On behalf of the Human Rights Center of the South Azerbaijan Republic Party, I am honored to bring the voice of a part of the South Azerbaijani community to this international assembly — an oppressed nation that has faced systematic discrimination, structural violations of fundamental rights, and repression of its national identity in Iran for many years.
Azerbaijani political and human rights activists are being tortured in Iranian prisons for defending their national identity, mother tongue, environment and human rights. Some of them, including Taher Naqavi and Vadood Asadi, have been on hunger strike for nearly a month in protest against illegal detention and deprivation of medical care.
Other Azerbaijani political prisoners include:
- Abbas Lesani
- Ali Kheirju
- Yousuf Kari
- Behzad Dashti
- Abdolaziz Azimi Qadim
- Morteza Parvin
- Mahmoud Ojaqlou
- Ayaz Seifkhah
- Salar Taher Afshar
- Abolfazl Ranjbari
- Araz Aman
- Bagheri Hajizadeh
These individuals are subjected to arbitrary detention, denial of medical care, security pressures, and threats to their national and cultural identity solely for defending their language, identity, and rights — a situation that constitutes a blatant violation of human rights and Iran's international obligations.
The Human Rights Center of the South Azerbaijan Republic Party strongly condemns this systematic repression and human rights violations, and calls upon all international institutions, including Amnesty International and the United Nations Human Rights Council, to:
- Secure the immediate and unconditional release of all Azerbaijani political and national prisoners.
- End linguistic, cultural, and security-based discrimination against the Azerbaijani Turkic people.
- Hold the Iranian regime accountable to fully implement its international obligations, ensure the right to self-determination, protect collective identity, and stop violations of human rights.
The Azerbaijani Turkic people demand justice, equality, and a life of human dignity that is recognized by the United Nations for all human beings, and to which Iran has formally committed.
The Human Rights Center of the South Azerbaijan Republic Party strongly condemns these violations.
Azerbaijani Human Rights Centre, 25 November 2025