Azerbaijan protests: A report on the latest situation of detainees in various cities
A large number of people have been arrested in the wake of widespread protests in various cities of Azerbaijan's provinces and other Turkic-populated areas.
So far, the identities of 57 people arrested in the cities of Ardabil, Tabriz, Urmia, Meshkinshahr, Parsabad Moghan, Hadi Shahr, Jolfa, Kalybar and Zanjan have been verified by HRANA, and a number of these people have been transferred to Tabriz and Ardabil prisons or the Intelligence Department detention center. These arrests have taken place on the street, at work or in the homes of these people. A lot of violence has been used by the security forces during the arrests of these people, which in some cases has led to broken hands or noses. The protests mentioned in response to the developments in the region began on Tuesday, October 29.
According to the HRANA news agency, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists Association in Iran, a large number of people have been arrested in the wake of widespread protests in various cities of the provinces of Azerbaijan and other Turkic-populated areas.
Today, Wednesday, October 6, Ali Ghahremani was temporarily released after posting bail, pending the completion of the trial. On Tuesday evening, October 5, Ahmad Mohammadpour and Ali Moali were released from Ardabil prison after posting bail of 350 and 150 million Tomans, respectively. These citizens have been charged by Branch 10 of the Ardabil Revolutionary Court, headed by Judge Babak Nunhal, on charges of collusion against national security, propaganda against the system, and disturbing public order.
Ali Khairjoo and Meysam Jolani were also transferred from Ardabil prison to the city's intelligence agency detention center. Saadollah Sasani was also transferred to the quarantine ward of Tabriz prison. Saeed Soltani was also transferred to the Tabriz intelligence agency detention center, and it is said that Judge Seyed Ali Mousavi, the investigator of Branch 16 of the Tabriz Revolutionary Court, has refused to set a date for this citizen.
On Thursday, October 1, Voqar Nemat, a poet and writer, was summoned by telephone to the Kalibar City Intelligence Department and released after several hours of interrogation.
On Tuesday, October 29, 2020, a protest rally was held in Ardabil’s Jiral Park following a previous call and in response to the developments in the region. During this rally, Asgar Akbarzadeh, Mehdi Houshmand, Sajjad Joulani, Hossein Balakhani, Mojtaba Parvin, Mustafa Parvin, Mohammad Joulani, Bahman Khairjoo, Morteza Parvin, and Sobhan Bakhshi, 12 Turkish (Azerbaijani) activists living in Ardabil, were arrested and transferred to Ardabil Prison on Wednesday, October 29, after being charged and granted bail by the prosecutor’s office. Among these individuals, Hamed Heydari Baris and Parviz Siabi were released in recent days, and the other detainees are being held indefinitely in Ward 8 (quarantine) of Tabriz Prison. There is no information about their status since they were transferred to prison, and they have not had contact with their families during this time. This lack of awareness comes at a time when these citizens were beaten during their arrest, with Asgar Akbarzadeh suffering injuries to his leg, Hossein Balakhani and Morteza Parvin to their hands, and Ahmad Mohammadpour to his head. Sajjad Jolani's nose was also broken.
Following these protests, on Thursday, October 1, similar gatherings were held in the cities of Tehran, Tabriz, Urmia, Ardabil, Meshginshahr, Parsabad, Moghan, and Zanjan.
After these protests, the power of the descendants of Manafzadegan, Ali Khairjoo, Mohsen Esmaeili, Meysam Joulani, Peyman Aghaei, Dariush Niazi Shiran, Ahmad Mohammadpour, Yashar Moradi, Ali Moali, Marzieh Javanshir, Ms. Javanshir (sister of Marzieh Javanshir) and Younes Moradi in Ardabil, Javad Rezaei, Salar Taher Afshar, Abolfazl Asgarzadeh, Farhad Mohammadi, Ms. (unknown first name) Ekhtabeh and Sahand Bahmanoun in Urmia, Vahid Khovandi, Siamak Seifi, Kazem Safabakhsh, Mehdi Ebadollahi, Shahroz Hemmatoghli and Ahmad Yaghoubi in Meshkinshahr, Majid Karimi and Akbar Qarabaghi in Zanjan and Mehdi Doostdar, Morteza Naghizadeh, Mojtaba Naghizadeh and Mohammad Naghizadeh, Saadollah Sasani, Milad Akbari Zeinal Tanhaei and Hossein Mohammadian in Tabriz and Saeed Soltani, Babak Kiyomarsi in Jolfa, Mahmoud Mahmoudi in Kalibar and Ali Ghahramani in Hadi Shahr was arrested.
