisonment in addition to two years of suspended imprisonment. Following the trial, Maghsud Ahdi, Mansur Imanian, and Darush Hatemi were acquitted.

These students were arrested just after start of the university summer holidays and held for three months in the custody of the Tabriz Intelligence Service. During this time they were tortured, denied access to lawyers and were not allowed to visit with their families. The detainees were finally released on a 200 or 500 million rial bail ($20,000 and $50,000 respectively) but are to be tried at a later date.

Hamid Valayi, an Azerbaijani writer and human rights activist, and Gholam Najafi, Azerbaijani ethnic rights activist, were tried in the Tabriz Revolutionary Court where they were sentenced to three months of imprisonment in addition to nine months of suspended imprisonment. They have been charged with “propaganda against the regime” though the trial was not public.

Both activists were arrested in July 2008 by Tabriz security forces because of writing an article in the student journal of Gunes, published by Iran’s University of Science and Technology. They were released later on bail after 15 days of temporary detention.

On August 8, 2008, Front Line published a public action indicating that Valayi was being subjected to torture and other inappropriate treatment while in the custody of the Intelligence Service. In addition to having sustained injuries to his head and right leg, his teeth had reportedly been broken.

Ehli-Haq Faith Prisoner Executed in Urmia Prison

Mehdi Ghasemzade, one of the Ehli-Haq religious prisoners in Urmia Prison, was executed on February 28, 2009.

Mehdi Ghasemzade, Sehend Ali Mohammadi, Bakhshali Mohammadi, Ebadollah Ghasemzade, and Yunes Aghayan, members of the Ehli-Haq religious order from “Uch Tepe” village, were all arrested following a clash between security forces and villagers in 2004; they were subsequently sentenced to death. The Court of Appeals reduced the verdict of Sehend Ali Mohammadi, Bakhshali Mohammadi, and Ebadollah Ghasemzade to 13 years of imprisonment coupled with exile to Yazd, but the verdict of Mehdi Ghasemzade and Yunes Aghayan did not change.

Sehend Ali Mohammadi, Bakhshali Mohammadi, and Ebadollah Ghasemzade have reportedly been on a hunger strike since October 2008 in order to protest against the execution of the Mehdi Ghasemzade.

Following this execution of Mehdi Ghasemzade, human rights organizations released their fears of the possible execution of Yunes Aghayan, the other Ehli-faith prisoner sentenced to death.

Heavy Jail, Exile, and Whipping Sentences for Sunni Turks

The trial of 25 Sunni villagers of Qizil Khanaya in Urmia, who gathered to prevent the redirection of the village’s underground water supplies for industrial consumption, has concluded: they have been charged with “violation of public order” and “revolting against government officials”.

On January 14, 2009, hundreds of farmers of the Qizil Khanaya gathered to prevent the redirection of the village’s underground water supplies for industrial consumption.

Iranian police forces opened fire on the unarmed demonstrators and attacked the farmers with tear gas. More than 30 people were arrested; some of the detainees were wounded. Held for more than 10 days, the detainees were interrogated and tortured before being released.

Soleyman Ebrahimi, Mohammad Samadzade, Mortaza Jafari, Allahverdi Asalani, Mohammad Manafzade, Ayyub Azizpur, Akbar Rostami, Meraj Alipur, Said Jafarpur, Majid Gholizade, and Ziyad Jafarpur were sentenced to two years of imprisonment in addition to exile to Minab (a city in southern Iran, thousands of miles far from their home town) and 74 lashes of the whip. Behruz Majidi was sentenced to one year of imprisonment along with exile to Minab and 74 lashes of whip; Barzad Nezami Afshar, Maghad Nezami Afshar, and Mohhammad Ashrafi were sentenced to six months of imprisonment by the Nazlu Court.

The Court also levied fines of 3 million rials ($3,000) against Heydar Ali Alipur, Huseyin Vahabzade, Soleyman Ahmadi and Habibollah Ahmadi, while Mohammad Jafari and Hojjat Mokarram were fined 2 million rials ($2,000) each in financial punishment. Mehdi Esmailli, Asghar Ghara Hajilu, Behzad Yaghubzade, and Jafari were acquitted from all charges against them.

