Recently, a group of Southern Azerbaijani human rights activists participated in a session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. The discussions focused on the protection of the rights of various ethnic groups in Iran, including Azerbaijanis. The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, Ahmed Shaheed, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi also took part in the discussions. In an interview with Voice of America, Southern activist Simin Sabri stated that the meetings in Geneva took place in a positive dialogue environment.
According to Simin Sabri, the discussions primarily focused on the situation of ethnic groups and nations living in Iran. She noted that representatives of ethnic groups participating in the discussions objected to being labeled as minorities in Iran:
"Firstly, it is unknown who is in the majority or minority in this country because there have been no updated statistics for years, especially since the establishment of the Islamic Republic. These groups are called minorities, but in all neighboring countries of Iran, these groups have their own states."
Sabri mentioned that, in addition to Azerbaijani Turks, representatives of Ahvazi Arabs, Kurds, Balochs, Turkmens, and Baha'is were present at the meeting.
She stated that Azerbaijani activists provided information about the situation of Azerbaijanis in Iran and their struggle for ethnic, national, cultural, and linguistic rights. In particular, they reported on the arrests of Azerbaijani activists who had campaigned in connection with International Mother Language Day.
Participants also had the opportunity to engage in constructive discussions with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi. "We were very pleased to be able to speak with Shirin in Azerbaijani Turkish in private settings and during breaks, and it was an honor for us to meet with a Nobel Peace Prize laureate," Sabri said.
She highlighted a question posed by Azerbaijani activist Mahmud Bilgin regarding Shirin Ebadi's stance on the arrests and pressure against national activists seeking to preserve their identity and represent themselves in their mother tongue. Ebadi responded:
"Not only other ethnic groups, but even Azerbaijani Turkish is banned in Iran. Azerbaijani Turks in Iran are not allowed to name restaurants or public places in Turkish, and newborns cannot be given Turkish names—they must be Persian names. The state has deliberately turned the national issue into a security issue. The story of Azerbaijani Turks dates back to the Shah’s era; it is a long history."
According to Simin Sabri, Shirin Ebadi urged activists to report the situation of imprisoned and detained activists to the UN and the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, Ahmed Shaheed. "She concluded by saying, ‘There is only one thing you must not do, and that is to remain silent.’"
Sabri expressed satisfaction with the discussions in Geneva. "The most important thing is that an international organization was able to hear our voices. They received a lot of information from us. Based on our reports, they can raise issues such as arrests, torture, and human rights violations with Iranian officials and assert that it is our right to receive education in our mother tongue and raise our children in the culture we choose."
She also noted that the meeting fostered close cooperation between different ethnic groups in Iran, facilitating extensive exchanges of ideas and discussions about future plans.
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Simin Səbri: Azlıq adlandırılmağımıza etiraz etdik