LOOK THE PHOTOS:

http://www.azadtribun.net/x737.htm


*Hundreds and thousands of Azerbaijanis in protests against Persian
Chauvinism *




Yesterday Monday the 22 of May, hundreds and thousands of Azerbaijanis
gathered on the streets of Tabriz to protest against the Persian chauvinism
conducted by the Iranian administration. According to local sources some 200
persons were arrested, over 50 severely injured and at least four persons
have lost their lives due to the aggression imposed on the peaceful
demonstrators by the armed forces of the Iranian regime. The demonstration
in Tabriz is the result of a nationwide fury amongst Iran's Azerbaijanis
after the publication of a humiliating and mocking article about Azeri-Turks
in the state owned newspaper "Iran" almost two weeks ago. In their peaceful
march the demonstrators demanded respect of their fundamental human rights
and equality between all ethnic groups in the country. The United Nations
estimates the Azerbaijanis to ca 30 million of the total population in the
country, and recognizes that they may indeed be the largest ethnic group in
the country as a whole. Yet there is not a single school teaching in the
Azerbaijani-Turkish language in Iran. Despite today's bloodshed an
additional demonstration is planned to be held in Tehran in front of
"Meclese Shuraye Eslami" the 28 of May. The movement is organized by
Azerbaijani students from all South-Azerbaijani Universities in Iran and the
number of participants is expected to outnumber one million.

Pictures, video sequences and taped telephone calls made during and after
the demonstration have all been archived and registered at the Gunaz-TV
studio. For confirmation of above mentioned information and in order to be
able to take part of pictures, live testimonies of the participants of the
demonstration etc, please get in touch with Mr Ahmed Obali, or Mr Huseyn
Abdullahi at Gunaz-TV. Either by e-mail: *obali@gunaz.tv*
<obali@gunaz.tv>or by calling the TV-studio. Tel: 0017733880100