Iran: Execution Of Five Azerbaijanis Condemned By ADAPP

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Iran: Execution Of Five Azerbaijanis Condemned By ADAPP
by Savalan
18-Oct-2011
 

Five Iranian Azerbaijanis,  Jamal Shaikhzade, Farhad Islamdust, Muhammad Jangali, Dehqan Salamat and Riza Alipour were executed on 10 October, the World Day Against the Death Penalty, in the central prison of Urmia, Azerbaijan, Iran. These individuals were convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to death after an unfair trial process largely based on confessions extracted under torture and documents allegedly prepared by the Ministry of Intelligence and National Security of Iran.

Three of these five executed individuals, Jamal Shaikhzade, Farhad Islamdust and Muhammad Jangali were residents of ‘Isti Su’ Village and members of the Iranian Azerbaijani Sunni minority commonly referred as ‘Sunni Turk’ or ‘Kuresunni’ by local people. These three executed Azerbaijani Sunnis were arrested in October 2009 in the city of Urmia and transferred to the central prison, where, according to their families, they were subjected to severe psychological and physical torture under interrogation, According to ADAPP’s reliable sources, at least one of the executed individuals, the 30-year-old driver assistant, Jamal Shaikhzade may have been innocent.

Additionally, at least three other Azerbaijani Sunni minority members, Yusuf Islamdust from the Isti Su Village in the city of Salmas, and Allahverdi Ahmadpurazer and Ahmad Jamshid Jam from the towns of Qulunju and Balov in Urmia are in imminent danger of execution.

As a result of the above executions, the family of Yusuf Islamdust is deeply concerned about the life of their son, whom they believe is innocent. According to Mahmud Islamdust, Yusuf’s father who spoke to ADAPP, his son has never accepted the accusation of drug trafficking. Ahmad Islamdust said, “My son is innocent. Although we had been told by the Judge that Yusuf will be sentenced to six or seven months in prison, the Ministry of Intelligence has asked for his death. My son had been severely tortured in the Ministry of Intelligence for about 50 days." He also added, “Here, no one hears Kuresunnis’ voice. I hope our voice will be heard by the international community.”

The family of Allahverdi Ahmadpurazer is worried about him. They were told that Allahverdi was transferred to the quarantine ward of Urmia prison.

The Sunni Muslims are a religious minority in the Shia dominated Iran. The Sunni Azerbaijanis mainly live in the cities of Urmia, Salmas, Khoy and Maku in Iran’s West Azerbaijan province. Discrimination against the Sunni Azerbaijanis by the Iranian government is evidenced in their lack of opportunity to complete higher education, their being prevented from establishing religious schools and non-governmental organizations or associations and their difficulties obtaining state positions. Moreover, the Iranian officials impose financial hardship on Sunni farmers by redirecting water supplies away from their villages and thus exposing their farms to water shortages. In general, the Sunni Azerbaijanis claim that they have been experiencing discrimination in the Iranian justice system by receiving relatively heavier sentences most of the times.

The Association for the Defence of Azerbaijani Political Prisoners in Iran (ADAPP) calls on the Iranian authorities to stop the execution of Sunni Azerbaijanis, as well as other Iranian ethnic and religious minorities, who are sentenced to death in unfair trials based on the confessions obtained under torture. ADAPP also urges the Iranian government to allow the Sunni community the freedom to fully engage in religious, political and social activities, and to end education and job discrimination against the Sunni Azerbaijanis and other ethnic-religious minorities in the Iranian Azerbaijan provinces, as well as the entire country.

Association for Defence of Azerbaijani Political Prisoners in Iran (ADAPP)
Alirza Quluncu
Researcher & Communication Director
Vancouver, Canada

For further information, please contact:
info.adapp@gmail.com
www.adapp.info

Balatarin
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more from Savalan
 
Anonymous Observer

More Iranian victims of the IR!

by Anonymous Observer on Thu Oct 20, 2011 08:57 PM PDT

Thank you for bringing their plight to the world's attention.  But as COP said below, these are Iranians, regardless of which part of Iran they came from.  We are all in this together.


  •  
divaneh

Thanks Savalan

by divaneh on Thu Oct 20, 2011 06:23 PM PDT

 

Thank you for
highlighting the plight of these victims of the system and the injustice that
they suffered.  I also support the "end executions" campaign.

It is highly likely that they execute political prisoners with the
libel of being drug traffickers. At the same time, the harm to the society from
thieving Molas and Bacheh Molas who invest in Canadian properties is by far greater
than drug dealers. Those stolen money could reduce drug abuse, prostitution,
and a string of other crimes that are linked to poverty.

I am sure a united opposition can end the tyranny and create an
Iran where all Iranians have their national and local aspirations met in line with the good
of a free and diverse Iran.

 


  •  
Abarmard

who died and made you spokesman for the uninformed...

by Abarmard on Thu Oct 20, 2011 05:27 PM PDT

"who died and made you spokesman for the uninformed, innocent and disenchanted masses?"

? 


  •  
Veiled Prophet of Khorasan

Fatollah

by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Thu Oct 20, 2011 04:05 PM PDT

 

My user name is a historical character also known as Muquanna. Not sure if you know about him or not. My family is from all over Iran. I have many from Azarbayjan. Some Lor; some Khorasani.

As for who is Iranian that is obvious: all the people who are Iranian citizens. It is not me or Abarmard defining it. Who do I have to be to state the obvious anyway? If you are entitled to an Iranian national id and passport you are an Iranian period.