Qizil Khanaya village (population 2,000) is located 30 kilometres north of Urmia city. The people are mainly Sunni Muslims—Sunni Azerbaijanis—who are called “Sunni Turks” or “Kuresunni,” by other Azerbaijanis in Iran. They live mainly in Ardebil province as well as in Western Azerbaijan province. Sunni Azerbaijanis in Iran are subject to both ethnic and religious discrimination.

Azerbaijani Human Rights Activist Tried

The third stage of the trial of Vadud Asadi Azerbaijani, human rights activist, took place on February 10, 2009. Reportedly he is charged with “propaganda against the regime.”

Asadi was arrested on July 22, 2008 by Rasht security forces and was released on bail after 34 days of temporary detention. According to his family, he was held in a cell under physical and psychological pressure. During detention he was deprived of his rights of access to a lawyer and also his place of detention was withheld from his family.

Both Front Line and the U.S. Department of State condemned the detention of this Azerbaijani human rights activist on August 8th and on August 15tb, 2008, respectively.

Azerbaijani Political Activists Are Transferred to the Section of Thieves in Prisons

Ali Abbasi, Azerbaijani activist, was transferred to the section of thieves in Ardebil Prison from Section 7, the section for political prisoners. He has been sentenced to five years of imprisonment and has been charged with “movement against the national security and spying”. Abbasi has told his family that the conditions of the new section are very poor and that the transfers are meant to increase pressure on political prisoners.

Abbasi was arrested on October 14, 2007 by the forces of the Ardebil Intelligence Service and detained for 38 days, during which time he endured torture and other abuses. He was later tried and sentenced to 11 years of imprisonment. The trial was took place without Abbasi’s legal advocate and also was not made public. Following an appeal, the verdict was later reduced to five years. A trip to the Republic of Azerbaijan formed the basis of the charges against him.

International Mother Tongue Day, Increased Pressures and Restrictions

Since UNESCO declared February 21 the International Mother Tongue Day, Azerbaijanis in Iran tried to celebrate: Azerbaijani ethnic rights activists organized vast celebrations of this day to take place in Tabriz, Urmia, Ardebil, Zencan, Maraghe, Ahar, Marand, Sulduz (Naghade), and several other cities with significant Azerbaijani populations. Activists distributed articles emphasizing the importance of the mother tongue in addition to education in one’s mother tongue; all articles were written in (Azerbaijani) Turkish. As in most of the cities security forces were standing guard to prevent activists from carrying out any celebrations for International Mother Tongue Day, these celebrations were carried out secretly. Moreover, university students in Tehran were threatened against organizing any celebrations related to International Mother Tongue Day.

In years past, Iranian security forces have detained Azerbaijani cultural and human rights activists who have demanded their humanitarian and constitutional rights during Mother Tongue Day celebrations. These people were later sentenced to months or even years of imprisonment.

Although article 15 of Iran’s Constitution stipulates the right to education in the mother tongue for non-Persian ethnics, this article is never actualized; the groups or individuals who demand their right are charged with false crimes of “propaganda against the regime,” “violation of public order”, or other similar charges. It is important to note that more than half of Iran’s population is composed of non-Persian ethnics, but there is no school that provides education in any ethnic language.

Restrictions On Uses of Turkish Names

Even in cities populated with Azerbaijanis, government officials forbid shop owners from using Turkish names for their shops. Officials in some cases suggest that the owner choose a Persian name for their shop, but have gone so far as damaging shop signs. On February 21, security forces of Shahindej in West Azerbaijan province closed down several shops in addition to a cafe whose name was “Azerbaijan” where poets, writers and cultural activists had gathered there.

Last year following the restrictions on the use of Turkish names, Azerbaijani Members of Parliament demonstrated against these actions. As a result, Iran’s Ministry of Economy and Finance Affairs decided to allow the use of Turkish names on shops and financial institutions.

