A Letter to the President of Azerbaijan Republic

A Letter from Ali Abdoli, the citizen of Islamic Republic of Iran, Scientist, writer,

 to the President of Azerbaijan Republic,

the Procurator of Azerbaijan Republic,

 the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan Republic, 

to Azerbaijani and international community.

Not long ago the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Procurator of Azerbaijan Republic has spread joint declaration about arrest of Hilal Mammadov. In this declaration they accused me and after it some western media resources made publications under heading as “Iran and Azerbaijan relations strained after new accusations”.

Despite of that I have been limited from the state help since last 30 years and during this period, persons who knows me personally are witnesses of under what conditions I live now. That is why I don’t see any need to defend myself. But the said information can cause some misunderstanding for those who don’t know me closely so I feel to give some information about myself, my job and my activity.

As a citizen of Iran I don’t work in any state enterprise here. As an independent researcher I work in the field of culture during last 40 years. Very unfortunately, the repressive regime of Azerbaijan Republic during the last years took my personality as a target of its anti-Iran policy. As I am known as a researcher of Talysh nation and culture, every time when this regime wants to arrest or destroy some activist or journalist uses and sounds my name and charges me with groundless accusations.

Some day ago the Chief Editor of the newspaper “Tolyshi Sado” Hilal Mammadov was arrested under drug possession charge, which very soon was changed with high treason and I was declared as his co-operator in this indication.

Everyone knows that I work as a researcher of Tat and Talysh nations and cultures and during the period of my activity I have published 18 books and 40 articles in this field. For my activity in 1992 I was awarded with Honored Doctor degree in Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences.

I have a bookstore in the city of Rizvanshehr of Iran and support with income from this bookstore my wife and my workless son.

I am 61 years old; I am very tired and exhausted and have no strength to think anything else.

I love my motherland Iran and I am ready to sacrifice my life for it. And I have never been engaged in any political issue for what I could be accused.

We have friendship relationships with Hilal Mammadov as with any other Talysh culture activist and I am very proud of this friendship. But we never had anything of secret activity between us. The known cooperation never passed the boundaries of research of Talysh culture issues. I had a friendship with the late Novruzali Mammadov also. Unfortunately, the repressive regime killed him for the cooperation with me and now is willing to destroy Hilal Mammadov. Who will be the next, for the God’s sake?!

This regime wants to destroy national minorities in Azerbaijan; especially Talysh minority representatives suffer from this regime most of all. Anyone who wants to move and make anything shall be destroyed by Baku police.

As any free conscientious person I am very concerned about it. But I am not able to change such a bad condition that this regime caused for its ethnic minorities. But I shall not allow my personality to be used as a toy by such a state.

If you want to know information about me you can go to my personal site.www.taleshan.com