Ünvan:
Azərbaycan, Bakı, Şərifzadə 1, Ayna; Tel +47-99399335;
Email: dunazhak@hotmail.com
Address:
Ayna, Sherifzade 1,
|
|
Say
(No.): 446/2007 Tarix
(Date): 4 March 2007 |
|
BMT, İnsan Haqları üzrə Ali
Komissarlıq
Lütfən bu ilətişməni İnsan Haqlarını
Savunanlar üzrə Baş Katibin Özəl Təmsilçisinə
çatdırın, habelə aşağıdakı qruplara da
dəxli var: ·
Öz-xoşuna
Tutuqlular üzrə Çalışan Qrup ·
Çağdaş
İrqçilik və Ayrı-seçkilik üzrə Özəl Raporter ·
Milli
Azlıqlar üzrə Müstəqil Mütəxəssis Üzü
Xanım
Harrison, Amnesty International, London |
Səid
Mətinpur |
Sayın cənablar
MÜRACİƏT
SƏİD MƏTİNPUR BƏYİN UĞRUNDA İLƏTİŞMƏ
Güney
Azərbaycanının görkəmli insan haqları savunanı
olan Səid Mətinpur bəyin insan haqlarını qorumaq üçün
yeni bir İlətişmə hüzurlarınıza təqdim
edirik ki, o İran yetgililəri tərəfindən öz-xoşuna
qısqıya (persecution) məruz qalmışdır.
Diqqətinizə sunulan bəlgələr bunlardır:
Cədvəl
1:
İnsan Haqlarını Savunanlar üzrə Baş Katibin Özəl
Təmsilçisinin diqqətinə çatdırmalı
istənilən İlətişmə forması
Cədvəl
2:
Yayımlanmış gərəkən bilgi
sənədlərinin İngiliscə tərcümələri.
Bunları tutuqlamanı və cərəyanı açıqlamaq
üçün təqdim edirik. Artırmalıyıq ki, Mətinpur
bəy 10 gün tutuqlu olandan sonra o zəmanət qarşılığında
buraxılmışdı.
Təkid
etmək istəyirik ki, bu İlətişməni tərtibində
biz Mətinpur bəy yaxud onun ailəsi ilə əlaqə
qurmamışıq. Bu məsuliyyəti biz öz boynumuza almaq
ilə Mətinpur bəyin boynundan məsuliyyəti götürmək
istəyirik.
Mətinpur
bəy yüzlərcə Azərbaycanlılardan birisidir ki, Güney
Azərbaycan millətinin Beynəlxalq Ana Dili Gününü şənlik
edəndə İran yetgililərinin qəhrinə məruz qalmışdır.
O indi zəmanət ilə azad
buraxılsa da məhkəmə təqibinə məruzdur.
Bu
İlətişməni göndərməkdən hədəfimiz
budur ki, onu savunmaq üçün gərəkən qovluq vaxtlı
ikən açılsın və İran yetgililəri onu mühakimə
etməyə can atsalar, onda onu qorumaq dosyesi qarşınızda
olsun.
Qayğınız
üçün minnətdarıq.
Hörmət ilə:
Böyük Rəsuloğlu
Dünya
Azərbaycanlılarının Haqlarını Müdafiə
Komitəsinin sədri
|
|
Say
(No.): 446/2007 Tarix
(Date): 4 March 2007 |
|
The Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights,
Please circulate this Communication to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on
human rights defenders, also this of interest to: ·
Special
Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers ·
The
Working Group on Arbitrary Detention ·
Special
Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance ·
The
Independent Expert on Minority Issues CC
Mrs. Harrison, Amnesty International,
UNESCO and various news media |
Seid
Metinpur |
Dear sir/madam
Re COMMUNICATION ON MR. SEID
METINPUR
Please
find enclosed Communication on Mr. Seid Metinpur for safeguarding human rights
of the distinguished human rights defender of
Table
1: The
Communication form for the Special Representative of the Secretary-General
on human rights defenders, using published information and those from our own
sources
Table
2: Some
published information explaining the circumstances leading to his persecution,
including 10 days of detention and the release on bail.
We
would like to stress that in compiling this Communication, we have not consulted
with Mr. Metinpur or his family. This is necessary to mention to manage the risk
of reprisal by the Iranian authorities against him.
Mr.
