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Huseyn Turkelli

Huseyn Turkelli is born on April 1974 in the city of Sarab, South Azerbaijan.

As a university student, he became as one of the leaders of the Turkish Student Movement of the Tabriz University advocating for the right of education in mother language for the South Azerbaijani people.

He is one of the founders and leaders of “Azerbaijan Yeni Birlik Teşkilatı” (Azerbaijan New Union Party). The party has organized many gatherings and protests against the Persian chauvinist regime in the University of Tabriz, Urmia and lead the very first open letter petitions addressed to the parliament and government of Iran demanding the execution of the constitutional right of the south Azerbaijanis to have education in their mother language-Azeri Turkic between the years of 1991-1997.

Turkelli was among the detained leaders of the patriotic movement of Azerbaijan in April 1997 being subjected to torture in the holding center of the intelligence agency charged with “Espionage, Establishing Unlawful organization and demonstrations, and attempt against the National Security of Islamic republic”. He managed to escape to the Republic of Azerbaijan in August 1998 where he continued the struggle against the racist regime of Iran. The news conference he held in Baku, Azerbaijan caused problems in the bilateral relationship between Iran and Azerbaijan. The regime of Tehran demanded his extradition in many occasions; however, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees prevented such an extradition and the government of Azerbaijan refused to submit.

He hosted a radio show “The voice of South” in the Radio Programming of The Radio Free Europe- Radio Liberty- Azadliq Radiosu for over 5 years in which he covered the events and human right violations of the South Azerbaijanis. He became one of the most popular radio hosts and his show was selected as the most popular radio show in the country in 2002.

He was a close advisor to Ebulfez Elchibey,  the leader of Azerbaijan Independence and Liberation Movement and the former president of Azerbaijan. Turkelli was Central Council Member of the Whole Union of Azerbaijan founded and lead by the Ex-President Elchibey. He was the chairperson of the Advocacy Group for South Azerbaijani political Prisoners, which lead a month long hunger strike in Baku, drawing international attention to the cause of South Azerbaijanis.

Turkelli also was one of the founders and leaders of the South Azerbaijan national Awakening Movement in 2001 along with Mahmoud Chehreganli, Latif Hasani (Araz), Yurush Mehralibeyli, Mahmoud Bilgin. Turkelli was the head of Baku organization and then Chairman of the North American Organization of SANAM until 2007. He stepped down due to mismanagement of the organization by the SANAM leader Chehreganli that erupted allegations in the media.

In an attempt to prevent organization from getting divided between him and Chehreganli, Turkelli stepped down from the organization.

However, the SANAM was later divided into two SANAM and NEW SAMAN. New SANAM is being led by Mr. Latif Hasani, who is serving his 11 years prison in Tehran’s “Evin Prison”.

Turkelli is the spokesperson to the South Azerbaijani Advocacy Center, continues his involvement with the struggle for right of self-determination and independence of Azerbaijan, and publishes analysis and articles in the main Azerbaijani media.