Please let me know what you are objecting to. I must be missing the point. Whether I am 20 % or 40% or 60% Khorasani is not the issue. I have a big family with some from Azarbayjan region of Iran. I am telling you what they told me.


  •  
Fatollah

...

by Fatollah on Thu Oct 20, 2011 01:05 PM PDT

usually don't comment on Savalan's blogs, but what bugs me is those who think have a God given right to decide who's Iranian and who's not! or what not whenever suits them!

I don't particularly agree with Savalan, neither do I agree with the rest of you commenters.

Ohh, let me add, there are those who hail from Khorasan and are not afraid to call and refer to themselves Khorasani's. But, hey Azari? whatever that is!

And Abarmard who died and made you spokesman for the uninformed, innocent and disenchanted masses? people can think for themselves.

 


  •  
Veiled Prophet of Khorasan

Abarmard well said

by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:39 AM PDT

 

I agree 100%. Shame on people who deliberately twist our words. Those who try to divide us. What is an "Iranian Turk" anyway? I have many relatives from Azarbayjan. They are Iranian and say it. 

Not one ever said they were Turk. Iranians of Azarbayjan suffer as do all other Iranians. If we let the dividers get their way there will be a huge blood bath. Remember Yugoslavia no! May Armenian; Kurd; Azarbayjani be together in peace.

If the dividers got their way they will be killing each other. Who benefits I tell you who! The foreign powers such as Mossad who are stirring up the pot right now. Then in time it will boomerang back on them as Taliban did on America.


  •  
Abarmard

And add

by Abarmard on Thu Oct 20, 2011 08:54 AM PDT

Shame on those who take advantage of other people's suffering for their own limited gains. 


Shame on those who have access to free internet, libraries, books, and historical documents and prefer to remain blind to dangers of separatists who are there to take advantage of plights of innocent people.


Shame on those who shrink the greater fight against dictatorship to smaller units that would only benefit small groups of people rather than entire nation


Shame on those who provide hate and anger towards unified people rather than unifying people for those who deserve anger and hate.


Shame on those who print data without providing any background, information, and situation leading to an event.


Shame on those who assume readers are stupid and uninformed by sensationalizing a possible fight against atrocities of a regime.


Shame on those who separate people.


Shame on those who make a few people on this site divided rather than unified for a greater cause.

 


  •  
Roozbeh_Gilani

Shame on the Islamist Regime of Iran

by Roozbeh_Gilani on Thu Oct 20, 2011 08:23 AM PDT

for torturing, raping and killing Iranians of all genders, ethnicities, religion and political beliefs.

 Shame on those who still go on trying to justify these acts of barbarism committed upon our people by these thieving Islamist fascists in the name of "god".

Shame on the leaders of the "Free World" for standing by watching these murders of Iranian peoploe by the Islamist regime, for the sake of free flow of Oil....

Thank you savlan for writing about this. 

"Personal business must yield to collective interest."


  •  
simitenbiri

Defending fellow Iranians

by simitenbiri on Thu Oct 20, 2011 07:49 AM PDT

 

 

Savalan,
Thank you for bringing up this news and other related issues here to
be discussed.  

So sad to see that many of our fellow Iranians
have no sympathy to any Iranian who is not affiliating with their
ideological or political views.  These people when talking about
Iran, they are thinking of the actual land and not the people on it.
United Iran that our so modest "superman" is talking about
is a giant land to be possessed by his Aryan race.

It appears one has no right to even mention the ethnicity of those who lost their lives for their beleives! 

Now you are expected to defend these 5 executed activists, against people
who hide behind their keyboards.  

Political Islam has been trying to take us 1400 years back to pure Islam, these
ultra nationalists are suggesting to return to 500 BC. Interestingly
they have not much to say or fight for, except in the virtual
world.

Iranian Turks be it Azerbaijani , Khorasani or Qashqai know
their ethnicity, and its power. Democratic Iran has to consider this
political force otherwise would not be.

 

 

 


  •  
Veiled Prophet of Khorasan

Abarmard & COP

by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Thu Oct 20, 2011 05:35 AM PDT

 

This person is trying to divide Iranian people by their regions. He always plays the race thing. It is nothing new and I would not publish his *** if I were the admin. They are IRANIANS not "Azeri" whatever that is.

This fake identity was made up by Soviet Union to break Iran. Then after the fall a group of brain washed ideologues have remained. They still dream of breaking Iran. My solution is very simple.

The so called "Republic of Azarbayjan" should dissolve. The Armenians regions go to Armenia and the rest which is the far bigger part to Iran. That will once forever end this nonsense and be done with it. 


  •  
Abarmard

Gaining points from misfortune of others

by Abarmard on Thu Oct 20, 2011 04:42 AM PDT

Why mention specifically their ethnicity? Five Iranians were executed. The format is carefully engineered for creating divide among single nation of Iran.

The article fails to provide smallest reasoning or background as to why these were "political" rather than drug traffickers? What was their activity if not drug trafficking? Why "THEM" were captured and not their neighbors who according to article could also be "Sunni". since many of them "sunnis" live in that area!

The only repeated word is that some were Sunni Azeri!

Seems like an organization that wants to gain points from misfortune of some poor criminals.


  •  
Cost-of-Progress

I am sorry

by Cost-of-Progress on Wed Oct 19, 2011 10:09 AM PDT

for these I R A N I A N S and their families.

I hope for a united Iran free of any separatist aspirations as the only way to remain strong is to remain as one.

____________

IRAN FIRST

____________


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