Siyasət, Sosiologiya, Tarix

Support Actions by Southern Azerbaijanis for Azerbaijan in 2020

5 ay əvvəl

Background

The struggle for Azerbaijan’s independence, the re-establishment of this independence, and the subsequent First Karabakh War have always been closely monitored by our compatriots in Southern Azerbaijan. In addition to observing and supporting these events, they have actively participated in them. Notable individuals include Mohammad Hatemi Tantakin,[1] who actively participated in the Meydan movement, Esfandiar Joshgun,[2] Sirus Tabrizli,[3] Reza Deghati[4] who was present during the country’s most tragic moments, photographing and publicizing these events globally, and Southern Azerbaijanis such as Ruhullah Dadashnejad and Jalal Musapur, who fought in Karabakh.

**Photo from the march organized by Azerbaijani Turkic students of Tehran University in support of Azerbaijan, 1990s.**

In addition, various events in independent Azerbaijan have been supported by Southern Azerbaijanis. Often, these support actions were disrupted, and participants were either imprisoned and tortured or persecuted. For instance, during the First Karabakh War, a demonstration took place in Tehran in the 1990s. Azerbaijani Turkic students from Tehran University organized a protest march against Armenia. The students first gathered in the university yard and then attempted to leave the university for the streets. The university administration locked the gates to prevent them from leaving. As a result, the students broke the gates and marched along Inqilab Street. They carried banners with slogans like “Azerbaijan, you are not alone, we are here” and “Karabakh, my love, my sweet words”. They later reached the Armenian embassy, condemned Armenia’s aggressive actions, and protested. In subsequent years, the topic of Karabakh has always remained on the agenda in Southern Azerbaijan and other Turkic-populated areas in Iran

Street art depicting Abbas Lisani’s demand for freedom in Ardabil. The wall reads: “Abbas Lisani deserves freedom, not prison.”

In June 2004, Armenian state representatives visited Ardabil for economic cooperation purposes. When it was discovered that the delegation included representatives from the so-called Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, the local population protested. When this did not yield results, they staged a sit-in at Sarchechme Mosque in Ardabil.[5] Security forces attacked the mosque, beating and arresting the protesters. National cultural activist Abbas Lisani was beaten to the point of losing consciousness, and his mouth was covered with a blanket.[6] As a result of the beating, he suffered broken ribs and a broken nose, and his lungs and kidneys were injured. He was then held in solitary confinement for two days in an unknown location. After being brought to the 7th Branch of the Ardabil Revolutionary Court, it was decided that he would be detained for another month. Following this, Lisani was held in solitary confinement in Ardabil prison. Despite multiple requests for medical assistance and hunger strikes, his requests were not met. On July 22, 2004, he was released on bail of 200 million rials until the trial. Later, he was fined 800,000 rials and sentenced to 15 lashes for disturbing public order.[7]

Photo taken during the match between Tabriz’s “Tractor” football club and Tehran’s “Steel Azin” football club on February 26, 2010.

Both fans of the Tabriz “Tractor” football club and supporters of other football and volleyball teams in Azerbaijani cities have repeatedly chanted slogans about Azerbaijan and Karabakh, displayed Azerbaijani flags, and held up various banners. In many instances, these banners were confiscated, and the individuals holding them were detained.

On February 27, 2019, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met with the Armenian community at the “Ararat” sports complex in Tehran. During this meeting, he took a selfie with participants holding a banner with the slogan “Karabakh is Armenia and that’s it.”[8] The territorial claim in the banner’s message and the timing of the meeting, just one day after the Khojaly genocide, sparked protests among Azerbaijanis worldwide. On March 1, 2019, Southern Azerbaijani activists wrote the slogan “Karabakh is an inseparable part of Azerbaijan” on the walls of the same complex in Tehran.[9]

On March 1, 2019, three residents of Sulduz, Ehsan Ismayildokht, Mehdi Hamzei, and Babak Siyami, were arrested in Tabriz while trying to attend a football match between the “Tractor” and “Sepahan” clubs. They were arrested for writing “Karabakh” on their faces in support of Azerbaijan.[10] Ehsan Ismayildokht left the country after being released from a 1-month 10-day detention and later shared photos showing torture marks on his back.[11] During the match, fans chanted “Karabakh is ours, it will be ours!”[12] and displayed two banners with English slogans “Karabakh is Azerbaijani land,” “Karabakh is ours, it will be ours!” and raised the Azerbaijani flag.[13][14][15] After the match, 29 Southern Azerbaijani individuals were arrested while leaving the stadium for raising banners and flags.[16]

