The Petition: Save Lake Urmia and Release its Environmental Protesters

22 April 2011

Sava Lake Urmia

Over the years, Lake Urmia has been slowly driven toward its demise due to the incompetence of Iranian authorities. It seems that those in power are unwilling to take the necessary action to prevent this catastrophe. In light of this, it has fallen to the caring people of (Southern) Azerbaijan to address this unfolding disaster.

On March 2, 2011, the concerned citizens of (Southern) Azerbaijan initiated a protest at the Bridge crossing Lake Urmia to express their strong opposition to the ongoing environmental catastrophe. However, the Iranian authorities responded with violence, forcibly dispersing the protesters. Many individuals were treated harshly, and several groups were detained. Some of the protesters were sentenced arbitrarily and remain imprisoned, while others are awaiting trial in the coming days.

This occurred under circumstances where the original initiative was repeated both in Azerbaijan Square in Tabriz and Eller Baghi in the city of Urmia, resulting in the same outcome: participants were detained.

The undersigned individuals of this statement demand the immediate prevention of the slow and tragic demise of Lake Urmia. We also call for the immediate and unconditional release of all detainees. We urge other concerned individuals to support this statement by signing with their real names.

1. Abdullahi, Elirza
2. Abdullahi, Zaman
3. Ahengeri, Eynullah
4. Akson, Babek
5. Ayrimlu, Jamal
6. Azerdokht, Eqil
7. Behjet, Sehend
8. Bekhtaver, Jahanbekhsh
9. Beraderi, Hesen
10. Berazish, Settar
11. Berzger, Hashim (Guneyli, Yashar)
12. Binezir, Ekber
13. Danishjuyi, Reshid
14. Demirchi, Hesen
15. Deshti, Ibrahim
16. Dovletkhah, Mustafa
17. Ehmedi, Kazim
18. Endelibian, Dariyush
19. Erhemjani, Jelil
20. Erk, Hesen
21. Esedullahi, Ekrem (Sevil)
22. Esedzade, Eli
23. Ezizi, Mehuchehr
24. Ezizi, Sejjad
25 Fayizpur, Eli
26 Ferdi, Emir
27 Ferdi, Solmaz
28 Ferid, Feranek
29 Fershi, Elirza
30 Feyyaz, Mehemmed
31 Fezli, Mahmud
32 Hergli, Huseyn
33 Herisi-nejad, Musa
34 Heseni, Letif
35 Heseni, Shahin
36 Heseni, Yaqub
37 Hesenzade, Eli
38 Heyderi, Huseyn
39 Hojjeti, Eli
40 Huseyni, Hemid
41 Huseynzade, Eli
42 Huseynzade, Elirza
43 Ibrahimi, Qafar
44 Imani, Siddiqe
45 Javadiay-Sekha, Hale
46 Jeferi, Husheng
47 Keyvan-chehr, Sefer
48 Khalitabadi, Eli
49 Khelili, Ashiq Jabrayil
50 Khiyavi, Nigar
51 Kudrulu, Jelal
52 Lek, Qehreman
53 Lisani, Abbas
54 Lutfi, Ekber
55 Lutfi, Ismayil
56 Lutfi, Sadiq
57 Mededi, Hadi
58 Mehemmedi, Dehqan
59 Mehemmedi, kerim
60 Mehemmedi, Seyyad
61 Mehemmedian, Naghi
62 Mehemmedian, Seyyad
63 Mehrelibeylu, Ayet
64 Menafi-Azer, Hebib
65 Menafi-Azer, Rza
66 Muheddis, Ehmed
67 Neimi, Seid
68 Nikrevan, Abbas
69 Nurefken, Huseyn
70 Nuri, Mehdi (Elman)
71 Ojaqli, Mahmud
72 Qehremani,
73 Quluzade, Behbud
74 Qurbani, Ekber
75 Qurbani, Fatime
76 Rashidi, Hesen
77 Rengrezi, Mahmud
78 Reshidi, Ibrahim (Savalan)
79 Rzayi, Eli
80 Rzayi, Yasir
81 Sadiqi, Aydin
82 Sani, Mehemmed
83 Semedi, Behram
84 Serrafi, Elirza
85 Settarian, Yunis
86 Shafeyi, Hemid
87 Shefii, Khelil
88 Sheykhbeylu, Vehid
89 Sheykhi, Sirus
90 Shiri, Sirus
91 Subhi, Shayan
92 Sudber, Javad
93 Teqevi, Mehemmed
94 Valayi, Ehmed
95 Vusali, Ebulfezl
96 Zulqederi, Abbas

http://www.petitiononline.com/UrmuLake/petition.html