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| Mehsa Mehdili |
In an interview with Voice of America, Mehsa Mehdili explains the differences between the Babak Castle march in Iranian Azerbaijan and other protest platforms used by Turkish activists.
Mehsa Mehdili, a political activist living in exile in Turkey, says that the Babak march, especially in terms of being a platform for dialogue and thought and also becoming a tradition, distinguishes it from other forms of protest.
Mehdili emphasizes that many of the symbols and slogans of the national movement in the south were formed during the Babak Castle marches.
"The Babak Castle congress has had a very important and symbolic place in the history of the South Azerbaijan National Movement, especially when the movement was in a stage of raising awareness in society," says Mehdili.
According to her, "The awareness formed there, the slogans, speeches, and the connections made there later directed the national movement. In this sense, the Babak march is a turning point in the history of the national movement."
While explaining the aspects that distinguish the Babak march from other protest platforms, Mehdili points out the participation of Turkish activists from various regions of Iranian Azerbaijan, its becoming a tradition, and its role in creating a platform for dialogue and discussion.
"For this reason, thoughts and slogans of the national movement were formed at Babak Castle. Another important aspect is that it became a tradition. It wasn't just a reaction-based activity," says the former political prisoner.
Some activists argue that protests arising in response to the "anti-Turkish" statements of Iranian media or officials are excessive. They prefer original activities over reactions. Some also argue that many national activists have been distracted by the Tractor Sazi football team and moved away from serious activism.
Mehsa Mehdili believes it is not right to favor one protest method over others. "Especially in closed systems like Iran. There is no media freedom in Iran, and there is no freedom of protest in practice. Therefore, we need to use different channels, on the one hand to convey our protest first to the government and then to the world, and on the other hand, to engage with different segments of society," she states.
The political activist adds: "We must make use of all arenas and opportunities, whether social media or the games of Tractor. Of course, it is impossible for everything in these arenas to be under our control. However, as much as we can, we must show determination in raising national consciousness and conveying our message to society in the right way."
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
“Babək Qalası, stadionlar ya sosial media, kanalların hamısından istifadə edilməli”