PUBLIC AI Index: MDE 13/019/2008
30 January 2008
Further Information on UA 137/07 MDE 13/068/2007, 7 June 2007 and follow-up (MDE 13/106/2007, 23 August 2007) - Concern for safety/Torture, Ill-Treatment
IRAN Sa’id Metinpour (m), journalist, Azerbaijani cultural rights activist and Elirza Metinpour (brother)
Sa’id Metinpour was arrested on 25 May 2007, in the north-western city of Zenjan, and is held in Section 209 of Evin prison, Tehran. In attempts to obtain a videotaped confession the authorities tortured him. On 28 August, the Ministry of Intelligence summoned and arrested his brother, Elirza Metinpour, who was also transferred to Evin prison and subsequently tortured. The brothers are not known to have been formally charged with any offence.
Atiye Taheri, Sa'id Metinpour's wife, visited him on 17 December. She described his health as being very poor and said that he had lost a lot of weight and that much of his hair had fallen out. He has been in solitary confinement for most of his detention. His bail has been set at the equivalent of approximately US $540,000, a sum which his family cannot afford.
Amnesty International believes that Sa’id and Elirza Metinpour are prisoners of conscience, held solely on account of their peaceful activities on behalf of the Iranian Azerbaijani community. The brothers had previously been arrested for taking part in protests against the restrictions imposed by the authorities on education being delivered in Azerbaijani Turkic. Sa’id Metinpour is an advocate of linguistic and cultural rights for Iranian Azerbaijanis and has criticized the Iranian authorities’ repression of the Azerbaijani minority in articles published in the daily newspaper Merdom-e-nov and other local publications.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Iranian Azerbaijanis speak a Turkic language and are mainly Shi’a Muslims. As the largest minority in Iran, they make up 25-30% of the population; they live mainly in the north and north-west of the country and in Tehran. They are demanding greater cultural and linguistic rights, including implementation of their constitutional right to education in Azerbaijani Turkic. Article 15 of Iran’s Constitution states that Persian is the official language of Iran and that “official documents, correspondence, and texts, as well as textbooks, must be in this language and script.” It adds that “the use of regional and tribal languages in the press and mass media, as well as for teaching of their literature in schools, is allowed in addition to Persian.”
A small minority want Iranian Azerbaijani provinces to break away from Iran and join with the Republic of Azerbaijan. In recent years the authorities have grown increasingly suspicious of Iran's minority communities, many of which are situated in border areas, and have accused foreign powers such as the US and UK of stirring unrest among them. Those who seek to promote Azerbaijani cultural identity and linguistic rights are often charged with vaguely worded offences such as "acting against state security by promoting pan-Turkism".
In May 2006, there were massive demonstrations in towns and cities in north-western Iran in protest at a cartoon published on 12 May by the state-owned daily newspaper Iran, which many Iranian Azerbaijanis found offensive. Hundreds were arrested during and after the demonstrations. Other waves of arrests have occurred around dates significant to the Azerbaijani community, such as a boycott of the start of the academic year in September 2006; after demonstrations in February 2007 on the occasion of International Mother Tongue day; and on the anniversary of the May 2006 demonstrations.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in English, French, Farsi, Arabic or your own language:
- calling on the authorities to release Sa’id and Elirza Metinpour immediately and unconditionally, as they are prisoners of conscience, held solely on account of their peaceful activities on behalf of the Iranian Azerbaijani community;
- calling on the authorities to allow Sa’id and Elirza Metinpour immediate and regular access to their family and a lawyer of their choice, and to any medical treatment they may require.
- calling on the authorities to order an immediate investigation into reports that Sa’id and Elirza Metinpour have been tortured, and for anyone found responsible for abuses to be brought to justice;
- reminding the authorities that the use of confessions extracted under duress is prohibited by Article 38 of the constitution of Iran.
