MEDIA RELEASE:
03 March 2023
The communication below informs you of the formation of a South Azerbaijani group, to be known as XXX, to reflect the changing times in South Azerbaijan, the ongoing activismin South Azerbaijan and the mobilization of South Azerbaijani Diaspora.
Owing to the emerging political situation following the protests that took off in autumn/winter 2022, the immediate lesson to be learned is the protection of all rights of South Azerbaijanis and ensuring that their arbitrary treatment by the Iranian State is not lost by the powerful misinformation and disinformation machinery of the Islamic Republic of Iran. To this end, South Azerbaijani Turks living in various Europeancountries have mobilized years of their activism and now are determined to add a new inclusive voice towards bringing South Azerbaijan into the international agenda.
Some 30 million Azerbaijani Turks live in historic Azerbaijan, who make up the compact national population of northwest Iran, and a proportion of them are scattered as ethnic groups in central provinces of Iran. South Azerbaijan is a de facto reference to historic Azerbaijan currently within the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The activism in Europe is well respected and well recognized. The activism of South Azerbaijan has three decades of history behind and now the Group aims to act as a bridge between South Azerbaijani activism and those in democratic countries.
The founding core of the group is more than 200 activists, who are drawn from diaspora activists, as well as from socio-political and cultural professionals. The group launched its 14-articles workplan, approved by a general vote among the Group members on DATE.
After two Zoom meetings and successive discussions, a CoordinationCenter was formed for the implementation of the action.The delivery of the workplan is the responsibility of the Coordination Center with the following sub-groups.
1. Financial Subgroup
2. Logistics Subgroup
3. Media Subgroup
Preparations of the groups for obtaining permission for the action, bringing our compatriots to Brussels, preparing a platform for the tribune, preparing posters and flags, as well as media and advertising issues, continue.
The spokesperson of the Coordination Center for the group are elected as
Ms. Sharifa JAFARI and Mr. Saleh KAMRANI.All announcements related to the rally will be issuedbyappropriate spokespersons.
In this communication we take to the opportunity to announce the first rally in two steps:
Step 1: Now. rally under our flag symbolizing our identity.
Step 2: Communicate the details of the place and time in due course.
The first rally is to be called the FREEDOM AND JUSTICE RALLY. The very title is an echo from the motto of South Azerbaijani protesters, which emerged spontaneously from an anonymous woman protester in Urmia, a South Azerbaijani provincial capital. Now, the first rally on the way is focused on a set of slogans including:
• Freedom, Justice,National Statehood.
• Woman, Life, Freedom.
• Queer, Life, Freedom.
• Stop Racism, Stop Discrimination in Iran
• Sepah is a Terrorist Organization.
• No to Monarchy, No to Theocracy.
• People’s Will Terminated Pahlavi, Long Live Republicanism.
• Theocracy: Never Again.
• Lake UrmiaInspires Azerbaijan, Iran Conspires Lake Urmia.
For more information: Members of the media, institutions or organizations, please contact the spokespersons as:
Mr.Saleh kamrani :0046705973668
Ms.Şərifə cəfəri: 00491776354210
