Araz News

Hassan Damirchi Hargoli

Hassan Damirchi Hargalan Azerbaijani Turk cultural activist and founder of Azerbaijani Music School, was announced by the Iranian Intelligence Ministry headquarters that he is banned from foreign travel until further notice. Currently, Mr. Damirchi’s passport is confiscated by the security forces.

According to the reports, despite Damirchi’s requests for getting back his passport to the Tehran Justice Department and the headquarters of the Ministry of intelligence has refused his request.

In recent months, Mr. Damirchi reportedly summoned unlawfully to the headquarters of the Ministry of Intelligence in Tabriz.

Hassan Damirchi’s background:

Author of Azerbaijani Mugham music, founder of Azerbaijani Music School and master of the Azerbaijani Tar.

He has been imprisoned several times by Iranian authority due to his peaceful activities. In one occasion he was sentenced to 6 months in prison on 14, July 2013 by the third branch of the Revolutionary Court in Tabriz.

The list of accusations put forward by the Revolutionary Court against Damirchi are portrayed through the government’s illogical and anti-democratic claims:  Participating in cultural events, within and beyond the country (regarded as political and ethnical meeting), illegally collecting humanitarian to help Azerbaijani victims of Qara Dagh earthquake, meeting with family members of imprisoned Iranian Azerbaijani activists, and teaching music of Azerbaijan without getting permission from cultural authorities.

In 1991, he was the founder of one of the first music schools in Tabriz. This was closed down by Iranian authorities on May 2006. During his fruitful life, he has also been successful in the area of music education. Many music performers and music tutors in Azerbaijan of Iran are his direct pupils and many others consider him as their mentor, indirectly.

Shokrollah Ghahramani

On 24 June 2015 Shokrollah Ghahramani the Azerbaijani Turk civil right activist was arrested in his hometown, Khodafrin then transferred to Ahar city prison, in order to spend 6 months imprisonment. Allegedly he was transferred to Tabriz prison recently.

Previously Mr. Ghahramani was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment in Tabriz revolutionary court on charges of “propaganda against the regime” and banned to teach for 3 months without paying and benefits.

On 22 June 2010 Ghahramani had been arrested by security forces in Kaleybar City, then he was released on bail IRR-220 billion after 122 days detention in the Tabriz intelligence services place of detention and Tabriz prison.

Naghi Ahmadi Azer

On 23 June 2015 Mr. Naghi Ahmadi the Azerbaijani Turk civil right activist was sent to Tabriz prison to spend 5 years imprisonment. He is currently held in Tabriz Central Prison in section 12.

Naghi Ahmadi, was a member of the editorial board of the cultural weekly journal “Shams” which is banned by Iranian authorities. He is an author of several books regarding Azerbaijan history and culture.

Ahmadi was accused by the Tabriz revolutionary court on charges of “espionage for Nakhchivan and Azerbaijan against Iran and Armenia”, “propaganda against regime” and “pistol deal.” to five years in prison and a ten year ban on travel to Azerbaijan.

Previously, he has been arrested on 15 April 2009 and after spending 146 days in custody was released on bail IRR-150 billion from Tabriz prison

He promoted Azerbaijani music and culture within and beyond the borders of the country by musical concerts, attending musical TV shows, song writing and writing about Azerbaijani music theory, and also organizing many cultural events.

Mr. Damirchi who is already a senior, in his seventies is an important figure and played an effective role in organizing people’s humanitarian help for the victims of the earthquake of the Qara Dagh and Varzeghan in 2012.

This report was taken from the Association for the human rights of the Azerbaijani.