APPEALS TO:
Leader of the Islamic Republic
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei, The Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street - Shahid Keshvar Doust Street
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: info@leader.ir
Salutation: Your Excellency
Minister of Intelligence
Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie
Ministry of Intelligence, Second Negarestan Street, Pasdaran Avenue, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Salutation: Your Excellency
Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Justice Building, Panzdah-Khordad Square, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: +98 21 3390 4986 (please keep trying)
Email: info@dadgostary-tehran.ir (In the subject line write: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Salutation: Your Excellency
COPIES TO:
President
His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Presidency, Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir
via website: www.president.ir/email
Salutation: Your Excellency
Speaker of Parliament
His Excellency Gholamali Haddad Adel
Majles-e Shoura-ye Eslami, Baharestan Square, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: +98 21 3355 6408
Email: hadadadel@majlis.ir
and to diplomatic representatives of Iran accredited to your country.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 11 March 2008.
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/019/2008
PUBLIC AI Index: MDE 13/015/2008
25 January 2008
UA 21/08 Torture/possible prisoners of conscience/medical concern
IRAN Behrouz Seferi (Safari in Azerbaijani Turkic) (m), Iranian Azerbaijani Layla Heydari (f), his wife
Iranian Azerbaijani Behrouz Seferi, who has campaigned for Iran’s Azerbaijani minority to be given greater rights to use their mother tongue, is now known to have been detained without charge or trial since late May or early June 2007. His wife, Layla Heydari, has been detained since 28 August. Both are held in Tehran's Evin Prison, where they have allegedly been tortured. Neither has been allowed to consult a lawyer.
Behrouz Seferi was arrested shortly after demonstrations around the first anniversary of the publication of a cartoon in an Iranian newspaper which many Iranian Azerbaijanis found offensive. He was held in his home town of Zanjan until 4 December, when he was moved to Evin Prison.
Layla Heydari ran a shop selling Azerbaijani books, music and other cultural material until the authorities closed it down in 2006. She obeyed official warnings not to publicise her husband's arrest, but on 28 August she was summoned to visit him at the Ministry of Intelligence detention centre where he was held at the time, and was arrested. She too was moved to Evin Prison on 4 December.
Their families were allowed to visit them on 31 December, and say they think both have been tortured to make them give “confessions”. Layla Heydari is apparently in poor health, suffering from severe headaches, but has been given very little medical help. She has also reportedly suffered from heart problems, and has had to be treated on the medical wing, whose staff apparently recommended that she be allowed medical treatement outside prison
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Iranian Azerbaijanis, who live mainly in the north and north-west of the country and are mainly Shi’a Muslims, are the largest minority in Iran (at least 25-30% of the population). They are increasingly demanding greater cultural and linguistic rights, including the right to education in Azerbaijani Turkic. A small minority want Iranian Azerbaijani provinces to break away from Iran and join with the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Iranian authorities view those who seek to promote Iranian Azerbaijani cultural identity with suspicion, and often charge them with vaguely worded offences such as "acting against state security by promoting pan-Turkism".
In May 2006, there were massive demonstrations in towns and cities in north-western Iran in protest at a cartoon published on 12 May by the state-owned daily newspaper Iran, which many Iranian Azerbaijanis found offensive. Hundreds were arrested during and after the demonstrations. Other waves of arrests have occurred around dates significant to the Azerbaijani community, such as a boycott of the start of the academic year in September 2006; after demonstrations in February 2007 on the occasion of International Mother Tongue day; and on the anniversary of the May 2006 demonstrations.
In recent years the authorities have grown increasingly suspicious of Iran's minority communities, many of which are situated in border areas, and have accused foreign powers such as the US and UK of fomenting unrest among them.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Persian, English, Arabic, French or your own language:
- expressing concern that Behrouz Seferi and his wife, Layla Heydari, have been detained without charge for some months, and asking why they were arrested;
- calling on the authorities to release them immediately and unconditionally if they are held solely for their peaceful activism on behalf of Iran’s Azerbaijani minority, or else charge them with recognisably criminal offences and try them promptly and fairly;
- urging them to investigate reports that Behrouz Seferi and Layla Heydari have been tortured, and bring anyone found responsible for abuses to justice;
- reminding the authorities that the use of confessions extracted under duress is prohibited by Article 38 of the constitution of Iran.
