Date 14 July 2006

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Ref: Statement/Genci

 

Statement on Mr Ghanji’s Venture:

Hunger Strike or a Red Herring for Safeguarding Human Rights

 

The concept of human rights is a consolidation of human cultures and its UN declaration is a pinnacle of human consciousness. There are those who safeguard human rights by direct actions, e.g. hunger strike, and this is always commendable. Also there are those who talk left but walk right of human rights and therefore human rights should be safeguarded from such individuals. So, who is Mr Ghanji and what are his motives in his venture of hunger strike?

 

Mr Ghanji is known to be smart, He spent seemingly easy times in the notorious Evin Prison and even produced a 30 page manifesto from his cell titled “Republicanism without Islam.” He probably learned politics without religion in Turkey and consolidated his political career there, as the deputy Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is reported that in the early 1990s he produced a 200 page doctrine creating a version of Hezbollah ideology of anti-Turkic and anti-Azerbaijani framework. His ideology reached the abyss by regarding the Republic of Azerbaijan as part of the Islamic Republic of Iran. However, his activism is reported to be far more colourful in the 1980s. It seems that he has never denied his contribution to be a teacher of Sepah-e-Pasdaran (Revolutionary Quards) and as such he has been a ringleader in hostage taking of the US Embassy in Tehran and a founding member of such death squads as Hezbollah (حزب الله), Tharollah (ثارالله) and Ansarollah (انصارالله).

 

It is hard to know the motivation of Mr. Ghanji in this venture of hunger strike but he needs to come clean at least in relation to the following questions:

  1. How did he manage to be released from Iran recently whilst he is barred from leaving the country?
  2. Has he any regrets for his anti-Turkic and anti-Azerbaijani ideology? Is he now respecting at least the 2 million Southern Azerbaijanis orchestrating mass protests throughout Southern Azerbaijan against racist policies of Iran ? Is he respecting the territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan and not disillusioned with annexing neighbouring countries anymore?
  3. Will he give himself up to an international tribunal to be tried for his reportedly direct actions in implementing terrorist acts of capturing the American Embassy, setting up death squads to victimise countless peaceful opponent of the Islamic Republic of Iran?
  4. How democracy and human rights are feasible without pluralism of languages, cultures and nations? How Iran is feasible without apologising the nation of Southern Azerbaijan and other nations for 80 years of abuse and violation of their human and national rights?

 

In answering the above questions, there are few who may take Mr. Ghanji’s hunger strike as an action towards human rights but others scratch their head and say Hmmm!!! Of course Mr. Ahmedinejad, the ongoing president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Mr. Ghanji have shared the same pan-Iranist ideology. The fact is that the exclusionist racial policies of Mr. Ahmedinejad have caused the cracking of the Iranian integrity by a simple mass protests orchestrated in Southern Azerbaijan . It seems that Mr. Ghanji is in reserve for diffusing the nascent Azerbaijani nationalism. Would he not agree that the most pressing issue for him is to come clean, else the hunger strike would seem as a ploy for abusing human rights?

 

Southern Azerbaijani Campaign Group

 


Below, we present excerpt from a recent General Statement by Amnesty International on the ongoing Iranian violation of human rights against Southern Azerbaijan . Excerpts are related to the name of prominent prisoners of conscience and Mr Ghanji is yet to announce his stance on these prisoners of conscience and thousands of others, where it is even dangerous to search for their names.

 

EXCERPS FROM AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL’S:

Public Statement

AI Index:        MDE 13/074/2006    (Public)                                        News Service No: 168             29 June 2006


As the annual Babek Castle cultural gathering of Iranian Azeri Turks approaches on 30 June 2006, Amnesty International is urging the Iranian authorities to exercise restraint while policing the gathering.  In addition, it is calling on the authorities urgently to address increasing human rights violations being committed by Iranian security forces and others against members of Iran ’s Azeri Turkish minority (who sometimes refer to themselves as Iranian Azerbaijanis).


The largest ethnic minority in Iran , the Azeri Turkish community is believed to number between 25-30 percent of the total population and is found mainly in the north-west.  Mostly Shi’a Muslims, like the majority of the population, they are not subject to as much discrimination as minorities of other religions, and are well-integrated into the economy. In recent years, however, they have increasingly called for greater cultural and linguistic rights, such as the right to be taught in Turkish and to celebrate Azerbaijani culture and history at events such as at the annual Babek Castle gathering and Constitution Day, celebrated in October. A small minority advocate the secession of Iranian Azerbaijani provinces and union with the Republic of Azerbaijan . Activists who promote Azeri Turkish cultural identity are viewed with suspicion by the Iranian authorities, who often charge them with vaguely worded offences such as "promoting pan-Turkism".

 …. ….


The Iranian authorities reportedly used excessive force to disperse demonstrators, including beatings and lethal gunfire.  Amnesty International has received the names of 27 people who are alleged to have been killed, including seven in Tabriz and 14 in Naqadeh (known as Sulduz by Iranian Azeri Turks). One, 26-year-old Jalil Abedi was reportedly shot in the left side of his head by a member of Iran ’s Intelligence service in Meshkin Shahr (known as Khiyov in Azeri Turkish) during a demonstration on 25 May, and left to die by security officials who would not let a doctor treat him.  His family were reportedly prevented from holding his funeral in a mosque and only a few of them were permitted to attend his burial. The Iranian authorities have generally denied that any deaths occurred during the demonstrations, although a police official acknowledged publicly on 29 May that four people had been killed and 43 injured in Naqadeh.


While many protestors have been released, scores are believed to remain in detention, including Changiz Bakhtavar, Dr Ahmad Gholipour Rezaie (known as Dr Heydaroglu) and Hassan Ali Hajabollu (known as Hassan Ark), all of whom were detained after the Tabriz demonstration on 22 May. Hassan Damirchi, aged 65, a businessman and a well-known musician from Tabriz (also known as Hassan Azerbaijan) and his son Babak were arrested at home on 26 May and Gholam Reza Amani was detained on 28 May; he is now reported to be on hunger strike.  Some or all of these may have been transferred to Evin prison in Tehran for questioning but their current whereabouts are unclear. Some detainees are reported to have been tortured, including Davoud Maghami, held in Parsabad (known as Mughan in Azeri Turkish) who is said to have required hospital treatment as a result. He has now been released.


Other prominent Azeri Turkish activists who are reported to have been detained include Abbas Lisani (or Leysanli), who was arrested on 3 June when he returned home after hiding for a week following a demonstration in Ardebil in which he was  beaten by security forces.  He is reportedly on hunger strike and his condition is causing concern.  His home telephone line has apparently been cut, possibly to prevent his wife publicising his plight. Abbas Lisani has previously been detained several times because of his political activities on behalf of the Azeri Turkish community, including during or following the Babek Castle gatherings in 2003 and 2005.  He was severely tortured during his arrest at a sit-in protest by Azeri Turks at the Sarcheshme Mosque in Ardebil in June 2004.

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