Say (No.): 329 / 2006

                                                                                       Tarix (Date): 31 May 2006

Amnesty International, London

CC                 High Commiserate of Human Rights, Geneva

Dear Mrs. Harrison

 

Re                 THE CASE

 

We wrote to you regarding the case of the poetess and writer Mrs. Zohre Vefai and other cultural activists but as a glimpse of the ongoing wave of repression. Regrettably the attacks are relentless and more are to be reported here.

Erdebil: Mr. Eyvaz Taha, the director of the journal Yapraq¸ was arrested together with Mr. Rza Kazimi and Mr. Yunis Sefderi, two of the writers of this journal.

Erdebil: Mr. Eli Nezeri the director of the journal Avayi Erdebil¸ was arrested together with Mr. Vehid Dergahi a writer of this journal – we informed you earlier on the latter.

 

Tebriz: Mr. Qulam Riza Amani or Mr. Eli Hamidi Imani the director of the Shems Tebriz (shams Tabriz : http://www.shamstabriz.com/) has been hinted in the website. The website has become inactive with the message: farewell until our next encounter.

 

Urmu: after the mass protests last week, there is no trace of the poet and writer Dr. Ismail Ulker and  a number of other persons.

Again in Urmu: we have learned that the following compatriots have been arrested:

 

ASMEK has published a statement on 29 May 2006 and we are enclosing its translation together with the source document. As Southern Azerbaijan is still under relentless iron-fist attacks, once again, we request your intervention for our confronting these attackers.

Yours Sincerely,

 

Boyuk Resuloglu

For and on behalf of

The Committee for the Defence of the Rights of the World Azerbaijanis

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The Translation of the ASMEK Document

 

The ongoing group arrests of (Southern) Azerbaijani activist students and political activists have created insecurity, as every hour we receive the transmission of the news on further arrests.

 

Tebriz: The Engineer, Qulamrza Emani the distinguished activist of Tebriz was arrested in his house, Tebriz, on Saturday 28 May 2006 and was transferred to the detention centre of Intelligence agents. It should be mentioned that earlier he was accused of pan-Turkism and undermining the security of the country. Subsequently he suffered four years of imprisonment.

 

Merend and Meshgin Sheher: There is no information since the detention of the journalists Misters. Oruj Emiri and Emin Movhidi.

 

Urmu: Mr. Ismail Javadi, an activist of the national movement of Azerbaijan was summoned on 29 May 2006 by Intelligence agents of Urmu but they have not returned back since then. He is a member of the writers board of Ferdayi Ma.

 

Erdebil: Vedud Esedi, the chair of the Islamic Students Society of the Open University of Erdebil was arrested by Intelligence agents in front of the university on 27 May 2006 after taking part in the mass protest in Erdebil. Four other members of the Islamic Student Society of the Open University of Erdebil were arrested by unidentified forces from their student houses are:

  1. Eli Babai from the city of Qoshachay (Miyandoab)
  2. Huseyn Kheyyati from the city of Qoshachay
  3. Ferid Ebuleli from the city of Qoshachay
  4. Edalet Abbasi from and a resident of Erdebil

 

Still from Erdebil: Misters Rehim Qulami and Shapur Nusret pur, both activists of the national movement of Azerbaijan , were arrested on 27 May 2006.

 

It has to be mentioned that the families of the above persons have referred to every place to obtain some news about their loved ones but in vain. These families are extremely concerned and are in trauma.

 

On Sunday, 29 May 2006, the revolutionary guard and mobilisation forces attacked the streets and back alleys of Erdebil terrorising the people and arbitrarily arresting them. Intelligence agents, Special Guards of security agents of Erdebil also resorted to attacking and beating up youths of Erdebil in the main street (from the Junction to Sherieti Square ).

 

Tehran : Most of the students which were arrested and transferred to the Evin Prison on 28 May 2006 were set free today. A number of them are still detained and this includes: Mrs. Nida Muradi, a student of Open University of Zenjan (who remains in detention).

 

The committee for the defence of political prisoners of (Southern) Azerbaijan welcomes the freedom of the above persons and demands the freedom of every detained/jailed individuals. We also warn that security agents are planning to victimise these detained/jailed mass protestors based on the pretext of confessing for being as a spy or being foreign agents. We request the world mass media to expose any such plots by giving coverage to the onging situation.

 

Hoping for the freedom of all political prisoners and the freedom of speech and creed.

 

The Committee for the Defence of the (Southern) Azerbaijani Political Prisoners