Azerbaijan Protests; Report on Latest Detention Status in Various Cities
In continuation of widespread protests in various cities of Azerbaijan provinces and other Turkish-speaking regions, a significant number of people have been detained.
So far, the identities of 57 detainees in the cities of Ardabil, Tabriz, Urmia, Meshgin Shahr, Parsabad Moghan, Hadi Shahr, Jolfa, Kaleibar, and Zanjan have been confirmed by Hrana. A number of these individuals have been transferred to prisons in Tabriz and Ardabil or to the detention center of the Information Agency. These arrests took place on streets, workplaces, or in the homes of these individuals. Significant violence was used by police and security forces during the arrests of these individuals, which in some cases resulted in broken hands or noses. The aforementioned protests began on Tuesday, September 30, in response to regional developments.
According to Hrana news agency, the news organ of the Iranian human rights activists collective, in continuation of widespread protests in various cities of Azerbaijan provinces and other Turkish-speaking regions, a significant number of people have been detained.
On Wednesday, October 7, Ali Ghahramani was temporarily released by posting bail, pending the completion of legal proceedings. On the evening of Tuesday, October 6, Ahmad Mohammadpour and Ali Moali were released from Ardabil prison by posting bail of 350 and 150 million tomans respectively. These citizens were charged by Branch 10 of the Revolutionary Court of Ardabil, presided over by Judge Babak Nonehaal, with conspiracy against national security, propaganda against the regime, and disrupting public order.
Ali Kheirjoo and Meisam Joulani were also transferred from Ardabil prison to the detention center of the Information Agency in that city. Sedalolah Sassani was transferred to the quarantine ward of Tabriz prison. Saeid Soltani was also transferred to the detention center of Tabriz’s Information Agency, and it is reported that Judge Seyyed Ali Mousavi, investigator of Branch 16 of the Tabriz Revolutionary Court, refused to set a bail date for this citizen.
On Thursday, October 1, Voqar Nemat, a poet and writer, was summoned by phone to the Information Agency of Kaleibar and was released after several hours of interrogation.
On Tuesday, September 29, a protest rally was held at Jiral Park in Ardabil in response to previous calls and in reaction to regional developments. During this gathering, Asgar Akbarzadeh, Mehdi Hoshmand, Sajad Joulani, Hossein Balakhani, Mojtaba Parvin, Mostafa Parvin, Mohammad Joulani, Bahman Kheirjoo, Morteza Parvin, and Sobhan Bakhshi, 12 Turkish (Azerbaijani) activists from Ardabil, were arrested and on Wednesday, September 30, after being charged and bail was issued at the prosecutor’s office, were transferred to Ardabil prison. Among these individuals, Hamed Haidari Baris and Parviz Siabi were released in recent days, and the remaining detainees are indefinitely held in Ward 8 (quarantine) of Tabriz prison. Since these individuals were transferred to prison, there has been no information about their status and they have had no contact with their families during this time. This lack of news comes at a time when these citizens were beaten during arrest and Asgar Akbarzadeh suffered injuries to his foot, Hossein Balakhani and Morteza Parvin to their hands, and Ahmad Mohammadpour to his head. Also, Sajad Joulani’s nose was broken.
In continuation of these protests, on Thursday, October 1, similar gatherings were held in Tehran, Tabriz, Urmia, Ardabil, Meshgin Shahr, Parsabad Moghan, and Zanjan.