APPEALS TO:
Leader of the Islamic Republic
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader, Islamic Republic Street - Shahid Keshvar Doust Street
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: info@leader.ir
Salutation: Your Excellency
Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh / Office of the Head of the Judiciary
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhouri, Tehran 1316814737,
Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: info@dadgostary-tehran.ir (In the subject line write: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Salutation: Your Excellency
Minister of Intelligence
Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie
Ministry of Intelligence, Second Negarestan Street, Pasdaran Avenue, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Salutation: Your Excellency
COPIES TO:
President
His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Presidency, Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir
via website: www.president.ir/email
Speaker of Parliament
His Excellency Gholamali Haddad Adel
Majles-e Shoura-ye Eslami, Baharestan Square, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: +98 21 3355 6408
Email: hadadadel@majlis.ir (Please ask that your message be brought to the attention of the Article 90 Commission)
and to diplomatic representatives of Iran accredited to your country.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 7 March 2008.
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/015/2008
PUBLIC AI Index: MDE 13/016/2008
25 January 2008
UA 24/08 Fear of torture
IRAN Jamshid Arazpour (m), ethnic Turkmen from Gomesh Deppeh Haji Aman Khadivar (m), ethnic Turkmen from Chapaqli, Golestan 200-300 others
The two men named above were detained in the first week of January, during or after unrest that followed the killing of a Turkmen fisherman by the security forces. They are believed to be held incommunicado in Bouyeh Prison by officials from Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence in the city of Gorgan, the capital of the north-eastern province of Golestan. They are at risk of torture.
On 28 December, an 18-year-old Turkmen fisherman, Husamettin Khadivar, was killed by maritime security officers. He had been fishing without a license in the Caspian Sea off the city of Bandar-e Torkman. Three other fishermen taking part in the unauthorised fishing were arrested.
It is not known where Jamshid Arazpour was arrested. Haji Aman Khadivar, older brother of the dead man, was detained while taking part in mourning and commemorative events for his brother, outside the family home in Chapaqli. Both men, and others detained in the course of protests which followed Husamettin Khadivar’s death, are said to have been tortured by three security officials while being transported in a minibus from Bandar-e Torkman to prison in Gorgan. Following the arrests, Bouyeh prison in Gorgan was said to have been so crowded that shackled detainees were forced to stand, possibly for hours, in freezing temperatures in the prison’s courtyard, before they were put in cells.
An Iranian body, the Turkmen Human Rights Group is said to have taken up the arrested men^s case with the authorities.
On 30 December people from Turkmen fishing villages including Chapaqli and Khoja Nafas went to the military base near Chapaqli to seek information and to protest at the killing. Some also tried to lodge complaints at the office of the security chief of Bandar-e Torkman, but were turned away. Protests followed which are said to have led to broken windows and cars set on fire near the offices of the district governor, the security forces and the maritime security office. The protests are said to have continued until around 6 January, when the authorities received reinforcements. Dozens of Turkmen protesters are said to have been injured, and 200-300 were arrested in villages in the region, including at least two from Gomesh Deppeh (Gomeshiyan in Persian), 20 from Chapaqli and 75 from Bandar-e Torkman. The detainees were reportedly not given any reason for their arrest, nor told what was going to happen to them. Their families have not been told where they are held, nor allowed to contact them.
