Chingiz Abdullayev urges to free Azerbaijani poets arrested in Iran

President of PEN-club, Secretary of the Association of Writers of Azerbaijan Chingiz Abdullayev addressed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, the foreign ministries of other countries, representatives of diplomatic corps and PEN clubs in foreign countries on the young poets Farid Huseyn and Shahriyar Del Gerani (Hajizadeh).

According to the appeal, young poets Farid Huseyn and Shahriyar Del Gerani (Hajizade) paid a visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran on 29 April this year to participate in a poetry festival. On 2 May, the above mentioned persons disappeared in the city of Tabriz for unknown reasons. Although some media of Iran claimed that the Azerbaijani poets who disappeared in Tabriz were accused of drug trafficking and spying for Israel, official bodies of this country have not yet reacted to five Notes of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Republic, as well as to numerous addresses from the Azerbaijani side. Not providing the two young men with a lawyer after their disappearance, not making any clarity regarding the condition of their detention and their health, not giving any information about their detention to the Embassy and their families and violation of their rights, and well as not providing conditions to meet them have caused a just concern in the Azerbaijani people, as well as in their parents and relatives. In a period when there is a high need to preserve and promote the respect to human rights and freedoms and high values such as democracy, peace, tolerance, equality, justice and human dignity, this injustice made against the two Azerbaijani youths in Iran and non-provision of their rights, besides being contrary to international law and norms, is an act of rough violation of founding principles of human rights.

The appeal noted that freedom of conscience, respect to human rights and freedoms, as well as living together with all nations of the world in peace and tranquillity by being devoted to universal values and mutual activity to this end are respected principles in Azerbaijan. I call on you to join efforts in order to achieve the release of the two talented young poets, restoration of their rights and their return to the Motherland. Because, the protection and preservation of universal principles such as human rights and freedoms, besides being the main priority of international and non-governmental organizations, as well as states, is a moral duty of each and every person.


/APA/