According to reports, a number of protesters were severely beaten and arrested on October 18 in various cities of South Azerbaijan during protests against the continuation of Iran’s activities with Armenia and the Norduz customs and the supply of weapons to Armenia.
On October 17, Iranian security forces arrested Azerbaijani cultural activists Rasul Razavi, Akbar Muhajiri, Hussein Mohammadian, and Hussein Amir Hijri in Tabriz and took them to an unknown location, ANT reported.
Also, on October 18, during a protest rally in Tabriz demanding the closure of the Norduz border, where weapons and regular military equipment were delivered to Armenia, 10 Azerbaijani cultural activists were beaten by Iranian security forces in front of their children and taken to an unknown location. So far, the identities of two of the Azerbaijani women activists have been identified.
Thus, Sara Turi and Meliha Bargi Sedgiani, along with eight other unidentified women activists, were beaten and arrested. There is no information on the health or detention conditions of the detainees or the charges against them.
Ibrahim Tarajzadeh, Isa Yegana, Ali Haji Mohammadi, Naser Ahmadi, Maharram Karimi, Reza Zarei, and Siamak Kushi were also detained by security forces in Tabriz and taken to unknown places on the same day.
Another cultural activist, Iffat Nikbakht, who lives in Tehran, was detained by security forces on October 18.
On Sunday, Ibrahim Ganji, Aydin Zakeri of Khiavda (Meshginshahr), and Rza Seyid Nuri of Parsabad Mugan were detained by security forces and taken to an unknown location in Rasht.
