Eleven Azerbaijani civil activists have been in uncertainty in Ward 4 and the women's ward of Evin Prison for 116 days since their temporary detention. The Azerbaijani Political Prisoners Defense Association (ADAP) announced on Thursday, June 10, that Tahir Naqvi (a lawyer), Abdulaziz Azimi Qadim (a defrocked cleric), Baqir Hajizadeh Mazraeh, Karam Mardaneh Mostali Biglu, Fatemeh Atashi Khiyavi, Morteza Parvin Joda, Ayaz Seyfkhah, Araz Aman, Kamal Noori, Saeed Jamalzadeh, and Hossein Peiri Qoshachay have been in temporary detention since their arrest on February 5 of last year. According to ADAP, these political prisoners were arrested in the cities of Bonab, Rasht, Islamshahr, Astara, and Karaj and after serving 15 days in Ward 209 of Evin Prison, they were transferred to Ward 4 and some to the women's ward of this prison. Previously, eleven other Azerbaijani activists named Vadood Asadi, Salar Taher Afshar, Saeed Minaei, Hassan Ebrahimi Shiran, Saeed Doostan, Ebrahim Avazadeh, Karamat Rouh Navaz, Habib Negahban, Soleiman (Aydin) Mohammadi, Abdollah Vahedi, and Jafar Mohammadi, who were arrested in connection with this case, were released on bail. A new wave of group arrests of political and civil activists in Azerbaijan coincided with the anniversary of the start of nationwide protests in 1401 (2022) in the month of Shahrivar (September) and continued in the following months. The 15th branch of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Abolqasem Salavati, has charged these 22 human rights activists with 'gathering and colluding to disrupt internal and external security' and in some cases has also accused them of 'espionage.' ADAP states that the hearings for these political prisoners were held on May 21 and June 1 while they were deprived of the right to have a lawyer. This civil organization has also announced that these political prisoners have been accused of 'gathering and colluding' in a joint case, while 'some of them met each other face-to-face for the first time during their arrest and had no prior contact.'
Uncertainty for 11 Azerbaijani Activists in Evin Prison After Approximately Four Months of Detention
Eleven Azerbaijani civil activists have been held in Evin Prison for over four months without clear charges. They were arrested in various cities and face serious allegations from the Iranian authorities. This situation highlights ongoing governmental repression against dissent in Iran, particularly as it coincides with the anniversary of significant protests.
👥 Key Players
⚡ Actions
📰 What Happened
Iranian authorities detained 11 Azerbaijani activists in Evin Prison for over four months.
- Iranian authorities arrest Tahir Naqvi, Abdulaziz Azimi Qadim, Baqir Hajizadeh Mazraeh, Karam Mardaneh Mostali Biglu, Fatemeh Atashi Khiyavi, Morteza Parvin Joda, Ayaz Seyfkhah, Araz Aman, Kamal Noori, Saeed Jamalzadeh, Hossein Peiri Qoshachay
- Tehran Revolutionary Court charge 22 human rights activists
- Iranian authorities deprive political prisoners
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The detention of Azerbaijani activists underscores the Iranian government's crackdown on dissent.
📝 Key Evidence
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%