Following the publication of a cartoon showing a cockroach speaking Azeri, ethnic Azeris began rioting in Eastern Azerbaijan province of Iran.
The Azeris of Iran, an ethnic group who speak a language related to Turkish, have for decades been the butt of jokes suggesting that they are stupid and comparing them to donkeys. The publication of this cartoon in the state-owned Iran weekly newspaper provoked a response from people in the predominantly Azeri areas in north-western Iran. There were also protests by Azeri students in other parts of Iran, including Tehran.
These protests have led to the arrest of many Azeris and students. Yashar Qajar and Abed Tavancheh, members of the Office for Consolidating Unity student organisation, have been abducted by members of an unspecified security body. Neither the Science Ministry, nor any other government department or office, seems to know what has happened to them.
Student activists and bloggers in Iran are particularly concerned about the fate of Yashar Qajar and Abed Tavancheh. The Islamic regime has accused them of being Marxists and “extremists”. We urge students’ organisations, as well as human rights and progressive organisations and individuals, throughout the world to send solidarity messages to jailed Iranian students and to protest against the Iranian regime’s treatment of Azeris and students.
Iranian Revolutionary Socialists’ League
2 June 2006
Model protest letter
Dr Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
President
The Presidency
Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection
Tehran
Islamic Republic of Iran
xx June 2006
Dear Mr President
I write to bring to your attention the urgent case of Yashar Qajar and Abed Tavancheh. Mr Qajar and Mr Tavancheh have been abducted by one of the security organisations of your government and neither the Science Ministry, nor any other government department or office, seems to know what has happened to them. They have been accused them of being Marxists and “extremists”.
I hope that you can bring the authority of your office to put pressure on the relevant officials and bodies to free Mr Qajar and Mr Tavancheh.
I look forward to hearing about your positive intervention in this regard in the international media.
Yours sincerely
Dr Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
President
The Presidency
Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection
Tehran
Islamic Republic of Iran.
Fax: 98-21-648.06.65
Email: dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir
Please send a copy of your protest letters to:
UNHCHR
Petitions Team
Office of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights
UNOG-OHCHR
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Fax: +41 22 917 9022
Email: tb-petitions@ohchr.org
Amnesty International
The Human Rights Action Centre
17-25 New Inn Yard
London
EC2A 3EA
United Kingdom
Fax: +44 20 7833 1510
Email: info@amnesty.org.uk
Human Rights Watch
350 Fifth Avenue, 34th floor
New York, NY 10118-3299 USA
Fax: 1-(212) 736-1300
Email: hrwnyc@hrw.org
International Society for Human Rights
Borsigalle 9
D-60388 Frankfurt/M.
Germany
Fax: +49-(0)69-42 01 08-29
Email: is@ishr.org
World Organisation Against Torture
OMCT International Secretariat
PO Box 21
8, rue du Vieux-Billard
CH-1211 Geneva 8
Switzerland
Fax: + 41 22 809 4929
Email: omct@omct.org
Iranian Revolutionary Socialists’ League
Email: iran_socialists@yahoo.com