Metinpur is one of more than hundred individuals who were persecuted for
celebrating the International Mother Language Day by the nation of
Our
aim by this communication is to open up a case for him and should the Iranian
authorities go ahead with trying him, then you can take up his case. Thank you
in advance for your care.
Yours sincerely,
Boyuk Resuloglu
Chairperson of the Committee for the Defence of
the Rights of World Azerbaijanis
|
Table 1
Communication on Mr. Seid Metinpur |
|
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General on human rights
defenders Office
of the High Commissioner for Human Rights United
Nations 1211
Geneva 10, Switzerland FAX:
(41 22) 917 90 06 |
1.
Information regarding the alleged victim
|
|
1.1
Full name
Seid Metinpur (His name was also transcribed by
Amnesty International from the Arabic script according to Farsi, as
Said Metinpour) |
|
1.2
Age
20
September 1975 |
|
1.3
Sex
Male |
|
1.4
Profession
or occupation
Journalist |
|
1.5
Place
of residence (or origin, if relevant to the violation suffered)
The Southern Azerbaijani city of |
|
1.6
The
victims affiliation, if any, with an organization, association or group
engaged in human rights work:
Please refer to the attachment |
|
1.6.1
Name of the organization,
association or group Please
refer to the attachment |
|
1.6.2
Name of the person
heading the organization, association or group
The victim is a human right defender and a webblog writer. He is
independent and as far as we know he is not affiliated to any
organisation. |
|
1.6.3
Nature of human rights
work the individual performs 1. He is outspoken in
defence of Rza Abbasi (see our Communication: Ref: 433/2007 on 3 January
2007-02-28) 2. He is an arduous
campaigner for the mother language of Azerbaijani Turkic, see the attached
list |
|
1.7
If the alleged violation is against an organization:
|
|
1.7.1
Name of the organization
|
|
1.7.2
Nature of the human rights work/activities it is engaged in
An
important theme in victims activities is the defence of mother tongue
and the victim was arrested when celebrating the International Mother
Language Day |
1.7.3
Territorial scope of its work (national, regional, international)
His
activities cover the whole of |
|
1.7.4
Affiliations with other human rights organizations, if any |
|
1.7.5
Name of person(s) heading the organization
Not Applicable |
|
1.7.6 Additional information on the history of the work
the individual or organization has performed, if submitted, may be helpful
in assessing the complaint/allegation. |
2.
Nature of the alleged violation
All relevant information regarding the violation allegedly
committed against the human rights defender, or organization, association
or group, including:
According to the evidence
detailed in Table 2, the victim was arrested in relation to celebrating
the International Day of Mother Language in Zengan. |
|
2.1
Date
21 February 2007, in the afternoon, probably around
4-6 p.m. |
|
2.2
Place Zengan,
|
|
2.3
Description
of the events/incident More than thousand people turned up for the
celebration of a well-publicised rally in the city centre in Zengan.
Scores of people arrived with a festivity mood, distributing sweets among
each other. The authorities were acting in an obstructionist fashion all
the way through. Evidence for rounding up and a systematic arresting is in
the attached report in Table 2, which describes a young woman was arrested
while she was passing by and others were also arrested in their workplaces
through a systematic wave of repression. We know the name of at least 28
victims but there is yet no official press release. Mr. Metinpur, the
victim described here was arrested in the city centre, |
|
2.4
Nature of violation suffered or
threatened (The information must indicate the connection of the alleged
violation to human rights activities performed.)
Reports
indicate that generally, the police attacked the arrested victims and
subjected them to physical violence. |
|
2.5
If the
violation involves or includes the arrest and/or imprisonment of an
individual or group of human rights defenders, information is required on:
In
general, there is
reliable information that the victims were subjected to physical violence
during and possibly after the arrest. In the case of Mr. Metinpur, a
report by his wife, Mrs. Etiyye Metinpur informs us that there was blood
in his lip when he was taken away by the arresting officials, suggesting
that he was assaulted (
http://www.hbayat.com/)
. |
|
2.6
Identity of the authority involved
(individual and/or ministry and/or department)
It is invariably the Ministry of Intelligence
involved with these types of illegal acts. In this case the police was
also involved. The names of the individual agents/police committing the
act of arrest are not known, nor those who were beating up the rally
participants. |
|
2.7
Date
and place of arrest 21 February 2007
|
|
2.8
Any
circumstances under which the arrest was made that are relevant to the
violation
We have provided you reliable information in Table 2,
where it explicitly states there are no official press release. Even the
authorities are denying that there has been any arrest, let alone any
detention. However, the reporter with the state licence confirms that 26
individuals have been arrested, with the 8 under detention. All the
arrests are in relation to the celebration of International Mother
Language Day. Three more has been released since then. All together four
individuals were arrested with the surname Metinpur, two female and two
male. Three of the Metinpirs have been released bu Mr. Seid Metinpur is
still in detention. Mr. Seid Metinpur was only released on Saturday 3
March 2007. |
|
2.9
Nature
of charges, if any, and the legal statute invoked
The reporter as detailed in Table 2 of this
Communication quotes two officials who contradict the arresting of any
individual but definitely there are no imputed charges yet.
