Azerbaijani activist persecuted in Iran wants to leave for a third country

Baku/11.12.23/Turan:  Iranian political emigrant Puya Purhemmeti, detained on October 12 while crossing the Azerbaijani border, has been released under house arrest. He himself reported this on December 11 to Turan agency.  He said that he intends to seek closure of the case and travel to a third country, since it is dangerous for him to remain in Azerbaijan.

Pourhemmeti was one of the organizers of a protest in Tabriz on September 29, 2022, in connection with the killing of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini by morality police.

After the protest, he was arrested and tortured. An Iranian court sentenced him to 3 years in prison on charges of organizing anti-government protests. According to the verdict, after his release he cannot leave Iran for another two years. During his detention, he continued to be subjected to severe torture. On October 9, 2023, Puya Pourhemmeti was released on bail. However, immediately after his release, they began to look for him in order to arrest him again. Therefore, on October 12, he arrived at the Azerbaijani border and in the Bilasuvar region, raising a white flag, he surrendered to the Azerbaijani border guards,” the source said.

According to him, Purkhemmeti asked for political asylum in Azerbaijan or travel to a third state that is safe for him.

“We ask the leadership of Azerbaijan not to extradite Puya Purkhemmeti to the Iranian authorities. We ask international organizations, and in particular the UN High Commission for Refugees, to visit Purkhemmeti as soon as possible and help ensure his safety and save his life. Because if Pourhemmeti is returned to Iran, he will face the death penalty,” the source further noted.

In turn, a criminal case was opened against Purkhemmeti in Azerbaijan on charges of violating Art. 318.1 (illegal border crossing) of the Criminal Code. By decision of the Sabail District Court on October 14, a preventive measure was chosen against him in the form of arrest for a period of 2 months. The investigation is being conducted by the State Border Service Investigation Department.

Iranian citizen Pouya Pourhemmeti was born in 1987 in Iranian Julfa. He is registered in the city of Tabriz, has a higher education, and is married.—03B06-