On March 2, 2019, Southern Azerbaijani activists stuck posters with the slogan “Karabakh is an inseparable part of Azerbaijan” on the walls of the Armenian consulate in Tehran.[17]

Later, on March 9, 2019, during the match between Urmia’s “90” football club and Bushehr’s “Shahin” football clubs,[18] as well as during “Tractor” football club’s matches on March 14 and April 5, 2019, in Tabriz, fans continued to use the slogan “Karabakh is ours, it will be ours!” despite bans and persecutions.[19]

On September 3, 2020, the final match of the Iran Cup took place in Tehran. After Tabriz’s “Tractor” football club defeated Tehran’s “Esteghlal” football club, fans celebrating the victory chanted the slogan “Karabakh is ours, it will be ours!” in the streets of Tehran.[20]

In April 2020, video footage[21] taken in Khankendi, occupied by Armenian Armed Forces, sparked protests on both sides of Azerbaijan. In these videos, Armenian activists filmed vehicles carrying Iranian fuel arriving in Khankendi and expressed their opposition.[22] They claimed that the puppet regime was purchasing cheap and low-quality fuel from Iran. Following this, Azerbaijan demanded an official investigation from Iran, which denied these claims.

In an interview in June 2020, former Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Tofig Zulfugarov mentioned that the weapons Russia provided to Armenia were delivered through Iran.[23]

A Tabriz family appearing in front of the consulate to support Azerbaijan after the Tovuz clashes.

Tovuz Clashes
Background and Mobilization

On July 12, 2020, following the outbreak of the Tovuz clashes along the Azerbaijan-Armenia border, South Azerbaijanis issued calls for support rallies for Azerbaijan in Tabriz, Urmia, Ardabil, Zanjan, Sulduz, and Tehran.[24] However, prior to the rallies, Iranian security forces contacted nationalist activists in various cities, warning them against participation and threatening imprisonment. Many planned rallies were thwarted by police, and major streets and squares were placed under surveillance, with security forces deployed to these areas. Despite the suppression, some rallies proceeded, leading to confrontations with the police, resulting in beatings and arrests.

Tabriz

On July 16, a support rally for Azerbaijan took place in front of the Azerbaijani consulate in Tabriz. Participants condemned Armenia’s aggression, chanting slogans such as “Long live Azerbaijan, may those who do not want it be blind!” and “Karabakh is ours, it will be ours!”[25] The rally was dispersed, and several individuals, including Hakime Ahmadi, Yasaman Zaferi, Sədrullah Sasanian, Rahim Sasanian, and Mehdi Puraeli, were arrested. In January 2021, they were sentenced by the 112th branch of the Tabriz Second Criminal Court to one year in prison and 60 lashes for “disturbing public order” and “participating in illegal gatherings”.[26]

Urmia

In Urmia, Farid Khorshidi was summoned to the police station on July 16. Initially released, he was re-arrested the next day and taken to Urmia Central Prison. Salar Tahir Afshar was also arrested by security forces and detained. Both were released on July 21 on bail of 50 million tomans each, pending trial. They were accused of “propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran” and “disturbing national security and public order.” In August, Farid Khorshidi was acquitted of the charges due to insufficient evidence.[27]

Tehran

On July 16, a support rally was held in front of the Armenian embassy in Tehran, resulting in the arrests of Hamid Jabbari, Hussein Shahidi, Hadi Alishi, and Yaghub Majidi. They were taken to Evin Prison, with their whereabouts unknown to their families until July 20.[28] While Hussein Shahidi, Hadi Alishi, and Yaghub Majidi were released on bail, Hamid Jabbari remained detained.[29] He informed his family of his location but was reprimanded by prison guards for speaking in Azerbaijani and was subsequently held in a cell with two ISIS members. After seven days, he was released on bail pending trial.