|
|
2.10
Potential
penalties the individual or group faces
The
precedence is that the colluding authorities have a free hand and they
impose harsh jail terms from a few months to a few years and as a
reflection of their racist policies, their sentences include flogging to
humiliate the Southern Azerbaijani advocates of the national movement. |
|
2.11
Place of
detention, if known
- |
|
2.12
Term of detention
- |
|
2.13
Information on the
provision of access to legal counsel and family members
As
far as we know, Mr. Metinpur had no access to a lawyer. |
|
2.14
Steps taken to seek administrative or judicial
remedy, nature of the remedy sought, legal entity before which proceedings
have been taken, and stage or result of such proceedings
As
detailed in Table 2, the families of the arrested ones gathered in front
of the building at Headquarter No. 2 of Security Forces the detention
facility to canvass for the release of the victims. The Metinpur families
were not successful but in time they have all been released on bail: (
http://www.haqqimiz.blogfa.com/)
|
|
2.15
If the defender is being prosecuted in the courts
for any activity in defence of human rights or related activity, or as a
consequence of such activity:
The
defender is on bail and therefore he now stands the risk of being
prosecuted for the defence of human rights on mother language and we will
issue updates if other charges are brought against him. |
|
2.15.1
The date and location of the trial - |
|
2.15.2
The court hearing the case
- |
|
2.15.3
The relevant appeal procedures
- |
|
2.15.4
The penalties the group or individual faces
- |
3.
Perpetrator(s) of the alleged violation
|
|
3.1
Name(s),
if known
We consistently maintain that the authorities are
extremely careful to cover their track on matters related to the politics
or national and human rights of Southern Azerbaijanis. So all the
perpetrators are harboured dearly by the authorities. |
|
3.2
If
they are members of the security forces, their rank, functions, the unit
or service, etc., to which they belong
Please refer to 3.1, above. |
|
3.3
If they are members of a civil
defence group, paramilitary or other forces or an armed group, details on
whether or how these groups relate to the State (e.g. cooperation with the
State security forces, including information on chains of command, if
available, State collusion with or acquiescence in their operations)
Please
refer to 3.1, above. |
4.
Steps taken by or on behalf of the victim or organization to seek a
remedy at the national level
|
|
4.1
All
relevant information regarding whether a complaint was filed
Family members canvassed but this was unsuccessful.
Also,
in relation to the celebration of the International Mother Language Day in
Zengan, the Islamic Society of Student of the Zengan University have
protested to the ill-treatments by the police against the rallying
individuals stating that according to Article 27 of the Constitution of
the Islamic Republic of Iran, these rallies and group associations are
free if no weapon is carried and if it does not violate the Islamic
foundations. They have asked the members of the Islamic Majles to take
up the matter before the right authorities to secure justice for the
nation. |
|
4.2
If so,
when, where, by whom and before which authority
In front of the building at Headquarter No. 2 of Security Forces the
detention facility, Zengan |
5.
Steps taken by the concerned authorities
|
|
5.1
Whether
or not an investigation or inquiry into the alleged violation has been
initiated and/or concluded
This is
not really relevant in |
|
5.2
If so,
by which authority, ministry or department of the Government
Please
refer to 5.1, above. |
|
5.3
Progress
and status of the inquiry or investigation at the time of submission of
the allegation
Please
refer to 5.1, above. |
|
5.4
Whether
or not the investigation or inquiry has resulted in charges or other legal
action
Please
refer to 5.1, above. |
|
5.5
If so,
the reason why the result is unsatisfactory
Please
refer to 5.1, above. |
|
5.6
Measures,
if any, taken to protect person(s) under threat
Please
refer to 5.1, above. |
6.