Among these individuals, Marzieh Javanshir and Ms. Javanshir, her sister, were also transferred to Ardabil Prison on Friday, October 11. Also, 12 of those arrested in the Thursday gatherings in Urmia, including Javad Rezaei, Younes Shirzad, Sahand Bahnamoon, Salar Taher Afshar, Farhad Mohammadi, and Ms. (unknown first name) Akhtab, were released on bail on Friday, October 11. Yaman Aghaei, Mehdi Ebadollahi, Qodrat Manafzadegan, Shahroz Hemmat Oghli, and Ahmad Yaghoubi were also released on bail on Saturday, October 12, and Dariush Niazi Shiran on Sunday, October 13. Parviz Siabi Gorjan was released on Tuesday, October 5, and Hamed Heydari Baris was released on bail on Saturday, October 12. Siamak Seifi was also charged with “propaganda against the system” and was transferred to Meshginshahr Prison along with Vahid Khovandi and Kazem Safabakhsh.
Also, on Thursday, October 10, dozens of Turkish (Azerbaijani) activists were summoned by the Urmia Security Police and threatened with arrest. Some refused to appear, arguing that such calls were illegal. Others, such as Houshang Naghizadeh, Amir Gohari, Ashkan Saadat Mehr, and Reza Khalili, were released after appearing at the Urmia Security Police and being interrogated at 8 p.m. On Saturday, October 12, the families of a number of those arrested in the recent protests attended Branch 10 of the Ardabil Prosecutor's Office to follow up on their status. Afsaneh Akbarzadeh, the wife of Ali Khairjoo, was arrested by order of Judge Babak Nunhal and released on Sunday, October 3. On Sunday, October 3, Mikael Gholipour was summoned by the Urmia Intelligence Department's press headquarters and released after 4 hours of interrogation.
Amnesty International on Friday expressed concern over the arrest of about 20 Turkish (Azerbaijani) activists, including Asghar Asgarzadeh, Mustafa Parvin, Morteza Parvin, Mohammad Joulani, Meysam Joulani, and Ali Khairjo, stating that these individuals have faced charges such as insulting the leadership, disturbing public order, and disobeying government officials.
Aliyar Rastgo, deputy political and security officer of the East Azerbaijan Governorate, previously confirmed the news of the rally in Tabriz to reporters, saying: "Today (Thursday), a call for a rally was published in cyberspace to support the territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan, but the rally was managed by the police and the protesters dispersed."
Fars News Agency also reported from media outlets close to security agencies that a rally was being held in Zanjan, saying: "Following calls issued in recent days, about 50 people in Zanjan attempted to gather in Sabzeh Square and on the sidewalk on Thursday evening, but the presence of law enforcement and intelligence forces prevented it. Several people who were sporadically chanting ethnic slogans were arrested by law enforcement forces."
The news agency also confirmed the rally in Ardabil, stating that the number of people present was about 50, and said that the rally was prevented from taking place due to police interference.
During these gatherings, security forces, especially in Tabriz, have used tear gas to disperse protesters. A security atmosphere has also been reported in Urmia.
According to Article 27 of the Constitution, participation in gatherings and marches is free and considered peaceful without carrying weapons.
In July of this year, during similar gatherings in the cities of Tehran and Tabriz, a number of citizens were arrested and later released on bail.
Source: HRANA
