November 14, 2003
Hundreds of Azerbaijani Turks from across Iran gathered at Sattar Khan’s grave in Rey on Thursday, November 13, 2003, to commemorate the 89th anniversary of the constitutionalist leader’s death. The ceremony honoured his struggle for freedom and justice through speeches, poetry, songs, and a collective resolution, followed by a brief demonstration calling for Turkish cultural and linguistic rights.
The ceremony began at exactly 4:00 p.m., when a large group of Azerbaijanis assembled around Sattar Khan’s grave. The gathering opened with a recitation from the Quran and the Fatiha.
Among the first participants to speak were Mr. Najjari, who recited the poem Rise Up; Master Guneyli, who emphasized the importance of visiting the graves of other Azerbaijani martyrs; Engineer Kahriz, who recited a poem about Amir Timur; and Dr. Badali Mashahir, who stressed the necessity of continuing the cultural struggle.
Engineer Amani then addressed the gathering. He had recently been released after serving nearly four years in prison on charges related to ethnic activism. Participants welcomed him with enthusiastic chants of “Long live Amani!”
Amani stated that Sattar Khan’s unparalleled struggle for freedom had changed Western perceptions of the East and demonstrated that the peoples of the East were also engaged in a determined struggle to attain liberty.
“The great Constitutional Revolution taught us that if we cannot choose how we live, we can at least choose how we die,” he added.
Saleh Kamrani, Amani’s defence lawyer, subsequently emphasized the importance of providing legal support to activists of the Azerbaijani National Movement. He also called for a struggle to secure the fundamental—but neglected—rights of all Iran’s peoples, particularly the Azerbaijani nation.
Mahni Zanganli, Master Akbar Azad, and Pinar Farajzadeh also delivered speeches or recited poetry during the ceremony.
Statements sent from various cities were read aloud, followed by the collective recitation of a resolution and a fervent oath.
The official ceremony concluded at 6:00 p.m. with a call for similar commemorations to be organized throughout the cities of Azerbaijan in honour of prominent figures such as Seqat al-Islam Tabrizi, Fereydun Ebrahimi, Samad Behrangi, Mohammad Biriya, Bakri, Allameh Tabatabaei, and others.
During the commemoration, participants lit 89 candles and scattered the petals of 89 flowers, symbolizing the 89 years that had passed since the death of Sattar Khan, the distinguished hero of Azerbaijan.
Although the police did not intervene during the ceremony, shrine attendants twice disconnected the sound system. After the formal program ended, participants held a brief demonstration and chanted slogans.
Among the songs performed were:
“Azerbaijan, you are my identity, my honour and my glory.”
“The Black Sea was surging as it gazed upon the Turkish flag.”
Participants also chanted:
“Long live Azerbaijan!”
“Long live Chehregani!”
“My language will never die or turn into another language!”
“Karabakh or death!”
“Down with apartheid and chauvinism!”
The demonstration was brief and ended without confrontation.
Final Resolution of the Commemoration of the 89th Anniversary of the Martyrdom of Sattar Khan, the National Hero of Azerbaijan
“From Tabriz to all cities: The Shah was ostensibly in favour of constitutional government. He had previously sworn an oath, but has now broken his pledge. For this betrayal, the Azerbaijani nation deposes him from the throne. Inform the consulates and Najaf. You, too, should depose him and notify the embassies.”
—Telegram of the National Association of Tabriz, Naleh-ye Mellat, No. 26
The 89th anniversary of the unjust death of Sattar Khan, the National Commander and hero of Azerbaijan, has arrived. It marks the day when the champion of freedom in the East—a man who remained devoted to the honour and liberty of his nation and homeland until the final moments of his life—passed into eternity.
Sattar Khan, who sacrificed himself for dignity and justice, followed a brilliant uprising that carried the ideal of freedom for oppressed peoples. The great Constitutional Revolution was unquestionably one of the most significant liberation movements of the peoples of the East. Beginning with the heroism and self-sacrifice of the courageous people of Azerbaijan, the uprising awakened peoples living under despotism and developed into a powerful movement seeking to realize democratic objectives throughout the country.
Freedom fighters such as Sattar Khan, Baqir Khan, Hossein Khan Baghban, Ali Monsieur, Sheikh Mohammad Khiyabani, Seqat al-Islam Tabrizi, Howard Baskerville, and many others sacrificed their lives for the progressive ideals of the great Constitutional Revolution.
Unfortunately, through the betrayals and conspiracies of agents of colonialism, the revolution was plunged into the darkness of despotism. On 22 Jumada al-Awwal 1326 AH, Russian agents such as Liakhov and Shapshal bombarded the National Consultative Assembly, killing and wounding innocent freedom seekers in Tehran. The darkness of tyrannical oppression consequently descended upon the homeland more heavily than ever.