The violation alleged may not be the result of one incident or
event, but may be a continuing violation owing to conditions, policies,
practices or laws that obstruct the promotion, protection and/or
realization of human rights
More
background to this is given in our report 447/2007 on 4 March 2007. |
|
6.1
All
relevant information regarding such conditions, policies, practices or
laws
-
|
|
6.2
The
nature of the prejudice suffered by an individual or group(s) working for
the defence of human rights because of the above
Some of the symptoms of the racist policies of the
Islamic Republic of Iran include: ·
Undermining the economical integrity of ·
The environment of ·
They are balkanising ·
The prejudice is widespread, as our mother
tongue is treated in contempt and as a sure sign of separatism. There is
no single classroom in our mother tongue and the nation is extremely upset
about this and this is not tolerated anymore. The authorities are even
violating their own Constitution with appropriate provisions for education
in mother tongue. |
|
6.3
Methods
used to impede the work of human rights defenders on the basis of the
above conditions, policies, practices or laws
Intimidation, detention,
imprisonment, flogging, financial crippling of the victims by releases on
bail or fining and also shutting down businesses under the official seal.
|
|
6.4
Agencies
(State, non-State) employed to harass, intimidate and/or injure human
rights defenders on the basis of these conditions or in implementing such
laws, practices and policies
Security
agents of the Ministry of Intelligence, paramilitary units of Basij
and Pasdar, and the police
|
|
6.5
Possible
measures that can be taken to remedy the situation
International
campaign |
|
6.6
Any
action taken by individuals or groups at the national level to reverse the
conditions, policies and practices or for reform of the laws that are
contrary to the rights recognized by the Declaration There
are very few outspoken members of parliament and therefore not much hope
for any outcome. |
|
Name
and full address:
Mr. Boyuk Resuloglu, Ayna, Sherifzade 1, Baki, The Telephone and fax numbers and e-mail address (if possible): Tel/Fax:
+47-99399225 Email:
bo-diza@online.no or boyuk_resuloglu@hotmail.com Note
that DunAzHAK is an NGO devoted to the defence of human rights of Southern
Azerbaijanis. |
|
TABLE 2 SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS |
|
Document
1 http://mardom-e-no.com/index.php?id=748
|
|
[Translators
note: The above foto is taken from Merdom-e-nov, as attached to
this news item. Note that everyone is with a mask on their mouth. This is
not signifying any health hazard but the risk to their mother tongue. Mr.
Seid Metinpur is just one of the thousands of his fellow Zengan
population celebrating the International Mother Tongue Day in silence. For
this he is deprived of his liberty at this very moment.] Newsreel
Security agent personnel in Zengan prevented individuals intending to
participate in the rally to celebrate the International Mother Language
Day. According
to the reporter of Merdom-e-nov, yesterday afternoon the
congregating individuals intended to offer sweets for marking the day
within Sebze but they were confronted with the agents who ordered
them to disperse. Amid this, those individuals who were unaware of the
situation were asking for the reason and the police response was that they
were there to arrest villains, rascals and addicts. When one of the rally
participants was faced with physical violence, the atmosphere within the
easygoing rally turned to be tense. When the rally participants sang their
slogans, the police responded furiously and started arresting them.
According to unconfirmed reports the number of the individuals arrested
reached 19. In
spite of the persistence of the reporters to find out the details, there
is no official press release and no accurate information on the fate of
the victims from the right authorities. |
|
Document
2 A Report by Merdom-nov A daily
Newspaper Published in the Southern Azerbaijani Provincial Capital of
Zengan: Source: http://mardom-e-no.com/index.php?id=768
|
|
Reporter: Rza Shebani and Mehemmed Rejebi Only 19 of the people arrested in Zengan on 21 February 2007 were
released due to canvassing of the families in front of the building at
Headquarter No. 2 of Security Forces. According to the report by the daily Merdom-e-nov, approximately
35 individuals including men, women and children gathered in front of the
building at Headquarter No. 2 on Thursday the 22nd of February
to campaign for the release of those arrested due to celebrating the
International Mother Language Day. Their presence was concluded with the release of 19 individuals.
