In June 2003, during the annual Babak Castle Congress, Azerbaijani Turk activists gathered at the foot of the historic fortress to voice their collective aspirations. In a symbolic and defiant act, they issued a trilingual statement—delivered in Turkish, English, and Persian—outlining a series of political and civil demands. These demands called for education in the mother tongue, the elimination of political and economic discrimination, the establishment of a 24-hour Turkish-language television channel, and the adoption of a federal structure within the country. The statement, read by prominent activist Abbas Lisani.
However, the growing influence of these gatherings soon drew the attention of state authorities. From 2004 onward, security forces intensified efforts to suppress the annual event, erecting checkpoints, restricting access, and conducting widespread arrests in an attempt to deter public participation. Despite these measures, the Babak Castle Congress remained a significant expression of Azerbaijani Turk identity and political activism.
Statement of Demands
1. Constitutional Implementation
We demand the full and careful implementation of the long-ignored constitutional Articles 9, 15, 19, and 48, which guarantee equality, linguistic rights, and the equitable distribution of resources among all citizens.
2. Turkish-Language Media
We call for the establishment of private television and radio stations within the framework of the Islamic Republic of Iran, to be managed and operated in the Turkish language.
3. Preservation of the Turkish Language
We request the safeguarding and development of the Turkish language through the creation of a national Academy of Turkish Language and Culture dedicated to linguistic preservation and promotion.
4. Cultural Heritage Recognition
We demand that Babek Castle be recognized as an Azerbaijani cultural landmark by UNESCO, acknowledging its historical and symbolic significance to our people.
5. Condemnation of Anti-Turkish Violence
We strongly condemn the killings, massacres, and incitement to hatred committed against Turkish people by Armenian radical nationalist Dashnaks in [Karabakh, Azerbaijan].
6. Prevention of Hate and Violence
We call upon our government to take effective preventive measures to eliminate anti-Turkish incitement and to protect our communities from discriminatory attacks.
7. Federal Governance
Given Iran’s vast geography and multinational composition, we believe that political centralization has proven ineffective for ensuring sound governance. The unilateral policies pursued by the central government have left many of the country’s ethnic groups economically, culturally, and socially underdeveloped. Therefore, while upholding national unity and safeguarding the country’s territorial integrity, we call for a transition to a federal system.
8. Granting Official Status to Turkish and Regional Languages
In a federal system, the languages of each region must be formally recognized as both national and official languages. Given the reality that Turkish is spoken by millions of citizens in Iran, it must be granted official status alongside Persian at the national level.
9. Honoring Our National and Cultural Figures
We call for public squares, streets, and cultural centers to be named after our national heroes, writers, esteemed figures, poets, and other distinguished personalities, ensuring their contributions are publicly commemorated and celebrated.
10. Restoration of Historical Names
We demand the restoration of the historical name “Azerbaijan” to Ardabil Province, recognizing its true historical heritage.
11. Political Prisoners and Civil Freedoms
We demand the immediate release of all political prisoners of Azerbaijan and strongly condemn the arbitrary arrests, harassment, and repression of civil rights activists working for Azerbaijan’s national awakening movement by government authorities.
12. Commitment to Unity with Justice
As the proud nation of Azerbaijan within Iran, we reaffirm our loyalty to the unity of the country, while emphasizing that true unity can only be achieved through justice. Therefore, we demand from the Iranian government equality, respect for the rights of all nationalities as recognized in the United Nations’ declarations, and the fulfillment of the demands outlined above.