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Relatives Say Ethnic Azeri Activist Held Without Charge In Iran

Abdullah Abbasi Javan

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January 29, 2009

The family of ethnic Azeri activist Abdullah Abbasi Javan says he has been held incommunicado in Tehran's Evin prison for more than two months without being charged.

Abassi Javan, an architect and university lecturer, was arrested along with nine others in the Iranian city of Rey on November 14 while celebrating the anniversary of an Azerbaijani national hero. The others detainees were later released.

Abassi Javan's brother, Yadulla Abbasi Javan, told RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service that officials will not allow him to see his brother in prison. He says his brother was badly beaten and tortured during his last arrest in 2007, and fears he is undergoing the same abuse this time.

When he was arrested in 2007, Abdullah Abbasi Javan was charged with promoting "pan-Turkism" and spreading propaganda against the regime.

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by: Sanaz from: İstanbul

January 29, 2009 22:36

Life in Iran for minorities is complex. There have been charges of voting irregularities and minorities sometimes fall foul of the authorities if they protest against provocative statements and actions. In a country where the media is well controlled, cartoons depicting Azeris as cockroaches in 2006 caused huge offence: the editor of the publication was imprisoned- albeit temporarily - but authorities moved against protestors with such force that hundreds were arrested and Azeri websites reported many deaths.

Few minority representatives with any status within Iran risk speak out while Tehran preaches the importance of national unity. Any reports of human rights violations of minorities coming from Washington prompt charges of destabilisation from Tehran against minorities.

by: DENNIS JUNIOR from: USA

February 01, 2009 07:24

i think that this azeri activist needs to be released immediately.....

by: Parviz Shirazi from: Paris, France

February 05, 2009 21:57

Since Mr. Javan and his fellow agents spread anti-Iranian and anti-Persian propaganda and support chauvinistic "pan-Turkism" ideas, they should not be called “activists” but with their true names, alien agents. These irredentist groups are funded and supported by Baku and Ankara and aim at destabilizing multi-ethnic Iran and carving up a Turkish protectorate on Persian soil.
Historically, Iranian Azerbaijan province has had nothing to do with the fabricated “Republic of Azerbaijan” to its north. I challenge you to find any original map dating before 1917 which shows Baku and its environs as “Azerbaijan”. The “Republic of Azerbaijan” was fabricated by Soviets to try to occupy the Iranian province of the same name and to facilitate export of communism to Iran.
The only true Azerbaijan is the Iranian province of Azerbaijan. The “Republic of Azerbaijan” is a fabricated formation and will soon be classified as an unsustainable failed state which will eventually disintegrate into Armenian, Talysh and Lezgi sectors. A few American NeCon adventurists have recently been persuading president Aliyev, like they did to his Georgian hot headed counterpart, to attack Karabakh Armenians in vain. Any new attack will lead to dissolution of “Republic of Azerbaijan” since Armenians are defending their ancestral homeland and Azeris soldiers know very well that they are sent to their death by Aliyev and his buddies so that they enjoy the oil wealth back in Baku. This time, though, Armenians will certainly cut Azerbaijan off Georgia and its vital energy export routes, finishing up the fake republic, God willing.