Wednesday the 21st was the celebration day for the
International Mother Language Day, where people gathered for a city-wide
celebration. According to eyewitness accounts, the police disperse the congregating
people by resorting to physical violence against some and by arresting
some other. Although the Medom-e-nov reporters pursued the matter
to learn the name of the victims from the security forces stationed in
Zengan, this was in vain as they did not release any information, not even
disclosed the whereabouts of the victims. Thus, the only way to obtain the statistic on the arrested victims was
to make enquiries from the family members in front of the Headquarter No.
2 of Zengan. Persistence of the reporters of Merdom-e-nov led to identifying
the names of some 26 victims, whose names are: 1.
Seid Metinpur,
2. Jelil Qenili
(Ghenilu),
3.
Elirza Metinpur,
4. Huseyn Rehmeti 5.
Eli Rehmeti,
6. Nasir Rehmeti,
7.
Murtuza Muradi,
8. Mohsun
RefiI
9.
Telnaz Nemeti,
10. Davud Nemeti
11. Mahmud Mahajiri
12. Aydin Beraderan-Muqeddem
13. Rehmetulla Bayat-tebar
14. Yusuf Mehemmedi 15. Emir Nesiri
16. Behruz Seferi 17. Mehemmed Mehemmedi
18. Eyrej Mehemmedi 19. Kerim Jelili
20. Abbas Qaffari 21. Eli Mehemmedi
22. Mehnaz Musevi 23. Javad Sherifi
24. Sudabe Metinpur 25. sanaz Metinpur
26. Sefereli Khoiyini Until the minutes when this report was being compiled, seven victims
were still in detention and their names are: Seid Metinpur, Elirza
Metinpur, Jelil Qenili, Huseyn Rehmeti, Behruz Seferi, Sefereli Khoini. Some of the detainees explained the situation to the Merdom-e-nov
reporter after being released. Nasir Rehmeti said: we were distributing
leaflets in the city in relation to the International Mother Language Day
when security agents resorted to physical violence against us and beat us
severely until we were bungled to their vehicle. They beat me up severely
in the detention facility but when I was being interrogated, I was not
subjected to physical violence. However, there were four women among the detainees. Mehnaz Musevi, one of the detainees, explained her ordeal of detention
after being released: I was going to get on to a bus, at which time two or
three security agents arrested me. I did not know anything about the
gathering of the people regarding the International Mother Language Day.
They are telling that I am a university student but I have only studied
until the first two years of high school. The mother of this detainee has spent the night in trauma and said to
the reporter: there was no stone that I left untouched after all, my
daughter is our breadwinner. Behruz Seferis wife also explained the way her husband was arrested:
security agents arrested him in his shop at 20.00 p.m. on Wednesday. These are in a background where Araz Ziyai, the Governor of Zengan
stated to the reporter of Merdom-e-nov on telephone regarding the
gathering on Wednesday that a few individuals numbering some 20
gathered in The Governor of Zengan continued: Any association or rallying must
be licensed. Anyone wishing for a group association within the city must
obtain a licence from the right authorities. If anyone does not observe
the regulations, they will be subjected to law. The Governor of Zengan did not accept that the police subjected
rallying people to physical violence and explained that: I do not accept
the physical violence by the police and I do not think this is true
either. Criticising the rallying group, he added: these people do not believe
in Turkic language. They write the communiqué in Persian and at the end
they enter the expression long live Turks (yaşasın Türk). What is wrong, if they
refer to the office of the governor and seek our permission? In this conversation the Governor of Zengan emphasised that: one needs
a permit for all programs including operating xx? Station. All these
people including critiques can apply for permits and get on with their
program. Whilst he was denying the detainees on the 21st
February, the Political Deputy of the Security Office of the Province
informed that the affairs of the detainees will be evaluated rapidly and
said that: the files of the detainees are within the authority of security
forces and they will be appraised rapidly. Ali Babai [translators note: presumably this individual is the
Political Deputy of the Security Office in the Ali Babai, added that: unlicensed rallying groups should not expect any
better from the police. He too did not have an accurate knowledge on the
number of detainees. Also, in relation to these events, the Islamic Society of Student of
the Zengan University have protested to the ill-treatments by the police
against the rallying individuals stating that according to Article 27 of
the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, these rallies and
group associations are free if no weapon is carried and if it does not
violate the Islamic foundations. They have asked the members of the
Islamic Majles to take up the matter before the right authorities to
secure justice for the nation. |
