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| Mehdi Neimi |
Recently, pressures against Turkish language rights defenders and publishers engaged in the publication and sale of Turkish books in Tehran have intensified significantly.
Speaking to Voice of America, analyst Mehdi Neimi says, “Turks who operate in Tehran after moving away from Iranian Azerbaijan feel the pain more deeply, which is why they carry out serious activities.”
Meanwhile, human rights activist Akbar Naimi, who operates in Tehran, was taken into custody by security forces approximately ten days ago.
Recently, reports have also emerged that the bookstore of Andishe-ye Now publishing house, which publishes Turkish books in Tehran, as well as TakDerakht publishing house, have been shut down, and that Ehsan Shokrkhodayi, the owner of TakDerakht, has been arrested.
According to Mehdi Neimi, “Since the activities carried out in the name of South Azerbaijan are based on language, activists working in the field of the Turkish language become primary targets of government oppression.”
“The overall situation in Iran is becoming increasingly tense. During such times, these kinds of pressures align with Iran’s political strategies. Since the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the government has taken advantage of tense situations for its own benefit. Not only Turkish activists but also other opposition groups have been deliberately suppressed through crises and tensions created by the authorities,” says the cultural activist.
Mehdi Neimi, who has taught Turkish language courses organized by students at Tehran universities, emphasizes the significant and serious activities carried out by activists who have moved to Tehran from different regions of Azerbaijan for education and work:
“Turkish students studying in Tehran feel like fish out of water. They make greater efforts, and thanks to these efforts, mother tongue courses were organized. The number of students at universities in Tehran is also higher compared to cities in Azerbaijan.”
He adds, “In the past, this issue was more prominent. Now, perhaps due to the internet and social media, these concerns are more widespread and felt everywhere. Back then, being far from Azerbaijan, from Turkish lands, made the pain even deeper. That is why people in Tehran engaged in activism more seriously.”
Mehdi Neimi also provided Voice of America with information about the sealed bookstore of Andishe-ye Now publishing house.
“The bookstore’s owner, Yousef Ghavasi Farzaneh, had managed to keep the store running by adopting a mild approach. There had been some level of pressure before as well. But when we visited the store, we could see up close that Mr. Yousef was trying to act in a way that aligned with the government’s expectations. In this way, he was able to save certain books from the sharp censorship blade of Iran’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. His efforts were very beneficial. However, recently, even his mild approach became intolerable to them,” the analyst added.
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Mehdi Nəimi: İran hakimiyyəti türk dili sahəsində çalışan fəalları hədəf alır