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| Majid Khoshakhtar |
Southern [Azerbaijani] journalist Majid Khoshakhtar has reported that events held in connection with World Mother Language Day were subjected to raids by Iranian police and security forces. In an interview with Voice of America, Khoshakhtar stated that following the mass arrests of participants, Southern activists no longer trust the promises made by Hassan Rouhani’s government regarding education in the Turkish language.
"As the Oyan News website, we have confirmed the names of approximately 80 people detained in various cities. The largest wave of arrests took place in Ahar, where about 70 people were detained, while four were arrested in Tehran, two in the city of Malikan, one in Binab, and two in the Mugan region," said the Southern activist.
Khoshakhtar emphasized that in all the cities where the arrests took place, Iranian police and security officers conducted unauthorized raids on homes. He also stressed that detainees were subjected to insult and torture by officials.
According to him, many of those arrested in Ahar were released through guarantees provided by relatives who are government employees. However, for some activists, high amounts of bail were requested for their release. These activists, who claim they have not committed any crimes, refused to pay the bail.
The Southern journalist provided detailed information about the torture faced by detainees in Ahar and other cities. He also discussed a protest letter published by Oyan News, which addressed the torture of seven activists arrested in Ahar.
In the letter addressed to the prosecutor of the Ahar judiciary, national activists Abbas Lisani, Saleh Molla Abbasi, Ibrahim Rashidi, Ibrahim Nuri, Behzad Abdi, Akbar Abulzadeh, and Abbas Nazari stated that they were tortured and forced to sign confession papers.
"In addition to insults, we were beaten with slaps, punches, and sticks, and were struck with whips on our bodies. They slammed our heads and faces against walls and doors to force us to give false confessions and sign these confessions," the activists said in the letter. They called on the prosecutor’s office to send an expert to the prison to assess the torture claims.
Majid Khoshakhtar also spoke about other activists who have been arrested and tried for reasons unrelated to the Mother Language Day events. He mentioned poet Ilgar Muezzinzadeh and national activist Ali Kheyroodji, who were sent to prison to serve their previously sentenced jail terms, as well as the arrest of several supporters, including Mehdi Sadiqi, during the Tractor Sazi - Al-Ittihad match. He also provided information about the one-year prison sentence handed down to Tabriz activist Ali Jamshidi by the Tabriz Revolutionary Court.
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Məcid Xoşəxtər: Ana Dili Günü ilə bağlı tutulanlar işgəncəyə məruz qalıb