But the darkest hour of the night undoubtedly comes just before sunrise.
Eleven months of unparalleled resistance by the courageous Azerbaijani nation—particularly heroic Tabriz—ensured that the darkest moments of captivity would once again give way to a crimson dawn as the sun of freedom rose from Tabriz. The great Constitutional Revolution bore fruit, but regrettably its life was very brief.
On 28 Rajab 1328 AH, the betrayal of opportunists and the gunfire of the Armenian commander Yeprem Khan and Dashnak groups at Tehran’s Atabak Park left hundreds of Azerbaijani constitutionalist fighters dead or wounded. One bullet also struck Sattar Khan in the leg.
The sun of freedom that had risen over a crimson dawn in Tabriz thus set amid a bloody twilight in Tehran. Although the freedom-seeking movement of the great Constitutional Revolution—the product of the struggles of the courageous people of the fiery land of Azerbaijan—was stifled far from its homeland, the flames of awakening and consciousness among the Azerbaijani nation and other oppressed peoples remained alive beneath the ashes, awaiting the days to come.
We, the participants in the commemoration of the 89th anniversary of the martyrdom of the National Commander Sattar Khan, demand the implementation of the following provisions:
Because the struggle of Sattar Khan and the fighters of the great Constitutional Revolution sought to establish justice, freedom, and the rule of law, the anniversary of his death must be officially designated in the national calendar as the Day of Law and Freedom.
Agents of colonialism, together with the Armenian commander Yeprem Khan—described in this resolution as a criminal Dashnak—halted the Constitutional freedom movement by killing its fighters at Atabak Park. The resolution further alleges that these forces later infiltrated the government, established influence within the ruling establishment, and brought about the horrific massacre of tens of thousands of Azerbaijanis in Urmia, Khoy, Salmas, Maku, and other cities in March 1918. We condemn the crimes committed by Armenian forces in 1918, as well as the killing of our Muslim brothers and sisters in Karabakh, and call upon the authorities to authorize a public march condemning these massacres.
On August 5 of this year, Constitution Day, many freedom seekers and activists of the Azerbaijani National Movement peacefully gathered at the grave of Baqir Khan, the National Leader, in Tabriz to commemorate the occasion through cultural activities. Unfortunately, the police declared this civic gathering unauthorized and prevented the ceremony from continuing. We strongly protest this uncivil conduct and demand that officials end such practices in the cities of Azerbaijan.
We deeply regret that the graves of the National Commander Sattar Khan and the martyred Sheikh Mohammad Khiyabani have so far been neglected by officials in the capital. We demand that the remains of these two distinguished martyrs be transferred to resting places in Azerbaijan befitting their historical stature.
Although more than twenty years have passed since the justice-seeking Islamic Revolution, the cultural discrimination inherited from the detested Pahlavi regime has still not been eliminated. Non-Persian peoples and national communities are increasingly subjected to accusations and humiliation by national media outlets, including state radio and television, as well as by Pan-Aryanist publications.
In our view, the pressure imposed upon Azerbaijani newspapers and student publications, together with the media blackout concerning Azerbaijan, arises from this same policy of cultural discrimination. We warn those responsible that such discrimination is widening ethnic divisions in the country and will lead to the radicalization of the otherwise civic and reasonable movements of the peoples and national communities inhabiting this land.
To prevent such a crisis, officials must immediately pursue comprehensive and proportionate cultural, political, and economic development across the country’s provinces and regions.
Azerbaijan’s Turks have maintained a longstanding and civilization-building presence throughout Iran, leaving behind many precious elements of cultural heritage. It is therefore deeply regrettable that we are witnessing the continuing destruction of this immense historical legacy across the country. We demand decisive government action against the accelerating and painful destruction of this cultural heritage.
The commemoration of the first anniversary of the death of Safar Khan Ghahremanian, a national hero of Azerbaijan, was held at his grave the previous Friday with the participation of people from different sectors of society. The gathering was disrupted by Pan-Aryanists and chauvinists. We endorse all provisions of the resolution issued by the Azerbaijani committee that organized the ceremony. Emphasizing the need to strengthen unity among Azerbaijanis and all freedom-minded forces, we call for the defence of freedom and justice through a united front.
Finally, we call upon activists of the Azerbaijani National Movement to address the numerous concerns of the Azerbaijani nation rationally and democratically. In pursuing national well-being, they must combine their cultural and political resistance with civic, democratic, and fully transparent action.
Organizing Committee for the Commemoration of the 89th Anniversary of the Martyrdom of the National Commander Sattar Khan
November 13, 2003