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| Abbas Lisani |
"Iranian courts accuse us of being connected to other countries. Then, they should try us in public trials so that the people can see to whom we are really connected." This was stated by the prominent South Azerbaijani activist Abbas Lisani in an interview with Voice of America.
Refusing to be tried in closed courts, Lisani, a former political prisoner, explained his demand for a public trial when he was summoned to the Iranian Revolutionary Court. He shared his request for an open trial with Voice of America.
"I had previously explained in a letter, in fact, in a project, that I wanted an open trial, and after that, I informed them that I would not attend closed hearings," Lisani stated, emphasizing his right to be tried in a court with a jury and open to journalists and the public.
According to the Ardabil activist, although he was summoned to court several years ago for participating in protests related to Lake Urmia, many other issues were raised during his trial:
"In 2011, there were announcements in Ardabil to organize a protest for Lake Urmia... At that time, they detained 160 people, and I was one of them. However, in my trial, the Lake Urmia issue was overshadowed, and they brought up past activities. Many of those issues had already been raised in previous trials, and the punishments they mentioned had already been given."
Since the Ardabil court did not accept Lisani's request, he refused to attend the trial. Court officials dismissed his request as a side issue.
"I told them that this is not a side issue; this is the core of the matter... Iranian courts claim that we are connected to other countries. Therefore, the trial should be open so that the people can clearly see where we are really connected," Lisani said, describing his request for an open trial as his citizen's right.
A national activist who has been named a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International, Lisani also spoke out against the injustices faced by South Azerbaijani activists during their arrests and trials, calling for the defense of individual rights.
"Every individual, every citizen of a country, should recognize their rights. Especially the elite, who defend the rights of the entire society, should recognize their rights even more," he said.
Lisani also highlighted the importance of spreading news about the pressures faced by South Azerbaijani activists, such as imprisonment and torture.
"By remaining silent, we are following the advice of those who torture us, because they ask us not to talk about ourselves in the media and on websites, to refrain from reporting on our situation," he urged fellow activists to share their experiences with the media.
The former political prisoner also revealed that his young son had been summoned by Iran's security services:
"They called. My wife, Ruqayya, answered the phone. They asked him to go to Ettela'at... My wife said that if our son has committed an illegal act, he should be summoned officially by the court."
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Abbas Lisani: Səssiz qalaraq bizə işgəncə verənlərin tövsiyəsinə əməl etmiş oluruq