Swedish Foreign Minister on Azerbaycan Protests

The position of Swedish Foreign Minister on Azerbaycan Protests !

Foreign minister Jan Eliasson’s answer
Answer to questions 2005/06:1814 about the Azerbaijani demonstrations and the rights of the Azerbaijanis in Iran and 1815 about Abbas Lesani and the cultural rights of the Azerbaijanis in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Foreign minister Jan Eliasson:
Alice Åström has asked me two questions concerning the situation of the Azerbaijani population in Iran.
As well as Alice Åström I have been acquainted with reports about disturbances in the Azeri inhabited provinces in Iran. I am deeply worried about the bereavements (deaths), violence and arrestments that have occurred in connection with the demonstrations which followed the publication of some humiliating cartoons in an Iranian newspaper. This year and during last year disturbance has also occurred in other parts of Iran where ethnical minorities constitute local majorities. They as well have in several cases been crushed with outrage. In the Azeri provinces the igniting spark is considered to be the humiliating cartoons.
The situation of the ethnic- and religious minorities in Iran is far from satisfying, be it politically, socially, economically or culturally. The demonstrations in the different provinces could therefore likely bee regarded as a sign of deep discontent over lacking rights.
Sweden, as well as the EU, attaché great importance to the position of minorities. The EU regularly officially comments its worry over the lack of respect for the human rights in Iran by among other things adopting council conclusions during foreign minister meetings. The Swedish embassy, as well as remaining embassies of EU- countries, carefully follows the situation of the human rights in Iran.
I would like to remind about the conclusions from May this year, in which the situation of the minorities was criticized. In this context I would also like to remind that the EU was a co-proposal layer of the resolution which Canada last year put in front of the general assembly of the UN about the human rights in Iran. I welcome that the general assembly decided to bring the question up for further treatment later this year.


I can ensure Alice Åström that the government continuously intends to follow the situation of the Azerbaijanis in Iran with great attention.
http://riksdagen.se/webbnav/index.aspx?nid=71&rm=2005/06&nr=1815
Asked by: Alice Åström Subject: Azeri demonstrations in Iran
Iran is a multi cultural country. The population is compounded by several ethnic groups. One of the largest is the Azerbaijanis. According to official statistics they make up 24% i.e. 17 millions of the total population in Iran, whilst the United Nations estimates the Azerbaijanis to ca 30 millions i.e. ca 40 % of the population in Iran. But Iran’s official language is Persian. The language of the Azerbaijanis is closely related to Turkish and is not indo-European. Despite the fact that the Azeri population make up such a large part of Iran’s population they are exposed to harsh discrimination which among other things can be shown from the treatment of the Azerbaijani political activist and writer Abbas Lesani. Almost a century of oppression and discrimination recently started of furious demonstrations in great parts of Iran. The igniting spark was some humiliating cartoons where the Azerbaijanis were resembled to cockroaches. The regime answered to the demonstrations with brutal violence and accusations of “separatism”. But it is not reasonable to accuse a people who want to keep its dignity and demand its cultural rights to be called separatists. The forces that stir up separatism are governments that violate people’s rights and dignity.
Which initiatives does the council intend to take in order to shed light over the cultural rights of the Azerbaijanis in the UN and other international bodies?
http://riksdagen.se/webbnav/index.aspx?nid=67&dtyp=f&rm=2005/06&nr=1814
Asked by: Alice Åström Subject: The rights of the Azeri population in Iran
In article 19 in the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran it is declared that: “All people of Iran, whatever the ethnic group or tribe to which they belong, enjoy equal rights; and color, race, language, and the like, do not bestow any privilege.” Several different ethnic groups, such as Azerbaijanis, Persians, Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen, Baluchis, Armenians and Assyrians live in Iran. Despite what is stated in the constitution these ethnic groups are not enjoying equal rights. One example of this is how the Iranian judicial system has treated the Azeri political activist and writer Abbas Lesani. He has previously been sentenced for publishing a calendar with among other things quotes from the Iranian constitution in Azeri-Turkish. Now he is accused for separatism for participating in demonstrations against the humiliating cartoons in the Iranian Medias that is insulting towards the Azerbaijani population. In opposition with the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran Abbas Lesani are today living under the threat of being executed. The only thing Lesani has done is to defend his and the Azeri peoples cultural rights in Iran, which he has the right to do according to the


Iranian constitution -not questioning the Iranian state. Thus the accusation of “separatism” lacks grounds.
Which initiatives does the council intend to take to persuade the regime to respect the cultural rights of the Azeri population in the Islamic Republic of Iran?
http://riksdagen.se/webbnav/index.aspx?nid=67&dtyp=f&rm=2005/06&nr=1815