Second Karabakh War
Volunteer Mobilization and Protests

After the Second Karabakh War began on September 27, 2020, a group of South Azerbaijanis volunteered at the Azerbaijani consulate in Tabriz to fight for Azerbaijan. The consul, Aliyanaghi Huseynov, thanked them for their support.[30]

Emergence of Video Evidence

Several days after the start of the Second Karabakh War, videos and images recorded by South Azerbaijanis surfaced on social media. These recordings showed military supplies, purchased from Russia, being transported to Armenia through the Norduz border crossing in Iran.[31] This sparked significant protests among South Azerbaijanis. On September 29, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied these claims. However, Azerbaijani media subsequently released videos corroborating the transport of military equipment through Iranian territory. Azerbaijani MP Sabir Rustamkhanli also confirmed that Iran was involved in transporting weapons from various countries to Armenia. In a phone conversation with Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev, Mahmoud Vaezi, the head of the Iranian Presidential Office, dismissed these allegations, describing them as attempts to undermine bilateral relations.[32] On October 5, during a press conference in Tehran, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh reiterated that Iran did not allow the transfer of weapons and military vehicles to Armenia through its territory. Nonetheless, Iranian state media produced reports stating that the trucks in the videos were Kamaz trucks that Armenia had previously purchased from Russia.[33] The reports specified that the trucks were not civilian but military vehicles and noted that there were 670 such trucks. In March 2024, in an interview with “Baku TV,” Seyid Abbas Mousavi, Iran’s ambassador to Azerbaijan, stated that these Kamaz trucks belonged to a Russian base in Armenia.[34]

Protests and Government Crackdown

Following these events, South Azerbaijanis organized several protests in various cities, including the capital Tehran, to support Azerbaijan and to oppose Iran and Armenia.[35] In Tabriz and Tehran, demonstrators raised the Azerbaijani flag and chanted slogans such as “Karabakh is ours, it will be ours!” and “Supporting Armenians is a crime, a crime.” Protesters also demanded the closure of the Norduz border crossing, opposing the transport of Russian military supplies to Armenia through Iran.[36] In cities like Ardabil, Tabriz, Urmia, Zanjan, Julfa, Elamdar, Khiyav, Kaleybar, Maki, Maraga, Marand, Sulduz, Parsabad, and Tehran, hundreds of South Azerbaijani protesters were arrested, beaten, and subjected to torture. Police and security forces responded harshly to the protests, using tear gas, rubber bullets, and batons. Not all detainees were arrested during the protests; many Turkic national cultural activists were detained at their homes or workplaces before or after the protests.

At Sheikh Safi Mausoleum in Ardabil, “One nation stands behind you, Azerbaijani soldier.”

Ardabil
September 29, 2020: Initial Protests

On September 29, 2020, activists in Ardabil held a protest in Ciral Park to support the Azerbaijani army and oppose Iran’s aid to Armenia. They displayed a banner that read, “Your victory is our victory, Azerbaijani soldier.” The participants were beaten and arrested by Iranian security forces.[37] The detainees were confined to a single room where pepper spray was deployed, causing severe skin peeling on some detainees’ faces. One of the detainees, visually impaired Sajjad Jolani, was beaten, resulting in a broken nose.[38]

National activist Ali Kheirjoo, his spouse Afsaneh Akbarzadeh, and their daughter Saray.

Continued Activism and Repression

On September 30, 2020, several national activists in Ardabil took a photo in front of the Sheikh Safi tomb with a banner inscribed in Latin script: “A nation stands behind you, Azerbaijani army.”[39] Subsequently, on October 1, 2020, police and security forces raided the homes of activists Meysam Jolani and Ali Kheirjoo, arresting them. Security forces entered Ali Kheirjoo’s home by climbing over the courtyard wall, then beat and insulted him, his family members, and neighbors who attempted to intervene.[40] The incident was recorded on video, sparking widespread outrage. Ali Kheirjoo’s wife, Afsaneh Akbarzadeh, went to Ardabil Prosecutor’s Office’s 10th branch to inquire about her husband’s condition but was insulted and detained by a judge. She was released after being held for one day.[41] In December 2020, the 110th branch of Ardabil’s Second Criminal Court sentenced Meysam Jolani and Ali Kheirjoo to four months in prison and 20 lashes each on charges of “participating in disturbing public order through creating unrest.”[42]

“One nation stands behind Azerbaijani soldiers,” Ardabil, Sheikh Safi Mausoleum.

