Travel ban from Mahsa Amini’s family
Iran’s oppressive regime banned Mahsa Amini’s family from traveling to France to receive her prestigious Sakharov Prize, which was awarded posthumously. Following this, Fulvio Martusciello, Head of the Forza Italia Delegation and Member of the European Parliament for the EPP Group, asked the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Joseph Borrell, about the plight of women and minorities in Iran and called on him to take a stand on this urgent issue.
The Oppression of Non-Persian Minorities in Iran
Mahsa Amini, who was murdered by the Iranian regime, was of Kurdish descent, and there are many other non-Persian minorities in the country, such as Azerbaijanis, Arabs, Baluchis and Turks. Martusciello emphasized that the Azerbaijani population, the country’s largest minority, is being brutally oppressed by the Iranian regime. The so-called southern Azerbaijanis, who number about 30 million in Iran, are deprived from fundamental rights. Even the exact number of Azerbaijanis living in Iran is unknown, as authorities consider this information too sensitive.
Cultural and identity erasure of Azerbaijanis
The Persian-controlled Iranian government is trying to eradicate the culture and sense of self-determination of the Azerbaijani people and turn them into “Persians.” Simply put, the regime does not recognize their children as citizens of Azerbaijani descent.
Denial of language and National identity
The essence of the national identity and culture of the Azerbaijani people should not exist. Their language has never been recognized as an official language, is not used in official correspondence and the government prohibits its use, study and teaching.
Economic and social discrimination against Azerbaijanis
The poverty rate among Azerbaijanis in Iran is one of the highest. They are underrepresented in key positions. They are not allowed to form their own ideological groups and associations.
Reporting of human rights violations
The EU institutions have been informed about the human rights situation thanks to several important associations from South Azerbaijan and prominent media organizations. They continuously send reports of human rights violations by the IRGC against Azerbaijani activists demanding equal rights. The Iranian regime imprisoned Hamid Yeganapur from Maragha, Arash Johari from Mughan, Peyman Ibrahimi from Tabriz, Alirza Ramezani from Qazvin and many other Azerbaijani activists.
Call to action from EU Parliamentarians
Members of the EU Parliament personally called on Mr Borrell and the EU Parliament as a whole to take a tougher stance against violations in Tehran. They demanded an immediate end to social, ethnic, economic and environmental discrimination against Azerbaijanis and other minorities.
Text Andy Vermaut and Serge Jansen www.westnieuws.be
