The passing of the renowned artist, Turkish activist, and public figure Hasan Demirci remains a major topic in the agenda of Iranian Azerbaijan. The late Hasan Demirci was laid to rest on June 25 in Tabriz.
The funeral of the 77-year-old artist, also known as "Hasan Azerbaijan," took place with the participation of thousands of citizens, including those from other regions of Iranian Azerbaijan and cities like Tehran.
Participants, at noon on June 25, sang the "Youth March of Azerbaijan" and raised the Grey Wolf sign as they bid farewell to the great master at the "Vadi Rahmat" cemetery in Tabriz.
According to internet portals reporting on Iranian Azerbaijan, despite the pressures and threats from Iran's security forces, the funeral ceremony was well-attended.
Some people traveling from other cities to Tabriz for the funeral were detained on the way.
Among them, notable Turkish activists Hasan Rashidi and Akbar Azad, along with several other activists, were detained on the road while traveling from Karaj to Tabriz and were unable to attend the ceremony. According to Hasan Rashidi's post on his Facebook page, they were questioned and released after 14 hours.
Hasan Demirci, through his personal initiative, established a music school in Tabriz, supporting young artists and playing an important role in the development of many musicians and singers in Iranian Azerbaijan.
In addition to his active participation in the struggle for Turkish language rights and protests against economic discrimination in Iranian Azerbaijan, he was also a prominent public figure in organizing aid campaigns during natural disasters, such as earthquakes.
Especially after the major uprising in Iranian Azerbaijan in May 2006, Hasan Demirci was regularly subjected to threats and pressure from Iran's security forces.
He had been arrested multiple times, and the music school he taught at in Tabriz was shut down by the order of the security forces.
The famous tar master, in addition to his work in Iranian Azerbaijan, also participated in various events in Turkey and Europe with his music group. He was the author of the book "Mugham: For Students" and also appeared in music programs broadcast by the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT).
Photos of the funeral ceremony of Hassan Demirchi with the presence of a large crowd from Tabriz and various cities of Azerbaijan.
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| Turkish activist Abbas Lisani speaks at the funeral ceremony. |
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Bu günlərdə güneyin birinci gündəmi Həsən Dəmirçidir