Broader Arrests and Sentences

On the same night as the initial arrests, security forces also raided the homes of Mohsen Ismaili Aghdam and Samed Nazemi, attempting to detain them, but the activists’ neighbors resisted, preventing their arrest.[43]

On October 5, 74-year-old Parviz Siyabi, who was detained during the protests in Ardabil, was temporarily released on bail. After his release, he shared photos of his bruised back and arms, showing evidence of severe beating.[44]

During this period, prominent Azerbaijani national cultural activist and prisoner of conscience Abbas Lisani, who was detained in Ardabil, was prohibited from meeting his family and making phone calls.[45] Although this restriction was briefly lifted, it was reinstated on November 13. On November 20, Abbas Lisani held a five-hour sit-in protest in the prison officer’s office against these prohibitions. Following the protest, his relatives were allowed to visit, but the ban on phone calls remained.[46]

October 9, 2021: Judicial Sentences

On October 9, 2021, the Ardabil city court sentenced several national cultural activists: Hussein Balakhani, Asghar Akbarzadeh, Mostafa Parvin, Morteza Parvin, Mojtaba Parvin, Hamid Heydari, Mohammad Jolani, Subhan Bakhshi, Mehdi Hushmand, Bahman Kheirjoo, and Sajjad Jolani. They were found guilty under Article 607 of the Islamic Penal Code of the Islamic Republic of Iran and each received a sentence of seven months and 16 days in prison, along with 74 lashes.[47]

Tabriz
October 1: Initial Protests

On October 1, residents of Tabriz held a protest in support of the Azerbaijani army and against Iran’s aid to Armenia. This protest was the largest, resulting in the highest number of arrests in Tabriz. The participants chanted slogans such as “Long live Azerbaijan,” “Karabakh is ours, it will be ours,” and “We are ready to die, we are Babak’s soldiers.”[48] Security forces intervened and dispersed the protest, arresting approximately 40 people and beating many participants.[49] On Rastakuche Street, a group of citizens managed to rescue some detained protestors from the rapid response police.

“Brother, come to the square, weapons go to Erivan,” Tabriz, October 18, 2020.

Continued Protests and Government Response

In the following days, there were several small protests in Tabriz. A second major protest titled “Support for Karabakh” was scheduled for October 18. Following the call for this protest, employees of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence (ETTELAAT) threatened many activists with arrest and summoned some to the ETTELAAT office. On October 17, before the protest could take place, activists Rasul Razavi, Hussein Amir-Hijri, and Hussein Mohammadya were arrested. They began a hunger strike to protest the illegality of their detention.[50]

October 18: “Support for Karabakh” Protest

Despite threats, intimidation, and arrests, the “Support for Karabakh” protest took place in Tabriz on October 18. The police intervened harshly, but the protest continued intermittently into the night. Participants chanted slogans such as “Come, brother, to the square, weapons are going to Yerevan,” “Karabakh is ours, it will be ours,”[51] Supporting Armenia is a crime, a crime,” and “Tabriz, Baku, Ankara, greetings to Turan!” They also demanded the closure of the Norduz border crossing between Iran and Armenia, using the slogan “Norduz must be closed.” Alongside men, several women were also arrested, some of them with their children.[52] Shima Almasi, Habibe Barqi, Mina Valipur, Sara Turi, Fatemeh Ibrahimzadeh with her daughter Kowsar Nemati, and Mahtab Asgharinejad with her daughter Aylin Shirzadi were among those detained.[53]

Testimonies of Detainees

Siamak Koushi, one of the detainees who was temporarily released, reported that investigators in the ETTELAAT detention center beat the prisoners and insulted their families. He stated that during his two days of detention, they were not given water to drink and those who asked for food were taken out of the room and beaten. Additionally, he saw over 30 men and more than 10 women detained in the detention center.[54]

“The homeland is beyond the borders on maps,” September 30, 2020, Zanjan.

