Azeri protests in Iran (2015)

2015 Azerbaijanis protests in Iran
Date 9 November 2015 – 11 November 2015
Location  Iran
Caused by 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
Resulted in 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 (Persian: جنجال برنامه فیتیله lit. Controversy of Fitilieh programme) started on 9 November 2015 after children's television programme Fitileh aired on 6 November on local state TV that protesters believed it ridiculed the Azerbaijanis.

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, after 12 years of airing.[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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