Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, December 28, 2016
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| Akbar Pashayi |
“Murtaza Muradpur’s hunger strike, which lasted for more than two months, spread across Azerbaijan and became widely known among Turks. It demonstrated that there was resistance and that people were willing to put their lives on the line in the fight against oppression,” said Akbar Pashayi, evaluating the public reaction to political prisoner Murtaza Muradpur’s prolonged hunger strike.
“In the first month of the strike, there was no significant support or reaction from national activists and human rights groups. It was deeply concerning and disappointing to see such indifference toward this important issue… The second phase coincided with another event… Murtaza was beaten by prison authorities after helping a Polish prisoner who was also facing pressure. Following this incident, he was exiled to a prison in Karaj along with another prisoner, Rasul Rezavi. This exile brought their case back into public discussion…”
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| The Day Murtaza Muradpur Was Transferred Back to Tabriz from Karaj |
According to Pashayi, the relocation of these two prisoners back to Tabriz Prison after some time led to a significant expansion of the support campaigns for Muradpur’s hunger strike.
“The phase that began after he was returned to Tabriz was a turning point. Murtaza called his family and informed them that he would continue his hunger strike until he was released. As he was being transferred from Karaj to Tabriz, several photos of him were released. In these photos, he appeared extremely thin and in a distressing and alarming condition. The widespread circulation of these images on social media finally convinced national activists and the public. From that point on, Muradpur received the support he deserved,” Pashayi explained.
The Turkish activist discussed the reasons why the hunger strike did not initially receive enough attention:
“We do not have well-established human rights groups that consistently operate and can be approached for support. Even if they exist, they are not effective—they are fragmented and do not work systematically. Websites that report on Azerbaijan and national issues are not strong enough. Because of these factors, we struggle in situations like this. It takes time to unite scattered efforts…”
Akbar Pashayi added, “Murtaza Muradpur resorted to a hunger strike as a last option, and he was justified in doing so… In the past, activists who went on hunger strikes for similar reasons often lost hope and ended their strike when they did not receive a positive response from the prison or court. Other activists would write letters and make requests. Of course, there have been successful hunger strikes as well.”
Highlighting the importance of support campaigns in such situations, Pashayi emphasized that these efforts demonstrate that the prisoner is not alone:
“The system always tries to portray us as isolated and unsupported individuals. But these support campaigns give the prisoner strength and reassurance,” he said.
Referring to the statements and actions of some politicians and members of parliament regarding Muradpur’s hunger strike, Pashayi stated, “Social media played a major role in the support campaigns. Even people who usually do not pay attention to political prisoners became aware of his case and heard his legitimate demands. When the public acknowledges that a prisoner is right, it instills fear in those in power.”
Pashayi also analyzed the factors that contributed to the expansion of Muradpur’s support campaign:
“We cannot ignore the role of his family in expanding the support campaigns. His mother’s courage, her refusal to back down despite threats from judicial authorities, and her protest in front of the courthouse—along with national activists standing by her—were unprecedented events. His brother became a key source for the media. The accurate dissemination of information by his family played a crucial role in gaining the trust of the media…”
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Əkbər Paşayi: Murtaza Muradpura dəstək kampaniyalarında ailəsinin böyük rolu olub