Student Journals Shut Down

Pressures on student journals have increased in recent years. Student journals which were only focused on cultural issues have also been closed down. Recently the “Isil Ay” journal, published by Yazd University, was closed down by university authorities. Reportedly journals in this university published in the Turkish or Kurdish language have been shut down by direct order of the university chairman.

Many Azerbaijani student journals have been closed down by the government over the last year. Some of them include: Bulud, Ulus, Nasim, Araz, Ozluk, Oyanish, Sattar Khan, Kimlik, Yoldash, Yagish, Aydin Gelecel, Gunesh, Yarpaq, Telenger, Yashil, Yol, Anayurdu, Achiq Soz, Sayan and Khalaj.

The Iranian government continues its policy of undue pressure on Azerbaijani ethnic and human rights activists. The activists are detained arbitrarily and without charge, then tried. They are not allowed access to a lawyer or to visit their family during the detentions. Usually they are both subjected to torture and are generally mistreated.

New Detention

Naghi Ahmadi Azer, an Azerbaijani cultural activist and writer, was arrested on April 4, 2009 by Tabriz security forces and is in the custody of the Tabriz Intelligence Service. Ahmadi’s family has not been informed of the reason for his detention. They suspect he was arrested because of the books he has published.

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”.

Fears For the Health of Azerbaijani Ethnic Rights Activist, Ramin Sadeghi

Ramin Sadeghi Asl, an Azerbaijani ethnic rights activist, was transferred to Ardebil Prison from the custody of the Ardebil Intelligence Service on April 12, 2009. He was arrested without warrant on February 5, 2009.

His family’s efforts to gain information about the reason for his detention as well as their efforts to visit him have been unsuccessful. However, they have reason to believe he has been tortured and is in a state of deteriorated physical health. Last month reports of severe physical and psychological torture of Sadeghi were published in the news. He has reportedly been tortured in order to make false statements about other Azerbaijani ethnic rights activists, but his temporary detention was extended when Sadeghi refused to make such confessions.

Mohammad Sadeghi, Ramin Sadeghi’s brother, was also arrested and held for a period of 17 days. During this time he was both tortured and mistreated. On March 14, 2009 he was released on a 300 million rial ($38,000) bail.

Ramin Sadeghi was also arrested in 2007 during the International Mother Tongue ceremonies (February 21, 2007), but was released on bail after one month’s detention. Amnesty International released a public action at the time, deeming him a prisoner of conscience and calling on Iranian authorities for his immediate release.

Azerbaijani Activists Sentenced To Prison

Ebrahim Nuri, a seventeen year old student, was recently sentenced to ten months of suspended imprisonment, which has been postponed for 5 years. Nuri was tried on April 6, 2009, though the trail was not public and Nuri’s legal representative was not present. After participating in May 2006 in Azerbaijani demonstrations against a cartoon found offensive to Azerbaijanis, he has been charged with “propaganda against the regime.” Nuri has appealed the verdict.

Nuri has been arrested number of times because of his activities involving Azerbaijani ethnic rights. He was first arrested on May 7, 2007 after he was called to the Ahar (a city near to Tabriz) Intelligence Service office where was detained for three days; he was subsequently released on bail. The second arrest involved a one week detention in the same month beginning May 21, 2007, and was allegedly because of his involvement in distributing articles and announcements inviting people to participate in a demonstration marking the anniversary of the earlier cartoon protests. He was again released on bail. Last year he was suspended from high school because of his social activism.

Mohammad Jarrahi, an Azerbaijani labor activist, was sentenced to four months of suspended imprisonment in March 2009. Prior to this he was sentenced to four months of imprisonment in 2007 because of circulating an article about labor rights; he was charged with “propaganda against the regime”. Following this verdict he was arrested in Tabriz on September 20, 2008 and transferred to Tabriz Prison, although his verdict had not yet been officially released at that time. As a result, he was not given any chance to appeal the verdict. When his lawyer objected to his trail procedings, Jarrahi’s appeal was finally accepted and he was released after 20 days of imprisonment. The Court of Appeals decreased his sentence to four months of suspended imprisonment, which was postponed for two years. Following this 2008 imprisonment, Mr. Jarrahi lost his job.

