Tabriz Intelligence Agents Arrest Abdollah Sadoughi

HRANA- Abdollah Sadoughi, a civil rights activist in Azerbaijan was arrested on January 18, 2010 by the Tabriz intelligence agents.

According to reports from Savalan Sesi (a southern Azerbaijani human rights news website), the intelligence agents harassed and arrested Sadoughi and his brother Hossein Sadoughi in the Nesfeh Rah District of Tabriz. Hossein Sadoughi was released within a few hours. His brother was detained for eleven days.

Abdollah Sadoughi has been accused of printing and distributing anti-regime propaganda posters related to the Tractor Sazi football (soccer) team. His file is in the hands of judge Hashemzadeh, from division 4 of the public prosecutor’s office at the Tabriz Revolutionary Court.

Prior to Sadoughi’s arrest, Negar Printing House was closed by government officials for its involvement in printing the posters. Mohammad Alimoradi, Davood Shiri, and several others were also arrested.

Additionally, all the necessary permissions for printing the posters had already been issued by the authorizing officials.

In recent months, Tractor Sazi football matches have become a platform for Iranian Azeris to protest for greater autonomy as ethnic minorities.