MAHMUD BILGIN CALLS ON PEOPLE NOT TO REMAIN INDIFFERENT TO SITUATION IN SOUTH AZERBAIJAN

At today's press conference at IRFS the chairman of the South Azerbaijani Democrat Party, Mahmud Bilgin, said, "The purpose of this visit to Azerbaijan is to bring up human rights issues and the situation around Lake Urmia,"

During a 10-day visit to Azerbaijan, organized by the United Azerbaijan Youth Organization, he met with political parties, Mass Media representatives, public figures, and youth, and also visited Ganja." I was told that I am the first activist of the national-freedom movement in South Azerbaijan who has visited Gandja and I was proud of it," Bilgin said.

He spoke about developments around Lake Urmia, saying that, "If no steps are taken, in 3 years lake Urmia will completely dry out, causing an ecological disaster. The wind will spread 10 billion tons of salt over a region home to 15 million people, and they will have to leave their homes. We call on everyone to not allow the drying of Urmia". He also said that those protesting the drying out of the lake are still being persecuted.

Hakim Sadigov, one of the United Azerbaijan Organization activists, said that even before the protests began, 30 people were arrested in Tabriz, of which 13 are being held in ETTELAAT and 17 in general prisons. On August 27th, 12 people were arrested in Khoy and 4 of them have yet to be released.

Hundreds of activists were arrested in Tabriz and Urmia from Augut 26 until September 2th, and nearly 40 people were detained in Ardabil and Zanjan on September 18th.

Mahnud Bilgin is one of the founders of the National Movement in South Azerbijan. He left Iran in 1988 and has been living in Sweden for the last 24 years. The party that he represents was created in 2008.

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