Zanjan

On September 30, a group of Azerbaijani youths in Zanjan unveiled a banner in front of the Olcaytu Khodabandeh mausoleum, which read, “The homeland extends beyond the borders on maps.”[55]

On October 1, the people of Zanjan gathered in the city’s main square to support Azerbaijan. However, before the protest could begin, security forces arrived at the square. Individuals holding placards and banners in support of Karabakh were violently attacked and beaten by plainclothes police officers. Several protestors were arrested by the security forces, but were later freed with the help of other demonstrators. One hour after being dispersed, the protest resumed, with participants chanting, “Karabakh is ours, it will be ours.” The protest was again dispersed by security forces, resulting in the arrests of several individuals, including Akbar Karabakhi and Majid Karimi.[56]

Urmia

On October 1, protests were organized on Imam and Atayi Streets in Urmia. These protests were also disrupted by security forces, leading to the arrests of Hushang Naqizadeh, Amir Govhari, Sahand Behnamun, Reza Khalili, Javad Rezayi, Ashkan Saadatmehr, and Abulfazl Asghari. Some of these individuals were later temporarily released. On November 22, activists Younes Shirzad Javan, Ramin Khoda Bakhsh, Salar Tahir Afshar, Sahand Behnamun, Husniya Intikhabi Hansenlui, Ramin Dehqan, Irfan Mehdi Khanli Saatlu, Amir Izzati Heyderlu, Farhad Mohammadi, Javad Rizayi, and others were summoned to the 8th branch of the Urmia General and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office.

Azerbaijani soldiers hoisting the Azerbaijani flag on the Khudafarin Bridge after liberating it from occupation.

Khudaferin

On October 18, 2020, the town of Khudaferin was liberated from Armenian occupation by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. Subsequently, videos circulated on social media showing Southern Azerbaijanis living in the Khudaferin region cheering for the Azerbaijani soldiers. The gathered people applauded the soldiers and chanted slogans such as “May those who don’t want a united Azerbaijan go blind” and “Long live Azerbaijan.” The soldiers also supported the people’s chants.[57] In the following days, the police and security forces prohibited people from going to the riverside.

Later, the “Imam Zaman” mechanized brigade was deployed to the Khudaferin region.[58] On October 24, Mohammad Pakpour, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ground forces, visited the area and announced that the brigade had been stationed there to protect the residents and the borders of the Khudaferin region.[59] However, the military exercises along the Azerbaijan border and the deployment of the brigade during the war were met with resistance from local residents.[60]

Vugar Nemat, a national activist from Karadagh, was arrested by ETTELAAT forces in Kaleybar city on October 30 after giving an interview to the Azerbaijani service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. In the interview, he stated that Southern Azerbaijanis were joyfully following the battles and the advances of the Azerbaijani army.[61]

Other Regions

On October 1, a support rally for Azerbaijan began at Imam Hossein Square and 17 Shahrivar Street in Tehran.[62] Participants raised the Azerbaijani flag and chanted slogans such as “Supporting Armenia is a crime,” “Norduz must be closed,” “Long live Azerbaijan,” “Karabakh, dear Karabakh, I sacrifice myself for you, Karabakh,” and “Karabakh is ours, it will be ours.”[63]

In the Khiyav and Mughan regions, Vahid Khavandi, Siamak Seyfi, Kazim Safabakhsh, Mehdi Ibadullahi, Shahruz Hemmatoglu, and Peyman Aghayi were detained during support rallies.

On October 4, Saeed Soltani and Babak Kiumarsi were arrested in the city of Julfa. They were held in ETTELAAT’s (Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence) detention center in Tabriz for over two months and were later transferred to Tabriz prison. Both were sentenced to two years in prison by the 3rd Branch of Tabriz Revolutionary Court in December 2021, under Article 499 of the Iranian Penal Code, for “membership in illegal groups aimed at disrupting national security.”

In front of Aydin Hilali’s shop, Nadarli village.