Scores, if not hundreds, of Turkmen have reportedly been taken to Zahedan in Sistan-Baluchistan province, possibly to make it harder for families to find out what has happened to them. One report suggested that these people were arrested at night and taken, in whatever they were wearing, to a detention centre where they received clothing and, in many cases, were taken from the region.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Turkmen of Iran number around 2.2 million (no more than 3% of the population), and speak a Turkic language. They are Sunni Muslim and live in the north-west of the country. They are allowed no education or social services in their mother tongue, though a small number of newspapers are allowed to publish in Turkmen. Turkmen cannot obtain senior positions in even local government, under discriminatory gozinesh, or selection policies.
According to Turkmen sources, at least two other fishermen have been killed in the past two years, in a region marked by poverty and up to 40% unemployment. Fishing has reportedly recently been transformed into a state enterprise, effectively banning individual fishermen from their traditional livelihood.
The parliamentary representative for Bandar-e Torkman, himself a Turkmen, has reportedly complained to parliament on three occasions about the killing of Husamettin Khadivar and the subsequent mass arrests of his constituents. In one of his statements he is reported to have said that, "One cannot tell poor villagers that they should continue to live in hunger."
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Persian, English, Turkmen or your own language:
- expressing concern at the reports of the incommunicado detention of up to 300 Turkmen, including Jamshid Arazpour and Haji Aman Khadivar following the killing of Husamettin Khadivar;
- calling on the authorities to ensure that none is tortured or ill-treated;
-calling on the authorities to allow all those detained to be granted immediate and regular access to their families and lawyer of their choice and to be granted any medical treatment they may require;
- reminding the authorities of their obligation under international human rights law to charge the detainees with recognisably criminal offences and to try them promptly and fairly, or else release them.
APPEALS TO:
Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Justice Building, Panzdah-Khordad Square,
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: info@dadgostary-tehran.ir (In the subject line write: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Salutation: Your Excellency
Minister of Intelligence
Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie
Ministry of Intelligence, Second Negarestan Street, Pasdaran Avenue, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Salutation: Your Excellency
COPIES TO:
Leader of the Islamic Republic
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei, The Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street - Shahid Keshvar Doust Street, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: info@leader.ir
Governor of Golestan province
Governorate of Golestan (Ostandari-ye Ostan-e Golestan)
Gorgan, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: via website: http://www.golestanstate.ir/layers.aspx?quiz=contact
Put your name in the top field and your message in the last field. Click the grey box beneath to send.
COPIES TO: diplomatic representatives of Iran accredited to your country.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 6 March 2008.
Report of Mr. Alireza Javanbakht, speaker of the committee of defense of Azerbaijan political prisoners in Persian section of VOA TV
Savalan Sesi(Translated by Oyrenci News):
News and Comments- news program of Persian section of VOA (14 January)
Student committee of without border reporters expressed concern about the health condition of Mrs. Leila Heidari in Evin prison.
Mrs. Leila Hedari, wife of Mr. Behrooz Safari, Azerbaijan political activist that himself without explanation of accusation and without right to visit his lawyer and his family is in detention of intelligence forces for months.
In this regard an interview with Mr. Alireza Javanbakht, speaker of the committee of defense of Azerbaijan political prisoners is coming next:
Mrs. Leila Heidari after imprisonment of His spouse Mr. Behrooz Safari, on August 28th 2007 goes to intelligence office of Zanjan to visit his spouse but she is detained and after passage of five months is kept in detention house of intelligence ministry in Evin prison.
According to the statements of her relatives, Mrs. Heidari does not have good and suitable health condition. She has had several heart attacks in Evin prison in Tehran and it was due to her previous concerns and tortures she has experienced in prison. Earlier we had received reliable news about her torture and her spouse.
Mrs. Heidari because of cultural activities has been under the pressure of security forces. Also she was detained and interrogated on the occasion world mother tongue day on February 21st 2006.
Perhaps her detention is in relation with her previous activities and also with the aim to put her spouse, Mr. Behrooz Safari, under extra pressure.