Following these protests, Ghodrat Manafzadegan, Ali Kheirjoo, Mohsen Esmaili, Meisam Joulani, Peiman Aqai, Dariush Niazi Shiran, Ahmad Mohammadpour, Yashar Moradi, Ali Moali, Marzieh Javansher, Ms. Javansher (sister of Marzieh Javansher), and Younes Moradi in Ardabil; Javad Rezaei, Salar Taher Afshar, Abolfazl Askarzadeh, Farhad Mohammadi, Ms. (first name unknown) Entezami, and Sohend Bahnemon in Urmia; Vahid Khavandy, Siamak Seifi, Kazem Safabakhsh, Mehdi Abadallahi, Shahrouz Hemat Oghli, and Ahmad Yaqubi in Meshgin Shahr; Majid Karimi and Akbar Qaraghbaghi in Zanjan; and Mehdi Doustdar, Morteza Naghizadeh, Mojtaba Naghizadeh, Mohammad Naghizadeh, Sedalolah Sassani, Milad Akbari Zeinaltonahi, and Hossein Mohammadian in Tabriz; and Saeid Soltani and Babak Kiumarsi in Jolfa; Mahmoud Mahmoudi in Kaleibar; and Ali Ghahramani in Hadi Shahr were arrested.
Among these individuals, Marzieh Javansher and Ms. Javansher, her sister, were transferred to Ardabil prison on Friday, October 2. Similarly, 12 detainees from the Thursday, October 1 gatherings in Urmia, including Javad Rezaei, Younes Shirzad, Sohend Bahnemon, Salar Taher Afshar, Farhad Mohammadi, and Ms. (first name unknown) Entezami, were released on Friday, October 2 by posting bail. Yeaman Aqai, Mehdi Abadallahi, Ghodrat Manafzadegan, Shahrouz Hemat Oghli, and Ahmad Yaqubi were released on Saturday, October 3, and Dariush Niazi Shiran on Sunday, October 4 by posting bail. Parviz Siabi Gorjan was released on Tuesday, October 6, and Hamed Haidari Baris on Saturday, October 3 by posting bail. Siamak Seifi was charged with “propaganda against the regime” and along with Vahid Khavandy and Kazem Safabakhsh was transferred to Meshgin Shahr prison.
Also, on Thursday, October 1, dozens of Turkish (Azerbaijani) activists were summoned by phone by Urmia Security Police and threatened with arrest. Some refused to appear, arguing that such phone calls were unlawful, while others such as Hoshang Naghizadeh, Amir Gohri, Ashkan Saadat Mehr, and Reza Khalili, after appearing at Urmia Security Police and interrogation at 8 p.m., were released. On Saturday, October 3, the families of some of the detainees from the recent protests attended Branch 10 of Ardabil’s prosecutor’s office to inquire about their status, during which Efsaneh Akbarzadeh, wife of Ali Kheirjoo, was arrested by order of Judge Babak Nonehaal and released on Sunday, October 4. On Sunday, October 4, Mikail Qolipour was summoned by Urmia Information Agency’s news headquarters and was released after 4 hours of interrogation.
Amnesty International, on Friday, while expressing concern about the detention of approximately 20 Turkish (Azerbaijani) activists including Asghar Askarzadeh, Mostafa Parvin, Morteza Parvin, Mohammad Joulani, Meisam Joulani, and Ali Kheirjoo, noted that these individuals face charges such as insulting the Supreme Leader, disrupting public order, and disobedience to government officials.
Aliar Rastgoo, the Political-Security Deputy of the East Azerbaijan Governor, previously confirmed the news of the gathering in Tabriz among journalists and said: “Today (Thursday) a call for gathering in cyberspace was published to support the territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and this gathering was managed by police and the participants dispersed.”
Fars News Agency, citing media close to security agencies, also reported on the holding of a gathering in Zanjan and said: “In Zanjan, following calls issued in recent days, around 50 people attempted to gather on Thursday evening in Sabzeh Midan and the pedestrian mall, which was prevented by the presence of police and security forces. A few people who attempted sporadically to chant ethnic slogans were arrested by police.”
This news agency also confirmed the holding of a gathering in Ardabil, stating that about 50 people participated in this gathering and that it did not take place due to police intervention.
During these gatherings, security forces, particularly in Tabriz, used tear gas to disperse the protesters. In Urmia, the city was reported to have a security atmosphere.
According to Article 27 of the Constitution, participation in gatherings and marches, without carrying weapons, is free and is considered peaceful.
In June of this year, during similar gatherings in Tehran and Tabriz, a number of citizens were arrested and released after posting bail some time later.
Source: Hrana