In October, Aydin Hilali hung a banner on his shop in Nadarlu village that read, “Karabakh is ours, it will be ours!” Following this, his shop was closed by the public security division of the Iranian police. Morteza Nurmohammadi and Hossein Amani were summoned to the intelligence department of the Iranian police in connection with the banner.[64]

A few days before October 18, calls for a protest titled “Stop Supporting Armenian Terrorists!” were circulated. The call included the locations and times for the protest, with organizers demanding the closure of the Norduz border crossing and an end to Iran’s support for Armenia.[65]

On October 18, a support rally for the Azerbaijani army was held in Rasht, in front of the Gilan Province Islamic Culture and Guidance Administration. Participants held a banner that read, “We are not supporters of Azerbaijan; we are Azerbaijanis.”[66] Subsequently, Vadud Asadi, Mohammad Eyni, and Ibrahim Ganji were arrested. Mohammad Eyni was sentenced to a total of 2 years and 7 months in prison on charges of “propaganda against the system” and “activities against national security.”

Declarations of Support for Azerbaijan

On September 27, the South Azerbaijan Democratic Turkic Union (GADTB) issued a statement supporting the Azerbaijani army’s anti-terror operations to liberate occupied territories, considering it a legitimate action in accordance with international law. They expressed their solidarity with the Azerbaijani state and military.[67]

On October 1, 100 Azerbaijani filmmakers in Iran issued a statement condemning Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan and supporting the liberation of Karabakh by the Azerbaijani army.[68]

Southern Azerbaijanis supporting Azerbaijan, at the grave of Hasan Demirchi, Tabriz, “Vadi Rahmat” cemetery.

Those arrested for supporting Azerbaijan were accused by security forces of espionage and collaboration in favor of Azerbaijan. As a protest, on October 1, people launched a campaign titled “We are Azerbaijan!” Participants took photos holding banners that read, “We are not supporters of Azerbaijan; we are Azerbaijan,” and shared them on social media.[69] Thousands of citizens joined this campaign.[70]

On October 1, national, cultural, political, and social activists of the Qashqai Turks issued a joint statement condemning Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan and supporting the Azerbaijani army’s operations to liberate occupied territories. They declared their readiness to fight for the liberation of Azerbaijani lands.[71]

On October 3, Amnesty International expressed concern about the condition of 20 Turkic activists detained in Ardabil on the first day of protests, including Asghar Akbarzadeh, Murtaza Parvin, Mustafa Parvin, Mohammad Jolani, Meysam Jolani, and Ali Kheirjoo.[72]

On October 3, 669 Turkic poets, writers, and scholars in Iran, organized by the South Azerbaijan Writers’ and Poets’ Union, issued a statement supporting Azerbaijan. They demanded the unconditional liberation of Karabakh from Armenian occupation.[73]

In October, a group of South Azerbaijani feminists issued a statement regarding the Karabakh conflict. They condemned the war and demanded the implementation of UN resolutions and an end to the occupation to ensure peace.[74]

On October 6, the Azerbaijani Student Movement in South Azerbaijan issued a statement of support for Azerbaijan. Various student organizations, journals, and associations from universities in cities such as Tabriz, Hamadan, Urmia, Gilan, Zanjan, Ardabil, and Tehran signed this statement.[75]

Support for Those Arrested

In August 2020, members of the Azerbaijani diaspora in the United States held a protest in front of the office building representing the interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Washington, D.C. They issued a statement condemning the increasing pressure by the Iranian government on national activists defending the rights of Azerbaijanis in Iran. Furthermore, the national activists demanded the release of Dr. Latif Hasanli, Abbas Lisani, Alireza Farshi, Behnam Sheikhi, Hamid Manafi Nadarlı, and others detained for participating in rallies in various cities supporting the Republic of Azerbaijan in July 2020, including Yasaman Zaferi, Hakimeh Ahmadi, Sedullah and Rahim Sasanian, Hamid Jabbarli, Maqsud Fazli, and others.[76]

In several regions, slogans were written on walls protesting the arrests during the support rallies for Karabakh. In Ardabil, slogans such as “Free Azerbaijani artists and political activists” and “Free activists supporting Karabakh” were written on walls.[77]

On October 14, 2021, human rights defenders living in the Republic of Azerbaijan appealed to the UN Human Rights Committee, Amnesty International, and Iran regarding the arrests of South Azerbaijani activists. They expressed serious concerns and demanded the immediate release of the activists, condemning the use of physical violence, torture, and inhumane treatment by security forces against the detainees as a violation of human rights.[78]

