Appeal of South Azerbaijani Organisations to Human Rights Organisations
The Iranian regime applies pressure and coercion to South Azerbaijani Turk activists!
We appeal to the conscience of the free world;
Dear human rights organizations;
It is known that the Islamic regime in Iran disregards universal human rights values and norms. The regime subjects political, cultural, media, environmental, and other activists in the country to pressure and coercion in accordance with its own laws. Arbitrary arrests, physical and psychological torture during detention, failure to use the legal rights of detainees, and pressure on the families of detainees are widespread practices in Iran.
The regime particularly applies more intricacies, restrictions, pressure, and coercion to ethnic and religious groups. The number of activists in regime prisons, as well as the execution decisions applied in the country, reveals a higher level of pressure and coercion on ethnic and religious groups when examined based on provinces (ostans).
Southern Azerbaijanis and Iranian citizens of Turkic origin, in general, are also affected as one of the groups to which the Iranian Islamic regime shows favoritism, imposes restrictions, pressure, and coercion. The wave of illegal arrests and torture that occurred in the past months, without any legal basis or justification, is a clear example of these unlawful and inhumane practices.
For more than two months, numerous South Azerbaijani Turkic activists have been arrested without any legal basis, subjected to physical and psychological torture during detention or questioning, deprived of legal representation, and most importantly, denied their legal rights. Their families are informed that they have been subjected to arbitrary measures and pressure.
The names and arrest dates of activists detained in recent months are as follows:
– Morteza Nour Mohammadi – September 9, 2023
– Amir Hossein Aghayi – September 12, 2023
– Araz Ebrahim Nezhad – September 12, 2023
– Mohammad Reza Movahhed – September 12, 2023
– Ali Babayi – September 12, 2023
– Javad Soudbar – September 12, 2023
– Davoud Shiri – September 12, 2023
– Mehrdad Gaderi – September 14, 2023
– Hossein Azadi – September 23, 2023
– Ebrahim Avazzadeh – October 1, 2023
– Naser Razmjou – October 1, 2023
– Ayat (Yurush) MerAlibeyglou – November 7, 2023
– Hamed Yegane Pour – November 8, 2023
The arrested activists are still in custody, and according to the information received, many of them have been subjected to violence and torture during arrest and questioning. Their homes and workplaces have been searched, and personal belongings have been confiscated. However, their families have not been able to obtain sufficient information about the detained family members and are anxiously waiting.
Of course, the South Azerbaijani Turk activists who were exposed to the pressure, violence and illegal practices of the Iranian regime are not the only ones mentioned above. Many activists have been subjected to pressure and violence and were sentenced to unfair punishments. For example, the 16-year prison sentence of Azerbaijani civil activist Mahmoud Ocaqlou, who is detained in Tehran’s Evin prison has been finalized, while he has been deprived of his legal rights during the detention.
It is also regrettable that the Persian media, which opposes the regime, as well as political and human rights organizations, have adopted an interesting approach by treating the human rights issues of ethnic groups with some biases and boycotting their news. This situation indirectly aids the implementation of these unlawful practices by making it easier for the Iranian regime to carry them out.
We, as the organizations signing this letter, strongly condemn the illegal discrimination, restrictions, pressure, arrest, coercion, and torture practices of the Iranian regime.
We specifically request and hope for assistance from respected human rights organizations to bring widespread human rights abuses, especially those applied to ethnic and religious groups in Iran, to the attention of the conscience of the free world.
We hope that with your help and support, the conscience of the free world will not remain indifferent to the rising voices of protest against oppression and lawlessness in Iran, and these voices will contribute to alleviating the suffering of our people, at least to some extent.
Thank you very much.
Long live freedom and justice!
receiver organisation:
Amnesty International
human Rights Watch
Signed by:
Central Party of Azerbaijan
Democratic Party of South Azerbaijan – GADP
National Resistance Organization of Azerbaijan – Direniş
Student Movement of Azerbaijan – AZOH
17/11/2023
