Araz News: Spiritual Father of South Azerbaijani Turks, Prof. Dr. Javad Heyat is buried in Baku, Capital of Republic of Azerbaijan. The funeral ceremony was held in building of Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan today 15^th August. Many prominent figures of Azerbaijani societies from the North and the South and representatives of government of Azerbaijan took part in the funeral ceremony. He is buried in Fakhri cemetery in Baku which is a ceremonial cemetery. Most of prominent and important personalities of Azerbaijan’s history are buried in Fakhri cemetery.

Prof. Dr. Heyat’s family members have informed that their appeal to Iranian authorities to transfer his body to Tabriz and bury him there was not accepted.

People of South Azerbaijan launched campaigns and were making calls on social media demanding transfer of Prof. Dr. Heyat’s body to Tabriz to make his last farewells there.

Iranian government was concerned about huge gathering for the funeral and turning the funeral to anti-government rally.

Prof. Dr. Heyat’s Health Condition’s Pursue Committee’s Head and a close relative of him, Dr. Mohammad Reza Heyat says Prof. Dr. Heyat had stated in his last testament that after pass away he would like to be buried  in Maqbart-Ul-Shuara cemetery in Tabriz beside his old friend prominent poet Shahriyar.

Prof. Dr. Javad Heyat is a widely known heart surgeon and is known as father of the open heart surgery in Iran. He also is a well-known turcologist with dozens of books and articles.

Prof. Dr. Javad Heyat is founder and editorial director of “Varliq” (Existence) journal which is being published since 1979. Varliq, the only Azerbaijani Turkish publication that could survive from severe censorship in Iran have played a key role in protecting Azerbaijani Turkic language, culture and identity in South Azerbaijan.

Prof. Dr. Heyat iş known as spiritual father of South Azerbaijani Turks.