Mrs. Heidari and other Azerbaijani prisoner in Evin prison in Tehran, namely "Said Matinpour", journalist and human rights activist, "Jalil Ghaniloo", journalist, "Alireza Matinpour", civilian activist, and "Behrooz Safari",spouse of Mrs. Leila Heidari, after several months temporary detention do not have right to choose a lawyer. Families of all these prisoners have informed us about painful and severe tortures in order to record baseless and fabricated confessions.
It is while those families themselves are not aware of the accusations made. However, according to the statements of some of the recently released, on heavy bail, Azerbaijani activists and while awaiting issue of sentence of acting against national security, probably accusation of those in prison now will be acting against national security. It is an accusation made against Azerbaijani activists frequently and unfortunately in these conditions and in such accusations penal laws of Iran associates accessibility to lawyer to the permission of judge, a permission which is given rarely.
Saleh Kamerani, lawyer, Abdollah Abbasi Javan, university professor, Yagoob Saleki nia, journalist and member of the committee of defense of Azerbaijani political prisoners (ASMAK), Mir Gasem Seyedinzade, journalist and Mohammad Nosrati, university student,recently have been released on heavy 150,80 and 40 million tumans bail. They say that they have been tortured during imprisonment.
VOA: Mr. Javanbakht, there are reports about the lashing of some Azerbaijani activists. Are they true?
Yes, in recent days lashing sentence of some Azerbaijani activists has been executed.
Mr. engineer Ibrahim Moini, political activist from Nagade (a city in west Azerbaijan), some days ago after bearing 40 lashes has been released from 10 months long passed prison. He was imprisoned on May 2007 and also was in detention for a while on 2006. His total detention time is ten months, after finishing this term and after forty lashes he was set freed. Also Mr. Ali Haj Mohammadi, another activist from Nagade, after 50 lashes was imprisoned. He is in Nagade prison now. Another activist from Nagade is Mr. Vali Azariyun, whose brother, Tohid Azariyun, was killed on May 2006 because police shot him, is to be exposed to the execution of thirty lashes.
It is while that families of four Nagade activists, whom have lost their lives on May 2006, are under the pressure of intelligence forces in Nagade and they are warned not to attend on the tombs of their dears with others. These are families of Hosein Fathipoor, Tohid Azariyun, Hemmat Esmzade and Asgar Gasemi. Also their complaints against police, revolutionary corps and Basij because of direct shooting towards their children after 20 months have not received any definite response.
250 days passed from Saeid Metinpour’s detention
(Translated by Oyrenci News)
Saeid Meninpour, Azerbaijani Turk hero, after 250 days resistance against torture of Iranian intelligent services not only he made us shame, but also he wondered Persian tyrants. It is obvious that besides to Seid his family especially his father, mother and wife also are under torture and they are also fighting along side with Saeid. We want their unconditional freedom, because they are innocent and their wanting is just basic human rights. We hope some day all of our brave prisoners (Abbas Lisani, Ali Shadi, Hadi Hamidi, Shirzad Hajilou, Elman Nouri, and others ) be freed and live with freedom.
Iranian revolutionary court condemned south Azerbaijani writer to one year imprisonment and 2 years exile
VOA News, Azerbaijani Section (Translated by Oyrenci News):
According to the received reports form south Azerbaijan, Hamid Arghish writer of some Azerbaijani books, for instance, “… ve Senin Hikayelerin”, “ Gharli Ark”, and “ Hikayeler Toplusu” has bee condemned to one year imprisonment and 2 years exile to the Bijar city by Iranian revolutionary court in north-western city of Khoy.
His books publication has been prohibited for 3 years. He was detained on 26th February of 2007, by Iranian intelligent services after attendance in a demonstration on international worldwide mother language day (21 February) and his writings, personal computer and other personal stuffs were blocked.
Some news about him have been propagated by “Mediya Forum”, “Hagh”, and “ Savalan Sesi”.
Report of Radio Farda: Due to Resistance of Mr. Abbas Lesani Lashing Sentence has not been executed
Oyrenci News:
Interview with Mrs. Rogayye Alizade wife of Mr. Abbas Lesani
Latest reports from Ardebil indicate that today (Sunday December 30th) sentence of 50 lashes of Mr. Abbas Lesani, civil activist, has not been executed because of his opposition.
