Radio Farda – February 20, 2014
Based on published reports, dozens of Azerbaijani Turkish activists in Iran have been arrested ahead of International Mother Language Day.
According to HRANA, on the afternoon of Thursday, February 20, a group of activists gathered in a house in the city of Ahar were arrested.
Among those detained are figures such as Ibrahim Rashidi and Abbas Lisani, who have previously been arrested and sentenced to prison for their activities related to "civil rights demands and mother tongue advocacy."
The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that the number of detainees exceeds 50, while other reports suggest the arrests involve close to 100 individuals.
The arrests took place in Ahar, a city in East Azerbaijan Province. No information has yet been released regarding where the detainees have been taken.
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| Abbas Lisani (right) and Ibrahim Rashidi Savalan (left) are two of the dozens arrested and prominent activists of the Azerbaijani civil rights movement. They have been repeatedly detained in the past for their civil activities advocating for ethnic and linguistic issues in Iran. |
The United Nations has designated February 21, as International Mother Language Day.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had promised during his election campaign to introduce mother tongue education for Iran’s ethnic groups.
Ali Younesi, the President’s special assistant for ethnic and religious minority affairs, also stated on January 20 that "mother tongue education for other languages, including the Arabic-speaking people of Khuzestan, is on the agenda."
In an interview with the Mehr News Agency, Younesi added, "During meetings with the Minister of Education, we decided to develop a comprehensive plan to resolve this issue."
Younesi's remarks drew some negative reactions from the conservative factions of the government. For example, in early February, Mehr News Agency reported that during a meeting between members of the Persian Language and Literature Academy and the Minister of Education, "the majority of academy members opposed the idea of teaching mother languages through the Ministry of Education in the provinces. They described this as a serious threat to the Persian language and a conspiracy to undermine it."
According to Article 15 of the Iranian Constitution:
"The official and common language and script of the people of Iran is Persian. Official documents, correspondence, texts, and school textbooks must be in this language and script. However, the use of regional and ethnic languages in the press, mass media, and teaching their literature in schools, alongside Persian, is allowed."
The link to the original article in Farsi on Radio Farda:
بازداشت «دهها» فعال مدنی در شهر اهر