After the War

After the war, South Azerbaijanis held victory marches in various cities to celebrate the restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, distributed sweets, and sacrificed animals. Some of these events were accompanied by music and dance. However, Iranian security forces obstructed these events, arresting some participants and threatening others with arrest. They restricted access to central squares in cities such as Tabriz, Ardabil, and Urmia, and deployed special police forces to these areas.[79]

Following the news of the liberation of Shusha, sweets were distributed on Khayyam and Imam Streets in central Urmia. Tables with sweets and drinks were set up in front of shops. In the evening, fireworks were set off in the “Parke-jangali” park in Urmia, as well as in Goshachai, Tabriz, and several other regions to celebrate the victory.[80]

In the city of Maku, Azerbaijanis held a car rally through the streets, waving Azerbaijani flags and shouting slogans.[81] Ali Huseynnejad Asli, a resident of Maku, was arrested on November 12 by ETTELAAT officers who raided his clothing store because he had distributed sweets to celebrate the liberation of Shusha.[82] In the city of Sarab, Firuz Aqili and Babak Delkhuni were arrested for sacrificing animals to celebrate the liberation of Karabakh.[83]

In November 2020, Ogtay Lisani, the son of Abbas Lisani, was accused of “disturbing public opinion” by the Ardabil Public Catering Establishments Supervision Department for distributing sweets to celebrate the liberation of Shusha. His shop in the Ardabil bazaar was closed, and he was prohibited from continuing his business there.[84]

In Tikantape, officials from the Public Catering Establishments Supervision Department disrupted a citizens’ celebration event. Three teenagers, 16-year-old Amir Reza Muradi Pehlavan, 16-year-old Hossein Sadri, and 15-year-old Ali Sadri, were arrested. Later, security forces also arrested Majid Zahedpur, Saeb Nahavandi Tikantape, and Abdullah Gulami, three national cultural activists who participated in the event. They were detained for several hours and released, with a warning that they would be arrested again if they shared videos of their celebration of Karabakh’s liberation and the national slogans they chanted.[85]

In Elgolu Park, Tabriz, Azerbaijani flags hung by city residents in celebration of Azerbaijan’s victory.

Closing Remarks

Monitoring of arrest reports suggests that during 2020, nearly 300 Azerbaijanis were arrested in actions aimed at supporting Azerbaijan and protesting against Iran and Armenia. Those detained included not only participants in protests but also individuals who sacrificed animals, distributed sweets, or set off fireworks in celebration of Azerbaijan’s victory. Among those arrested were women, elderly individuals, teenagers, and persons with disabilities. In some cases, women were detained alongside their children; for instance, in Tabriz, Fatma Ibrahimzade was arrested in front of her 13-year-old daughter, Kowsar Nemati, and subjected to torture.[86] Upon arrest and during detention, many detainees were reportedly subjected to beatings and pressure. Additionally, it should be noted that in some instances, individuals refrained from disclosing their arrests to their families either due to pressure from security forces, concerns about future life in the country, or fear of losing their jobs if their names were published on any website or in any report. Consequently, their families often remain uninformed about their whereabouts. Under pressure from South Azerbaijanis, military Kamaz trucks destined for Armenia were detained at the border by Iran for a certain period and were not released to Armenia until the end of the war. However, during this period, military cargoes were delivered to Armenia within a few days before the situation was clarified. The exact contents of these cargoes remain unknown, but Iranian officials confirmed that these trucks were indeed military. There is no information available regarding how many military cargoes crossed into Armenian territory during this period.

In March 2021, journalist Parviz Yari noted in an interview that a total of 242 Turkic activists were arrested during and after the period of actions in 2020..[87]

Among the detainees were also women. Some participants in the protests were also sentenced to lashes. According to human rights defenders Jaleh Tabrizi and Shahin Khiyavli, the courts’ intention in issuing these sentences was to denigrate the honor of national activists.

The objective of writing this article is to illustrate the solidarity of our compatriots during those challenging times. Even I, who follow news related to South Azerbaijan daily, sometimes forget the events of that period. I hope this article will serve as a record not only for those who are aware of the issue but also for those who are not. Let us not forget the hardships faced by our compatriots and recognize that one day they will need our support as well. That day is not far off.