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| Mass Protests in Cities of Iranian Azerbaijan - November 9, 2015 |
Protesters Denounce Insulting of Turks on Iranian State Television
According to the latest information, as night fell in Iran, people left the streets and went home. However, protests are expected to continue tomorrow. Some activists told Voice of America that many people were injured during today’s protests, and several individuals were detained. Among those mentioned are Aydin Zakiri and Ibrahim Seyfi from Meskinshahr, and Maaysem Colani from Ardabil.
The reports also mention that Iranian Azerbaijanis and activists abroad are discussing the organizational aspects of a planned protest to be held tomorrow.
The photos circulated circulated show that the mayor of Urmia participated in the demonstrations in the city.Today, around 4:00 PM local time in Iranian Azerbaijan, thousands of people took to the streets in many cities to protest against the policy of discrimination against Turks. According to information obtained by Voice of America, the protests are still ongoing. Protesters are claiming that Turks were insulted in a program aired on Iranian state television.
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| Mass Protests in Cities of Iranian Azerbaijan - November 9, 2015 |
Mass protests were held in Tabriz, Urmia, Sulduz, Ardabil, Maragheh, Khoy, Tehran, and other cities, with slogans such as "Hurray, hurray, I am a Turk," "End racism," and "The Azerbaijani nation cannot endure this humiliation."
According to South Azerbaijani activists who spoke to Voice of America, the police intervened in the protests. There are reports of injuries during clashes with the police, particularly in Ardabil and Tabriz.
Activists state that the protesters are demanding an apology from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who directly oversees state television, and the passage of anti-racism laws in the Iranian Supreme Council.
The protests are still ongoing, and more news is coming in.
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| Mass Protests in Cities of Iranian Azerbaijan - A female protester holds a sign that reads: "School in Turkish Language" - November 9, 2015 |
On Friday, November 6, Iranian television's Channel 2 aired a comedy show called "Fitilə," which depicted a Turkish child who couldn’t tell the difference between a toothbrush and a toilet brush and, as a result, brushed his teeth with a toilet brush, causing his mouth to smell bad. Although the comedy was in Persian, some parts contained Turkish dialogue.
Following the airing of the show, the protests that started in the Azerbaijani provinces expanded and intensified. Politicians and members of parliament have protested against the Iranian state television and demanded an apology from those responsible.
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| Mass Protests in Cities of Iranian Azerbaijan - November 9, 2015 |
In this regard, the governor of East Azerbaijan, members of parliament from Tabriz, Urmia, Ardabil, Khalkhal, Sereskand (Hashtrood), and Marand, as well as members of the councils of various Azerbaijani cities and other prominent figures, issued separate statements and protest declarations.
After strong reactions from society, cultural activists, renowned artists, football players, and parliamentarians, Iran’s state television’s public relations office announced that the broadcast of the "Fitilə" show would be halted. However, the protests and outrage continue to grow and persist.
Link to the original text in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
İran Azərbaycanı şəhərlərində kütləvi etiraz aksiyaları