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Discontent grows after harsh sentence
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Sept 9 2004
The Nasimi district court's ruling which sentenced six members of the
Garabagh Liberation Organization (GLO), including its leader, to 3 to
5 years in prison following protests on June 22 against the Armenian
officers' visit, has sparked public outcry. President Ilham Aliyev
told journalists during his visit to
Nakhchivan that he was concerned over the ruling of the pressure
group members. "As President, I cannot interfere with the court
ruling. However, as a citizen, I am concerned over the sentence and
believe that it is too harsh for their actions," Aliyev said.
President Aliyev recommended to forward the case to the Court of
Appeals and expressed a hope that the ruling would be reconsidered.
He added that everyone should be 'equal before the law' and that
there is no need to overstate the activity of any particular
organization or idealize anyone. MPs also expressed their concerns
over the imprisonment sentence at the parliament's fall session which
started on Wednesday. Zahid Oruj said that in issuing a ruling on
imprisonment, the judge disregarded the fact that the Azerbaijani
lands are currently under occupation and called on the parliament not
to remain indifferent to the matter. Jahangir Huseynov underlined
that 20 MPs have sent an inquiry to the Prosecutor General concerning
the arrest of the GLO members, but have not received a reply yet. He
also termed two of the three charges against the radical group
members as unlawful. Zeynab Khanlarova, in her turn, demanded to
release the detainees and called on her colleagues to speak out on
the issue. "I also protested against the arrival of Armenians in
Baku," said Speaker Alasgarov, underlining that the parliament has no
authority to express a position on court rulings. MP Ali Karimli,
chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) regarded the
sentence as an insult on those who love Garabagh and fought for its
liberation. The PFPA will continue struggle for the release of the
detainees, he added. A number of intellectuals and politicians, in
their interviews with TV channels and press, regarded the
apprehension of the GLO members as disrespect to the public.
Appeal
The GLO has forwarded the case to the Court of Appeals against the
verdict issued by the Nasimi district court on the organization's
members. The document says that the verdict is biased and the GLO
members must be released. The radical group members are charged with
breaking into the conference hall, disturbing a NATO conference at
the Europe Hotel, blocking the Tbilisi Avenue and clashing with
police.
Ban not to hurt relations with NATO In the wake of the mentioned
sentence, the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) hosted a
roundtable, "Repressions against those who care for Garabagh and
public opinion", on Friday. The party chairman Ali Karimli condemned
the arrest of the GLO members and said that allowing Armenian
officers to visit Azerbaijan represents a policy of surrender. He
stated that Armenia's aggression against Azerbaijan is not creating
any hurdles for this country's cooperation with NATO and that
forbidding the Armenian officers' visit to Baku would not hurt the
NATO-Azerbaijan relations either. Karimli further demanded the
government to put end to such a policy and not to interact with
Armenia in any way until Azerbaijan's occupied territories are
liberated. The PFPA chairman also demanded to ban the visit of
Armenian officers to Baku and release the imprisoned GLO members. He
added that it was important for local media to express a common
national position on the issue.
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Sept 9 2004
The Nasimi district court's ruling which sentenced six members of the
Garabagh Liberation Organization (GLO), including its leader, to 3 to
5 years in prison following protests on June 22 against the Armenian
officers' visit, has sparked public outcry. President Ilham Aliyev
told journalists during his visit to
Nakhchivan that he was concerned over the ruling of the pressure
group members. "As President, I cannot interfere with the court
ruling. However, as a citizen, I am concerned over the sentence and
believe that it is too harsh for their actions," Aliyev said.
President Aliyev recommended to forward the case to the Court of
Appeals and expressed a hope that the ruling would be reconsidered.
He added that everyone should be 'equal before the law' and that
there is no need to overstate the activity of any particular
organization or idealize anyone. MPs also expressed their concerns
over the imprisonment sentence at the parliament's fall session which
started on Wednesday. Zahid Oruj said that in issuing a ruling on
imprisonment, the judge disregarded the fact that the Azerbaijani
lands are currently under occupation and called on the parliament not
to remain indifferent to the matter. Jahangir Huseynov underlined
that 20 MPs have sent an inquiry to the Prosecutor General concerning
the arrest of the GLO members, but have not received a reply yet. He
also termed two of the three charges against the radical group
members as unlawful. Zeynab Khanlarova, in her turn, demanded to
release the detainees and called on her colleagues to speak out on
the issue. "I also protested against the arrival of Armenians in
Baku," said Speaker Alasgarov, underlining that the parliament has no
authority to express a position on court rulings. MP Ali Karimli,
chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) regarded the
sentence as an insult on those who love Garabagh and fought for its
liberation. The PFPA will continue struggle for the release of the
detainees, he added. A number of intellectuals and politicians, in
their interviews with TV channels and press, regarded the
apprehension of the GLO members as disrespect to the public.
Appeal
The GLO has forwarded the case to the Court of Appeals against the
verdict issued by the Nasimi district court on the organization's
members. The document says that the verdict is biased and the GLO
members must be released. The radical group members are charged with
breaking into the conference hall, disturbing a NATO conference at
the Europe Hotel, blocking the Tbilisi Avenue and clashing with
police.
Ban not to hurt relations with NATO In the wake of the mentioned
sentence, the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) hosted a
roundtable, "Repressions against those who care for Garabagh and
public opinion", on Friday. The party chairman Ali Karimli condemned
the arrest of the GLO members and said that allowing Armenian
officers to visit Azerbaijan represents a policy of surrender. He
stated that Armenia's aggression against Azerbaijan is not creating
any hurdles for this country's cooperation with NATO and that
forbidding the Armenian officers' visit to Baku would not hurt the
NATO-Azerbaijan relations either. Karimli further demanded the
government to put end to such a policy and not to interact with
Armenia in any way until Azerbaijan's occupied territories are
liberated. The PFPA chairman also demanded to ban the visit of
Armenian officers to Baku and release the imprisoned GLO members. He
added that it was important for local media to express a common
national position on the issue.