Mr. Abbas Lesani last solar year was detained because of participation in the civilian protests of Ardebil people on May 2006 and in a private court with the accusation of demolition of public and governmental property sentenced to 18 months jail and 50 lashes.
It was assigned to execute lashing at the end of 18 months prison. Mrs. Rogayye Alizade wife of Mr. Abbas Lesani about non-execution of lashing in interview with Mr. Behrooz Karooni from Radio Farda said:
Abbas did not let them lash him. He said: "I do not want anything except rights of my nation; you can not respond them with lashing. Lashing was proper for slaving era." They made attempts for three hours, and attorney general of Ardebil talked with Abbas but he prevented sentence from being executed.
But then attorney general ordered to execute the decree in prison but three times they made attempts to execute again Abbas did not let them. Then lawyer ordered soldiers to take him and let lawyer to execute the decree himself but no soldier listened to his words.
According to the statements of Mrs. Rogayye Alizade: " It was assigned that those in charge of prison to send Abbas today morning and after execution of order to Ahar (a city in eastern Azerbaijan) prison to pass 12 months long prison. It is while that the order is not final and keeping him in prison is illegal."
It is notified that primary court of Tabriz and Kaleibar had sentenced Mr. Abbas Lesani in relation to its case about the publication Turkish Calender in 1382 solar year and attendance in Babak Castle in 1384, to two years prison that appeal court of eastern Azerbaijan province lessened it to one year.
Warning: Leyla Heydari^s life is in Danger
Savalan Sesi (Translated by Oyrenci News):
Leila Heidari, Behrouz Safari^s wife, that had gone to intelligence service office on 28th August to receive permission to visit her spouse who is one of jailed Azerbaijan national movement activists has been detained and is kept in Evin prison.
Leila Heidari after detention was in the prison of Zanjan for a while and then has been moved to the section 209 of Evin prison along with some other political prisoners kept there.
She is detained in a double cell in section 209.
Based on received reports, she is suffering from acute heart problem as well as migraine and endured and intensified those illnesses in the prison, so that she has passed out twice during investigations and has been transferred to prison medical centre.
She also has endured heart attack in her cell in the prison. It is reported that medical center of section 209 in Evin prison has asked authorities of the prison to release her for cure purposes.
Her detention is going on while based on the rules families of accused person are privileged.
Based on citizen rights "only accused person is accountable in front of judicial authorities, calling and detaining members of accused family is restricted."
Student committee of human rights committee, while announcing anxiety of health condition of Mrs. Heidari asks for unconditional release of her. Since Mrs. Heidari is detained because of her ideological beliefs, she is recognized as ideological prisoner.
Un-aboveboard trial of 6 South Azerbaijani activists in revolutionary courtroom of Tabriz
Savalan Sesi (Translated by Oyrenci News):
Sunday, 13th January, trial of 6 Azerbaijani activists was held in revolutionary courtroom of north-western city of Tabriz. In this trial with attendance of Taher Mahdavi Chizigh, Yousef Lotfi hagh, Khosro Derakhshi, Mohammd Ali Javadi, and Mehdi Afsari, Judge informed them about the reports prepared by Iranian intelligent services and asked them to sign and approve reports. Then Judge said them: "your sentences will be announced in a few days".
It is worthy to say that Javad Kanani also was in the list of the people to be attend in the courtroom, but because of unknown proofs he was not able to be there.
All of these Six Azerbaijani Turks have been charged in members of the South Azerbaijan independent party (GAIP), and they had been arrested last year and had been freed after one month jail with 40 Million Tomans (about 50000 USD) bails.
We also received other news from Tabriz that Mr. Hassan Asadi, south Azerbaijani political activist, also had been asked to attend in courtroom, but he also was not attend there.