Azerbaijani Activist Sent To Prison

Ali Hossein Nejad, an Azerbaijani ethnic rights activist, was arrested on April 4 2009 and sent to Maku Prison to serve an eight month prison term. Hossein Nejad was detained in May 2007 after inviting people to participate in demonstrations against an offensive cartoon. He was then tried and sentenced to one year of imprisonment, having been charged with “propaganda against the regime”. Subsequently the Court of Appeals reduced his prison term to eight months.

Prior to this episode, Hossein Nejad was detained for one month in May 2006. He was released and ordered to pay a 5 million rial fine.

Azerbaijani Ethnic Right Defender Cleric Azimi Ghadim Released

Abdulaziz Azimi Ghadim, an Azerbaijani ethnic rights defender and religious figure, was released from Ghom Prison on April 26, 2009. Azimi’s punishment had included a ban on wearing the cleric’s clothing, because of having allegedly “insulted cleric honor.” When he refused to follow this ban, Azimi was called to the Special Court for the Clergy in May 2008 and was deemed guilty of the crime and ordered to one year of imprisonment. On May 3, 2008 he was sent to Ghom Prison to serve his jail term.

Prior, Azimi was arrested several times because of his activities in and also speeches during Azerbaijani gatherings and meetings. His first arrest occurred on August 5, 2005 when he participated in a commemoration of Iran’s Constitutional Revolution in Tabriz. He was detained for three months but was released on bail. After this time in jail, Azimi was tried in court and sentenced to another 18 months of imprisonment along with exile. After six months in prison, he was released conditionally. Amnesty International issued three public actions regarding Azimi’s case on August 24, 2005, May 4, 2006, and October 27, 2007.

Ahli-Haq Faith (Alevi) Prisoners’ Hunger Strike

Sehendali Mohammadi, Bakhshali Mohammadi, and Abdullah Ghasemzadeh, members of the Azerbaijani Ahli-Haq faith, are in prison under very difficult conditions. On April 21, 2009, they went on hunger strike in objection to violations of their fundamental rights by prison security guards.

According to their families, prison guards have prevented Abdullah Ghasemzadeh from praying at night; upon seeing his insistence to do so, they beat him and confined him to his cell. The guards also prevented him from praying in his cell and abused him there as well.

Following this event, Sahandali and Bakhshali Mohammadi began a hunger strike to protest the guards’ obstruction to their praying in jail.

Mehdi Ghasemzade, Sehend Ali Mohammadi, Bakhshali Mohammadi, Abdullah Ghasemzadeh, and Yunes Aghayan, members of the Ehli-Haq religious order from “Uch Tepe” village, were all arrested following a clash between security forces and villagers in 2004; they were subsequently sentenced to death. The Court of Appeals reduced the verdict of Sehend Ali Mohammadi, Bakhshali Mohammadi, and Abdullah Ghasemzadeh to 13 years of imprisonment coupled with exile to Yazd, but the verdicts of Mehdi Ghasemzade and Yunes Aghayan were not changed.

Following the execution of Mehdi Ghasemzade, human rights organizations have expressed their fears of the possible execution of Yunes Aghayan, the other Ehli faith prisoner sentenced to death.

Azerbaijani Cultural Activists Tried

The trial of Saleh Molla Abbasi and Moharram Kamrani, Azerbaijani cultural activists, took place on April 11, 2009. Molla Abbasi and Kamrani were arrested in March 2006 in Ahar and were detained for 45 and 20 days, respectively, in the custody of Ahar Intelligence Services. They were charged with “propaganda against the regime” for distributing articles and also for participating in meetings deemed illegal.

Molla Abbasi is an agricultural engineer and a former student activist at Tabriz University; Kamrani is a veterinary from Urmia University, a member of the Shahriyar Association Board, the former Editor in Chief of the now closed down “Oyanish” Journal, and is also a member of Azerbaijani Journal Association.

Prior to this time, Molla Abassi was detained for one week in May 2006 during the Azerbaijani demonstrations against an offensive cartoon. Amnesty International released two public actions on the detentions of Molla Abbasi and Kamrani, calling on Iranian authorities to release the detainees.

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