Upon their transfer to the City Prison, some of  S. Azerbaijani activists  namely, Mr. Abbas Lesani, Saleh Mollaabbasi, Ibrahim Rashidi, Ibrahim Nuri, Behzad Abdi, Akbar Abolzade and Abbas Nazari have signed a joint complaint directed  to the Iranian judicial authorities. The activists have claimed  that they were mistreated and tortured by the security forces  at the Ministry  Intelligence and Security’s  Temporary Detention Center in the city of Ahar,  South Azerbaijan.

The Southern Azerbaijani detainees  complained  that that they  were cursed at, beaten up, kicked, slapped, punched, slammed by their heads on the wall or metal doors, beaten by batons, etc.

In their joint complaint to the District Attorney of the city of Ahar, the activists demanded a full investigation of the joint complaint. They also claimed that they  were forced to sing involuntary confessions.

It has  been reported that these activists  have gone on hunger strike demanding their immediate and unconditional release.

More than 100 Southern Azerbaijani linguistic rights activists were detained on the eve of International Mother language Day (  February 21)  in the city of Ahar, Southern Azerbaijan. Some of the detainees are released on bail; however, many are still  held captive.