Azeri protests in Iran (2015)

2015 Azerbaijanis protests in Iran
Date 9 November 2015 – 11 November 2015
Location  Iran
Causes The children's program Fitilehha aired an episode on November 6 depicting an ethnic Azeri of Iran brushing his teeth with a toilet brush.
Methods demonstrations, riots, strike actions
Result Fitilehha has been cancelled, the head of the country’s state broadcaster apologized for the episode
Casualties
Death(s) 1 protester[1]

Azerbaijani protests in Iran started on 9 November 2015 after children's television programme Fitileh aired on 6 November on local state TV that ridiculed the accent and language of Azeris and included offensive jokes.

As a result hundreds[2] of ethnic Azeris have protested a program on state television that contained what they considered an ethnic slur. Demonstrations were held in Tabriz, Urmia, Ardabil, and Zanjan, as well as in Tehran and Karaj.[3] Protesters chanted "We are Turks," "Death to Persian racism", "Long live Azerbaijan", "Stop racism against Azeri Turks".[4] Police in Iran have clashed with protesting people, fired tear gas to disperse crowds in several cities and towns in Iranian Azerbaijan, many protesters were arrested.[5] One of the protesters, Ali Akbar Murtaza, reportedly "died of injuries" in Urmia.[1] There were also protests held in front of Iranian embassies in Istanbul and Baku.[6]

The head of the country’s state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) Mohammad Sarafraz apologized for airing the program. The broadcast of Fitilehha was cancelled.[4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Civil protests erupt in Iranian Azerbaijan // Eurasia Daily. — 2015. — 10 November.
  2. ↑ Iran’s ethnic Azeris protest slur on TV program // The Washington Post. — 2015. — 9 November.
  3. ↑ Azerbaijanis hold mass protests in Iran // APA. — 2015. — 9 November.
  4. 1 2 Frud Bezhan. Azeris Hold Protests In Iran Over Racial Slur // Radio Free Europe. — 2015. — 9 November.
  5. ↑ Iran's Azeris protest over offensive TV show // BBC. — 2015. — 9 November.
  6. ↑ "Rage against Iran over ‘inherent racism toward Azeris". DailySabah. Retrieved 2016-02-11.

Sources

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