The statement of the group of political and cultural activists, writers condemning illegal arrests of journalists and persecution of government critics in Iran

Having respect and recognizing basic human rights for all members of human family depends on peace, justice and freedom. As long as a person has not gained all of his/her basic rights, he/she has no choice but to revolt against injustice and oppression. We believe that if laws guarantee rights of all people, no one will use violence as the last resort.

National Movement of Azerbaijan is a movement based on demanding human rights. This Movement demands the recognition of our national identity and culture and the use of our mother language as official language for education in Iran. However, unfortunately, all actives of this Movement who are journalists, intellectuals and human rights actives have been arrested and tortured and sentenced to long imprisonments.

According to recent information, Said Matinpur, an Azerbaijani journalist and human rights activist and 2 other activists; Jalil Qanilu & Behruz Safari who were arrested about 70 days ago in Zanjan, are kept in solitary confinement and are under inquiry and pressure. Even their wives and families are under pressure and in the risk of prosecution. According to the fifth article of Universal Declaration of Human Rights, no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. This issue has been emphasized in the constitution of Islamic Republic of Iran and it clearly states that the use of torture for making someone to confess is forbidden.

Said Matinpur, Jalil Qanilu & Behruz Safari have chosen legal and civil ways for demanding human rights.

Actives and intellectuals of National Movement of Azerbaijan condemn all acts that degrade humanistic prestige of liberal persons. We also demand the release of Said Matinpur, Jalil Qanilu, Behruz Safari and other Political Prisoners in Azerbaijan.


Hidayet Zakir
Kian Safari
Ibrahim Jafarzada
Ismail Javadi
Jabrail Khalili
Ibrahim Rashidi
Asghar Asgarzada
Sefer Ali Khuini
Yaqub Salikinia
Heydar Bayat
Fethullah Zovqi
Nasir Alizada
Asghar Asadi
Mehdi Qaradaghi
Muhammad Abbaspur
Said Mughanli
Atila Kishizada
Mehdi Naimi
Abbas Naimi
Yunus Zareiyyun
Alirza Farshi
Hujjat Qasimlu
Vahid Shikhbaglu
Behnam Turkanpur
Mahmud Fazli
Navid Muhammadi
Yashar Hakkakpur
Hamid Yeganepur
Majid Pajuhfam
Davud Azimzada
Alirza Haqqi
Riza Abbasi
Said Naimi
Davud Khudakarami
Hamid Masudi
Ibrahim Shahbazi
Saleh Kamrani
Alirza Yusifi Sadat
Ahad Dadashi
Alirza Asgharzada
Hasan Rashidi
Akbar Azad
Fakhta Zamani
Changiz Bakhtavar
Mehdi Babai
Babak Bakhtabar
Leila Heidarizad
Farzad Samadli
Takin Maharli (T. Pashapur)
Alirza Javanbakht Qulunju
Saida Islami
Abdullah Abbasэ Javan
Hasan Rahimi
Behruz Alizada
Maharram Kamrani
Asgar Akbarzada
Rasul Kamran Gamichi
Riza Daghistani
Mir Shahram Yuzbashi
Masud Varmazyar