Voices of South Azerbaijan: Protest Against the Insult of Turks and Women in an Iranian Newspaper

Protest Against the Insult of Turks and Women in an Iranian Newspaper

Voice of America, July 25, 2016

An article published in the "Irān-e mā" (Our Iran) column of Tarhe No newspaper, which is based in Tabriz, has sparked protests from various groups, including the public, cultural activists, parliamentarians, and religious figures, due to the insult of Turks and women.

In previous editions, Turkish activists in Iranian Azerbaijan had criticized Tarhe No for publishing articles that targeted the Republic of Azerbaijan and Turkey. In the issue published on July 20, the newspaper included a story about the confrontation between legendary heroes Rustam and Afrasiab, which contained derogatory remarks about Turks and women.

After the description of the story from the "Irān-e mā" column was shared on social media, it led to a wave of protests among social media users, Turkish activists, local newspapers, parliamentarians from cities such as Urmia and Qoshachay, and religious figures.

While the Anaj internet portal reported that the newspaper's editor-in-chief had apologized, Rasa news agency reported that, following the protests, the Department of Culture and Guidance in East Azerbaijan province promised that the matter would be pursued through legal channels.

The editor-in-chief of the newspaper, Mohammad Reza Rabbani, stated: "I am Turkish myself, and the insult to the Azerbaijani people is unacceptable to me. The story published is from Ferdowsi's Shahnameh, but some words were awkwardly altered, causing sensitivity."

Link to the original text in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
İran qəzetində türklər və qadınların aşağılanmasına etiraz edilir

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