Tweet
EU STATEMENT ON HUMAN RIGHTS, FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS AND THE RULE OF LAW IN AZERBAIJAN
AZG DAILY
07-09-2011
On September 1 the European Union issued a statement on human rights,
fundamental freedoms and the rule of law in Azerbaijan. The statement
reads as follows:
"The European Union continues to closely monitor the situation of
human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law in Azerbaijan.
We would like to express our concern about the recent demolition
of houses and the expropriation of property in the Baku area. In
particular, the EU is worried by the demolition on 11 August 2011 of
the Institute for Peace and Democracy's office in Baku. The issue has
been aggravated by the fact that the destruction took place in spite
of a valid Court Judgement of 24 May 2011. We call on Azerbaijan
to thoroughly investigate this case and to honour respective legal
provisions in the domain of property rights. The EU will monitor
developments related to property rights in Azerbaijan and offers its
co-operation to discuss the best international practices that can be
used in this area.
The EU also remains concerned about the situation of political
prisoners in Azerbaijan. We have been alerted by the fact that on
25 August 2011, six citizens of Azerbaijan have been sentenced to
prison terms between 18 months and three years on the basis of their
participation in demonstrations that took place on 2 April 2011 in
Baku. Eight more defendants are awaiting trial. We take note that human
rights defender Mr Vidadi Iskenderov has been sentenced to three-year
imprisonment on 26 August and that he will appeal the verdict on the
basis that court proceedings in his case did not comply with fair
trial standards.
In this context, the EU calls on the Azerbaijani judiciary to
ensure fair, transparent and evidence-based trials, including
appeal processes. We call upon the Azerbaijani authorities to avoid
politicisation of the judicial process and to ensure that it is
respected. Moreover, recalling our statement of 19 May 2011, we are
concerned about the situation of the now imprisoned youth activists and
bloggers Bakhtiyar Hajiyev and Jabbar Savalan. We regret that on 15
August the Azerbaijani Ministry of Justice denied the German Federal
Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid
visiting Azerbaijan access to Mr Hajiyev. The
EU is also disappointed to learn that the appeal courts in the cases
of both Hajiyev and Savalan have ruled to uphold the imprisonment
sentences. We welcome the intervention of the Representative on
Freedom of the Media in these two cases.
The EU expects Azerbaijan to fulfil its international obligations in
the field of human rights, including those stemming from the European
Convention on Human Rights. We call on the government of Azerbaijan to
extend an invitation to the Rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe on Political Prisoners.
Finally, stressing that full respect for human rights, fundamental
freedoms and the rule of law is at the heart of the OSCE commitments,
as well as of the framework for co-operation within the Eastern
Partnership, we remain committed to assisting Azerbaijan in fulfilling
its respective commitments, particularly those assumed within the
OSCE framework. The EU invites Azerbaijan to provide updates on
developments with regard to all the matters we have raised today."
AZG DAILY
07-09-2011
On September 1 the European Union issued a statement on human rights,
fundamental freedoms and the rule of law in Azerbaijan. The statement
reads as follows:
"The European Union continues to closely monitor the situation of
human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law in Azerbaijan.
We would like to express our concern about the recent demolition
of houses and the expropriation of property in the Baku area. In
particular, the EU is worried by the demolition on 11 August 2011 of
the Institute for Peace and Democracy's office in Baku. The issue has
been aggravated by the fact that the destruction took place in spite
of a valid Court Judgement of 24 May 2011. We call on Azerbaijan
to thoroughly investigate this case and to honour respective legal
provisions in the domain of property rights. The EU will monitor
developments related to property rights in Azerbaijan and offers its
co-operation to discuss the best international practices that can be
used in this area.
The EU also remains concerned about the situation of political
prisoners in Azerbaijan. We have been alerted by the fact that on
25 August 2011, six citizens of Azerbaijan have been sentenced to
prison terms between 18 months and three years on the basis of their
participation in demonstrations that took place on 2 April 2011 in
Baku. Eight more defendants are awaiting trial. We take note that human
rights defender Mr Vidadi Iskenderov has been sentenced to three-year
imprisonment on 26 August and that he will appeal the verdict on the
basis that court proceedings in his case did not comply with fair
trial standards.
In this context, the EU calls on the Azerbaijani judiciary to
ensure fair, transparent and evidence-based trials, including
appeal processes. We call upon the Azerbaijani authorities to avoid
politicisation of the judicial process and to ensure that it is
respected. Moreover, recalling our statement of 19 May 2011, we are
concerned about the situation of the now imprisoned youth activists and
bloggers Bakhtiyar Hajiyev and Jabbar Savalan. We regret that on 15
August the Azerbaijani Ministry of Justice denied the German Federal
Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid
visiting Azerbaijan access to Mr Hajiyev. The
EU is also disappointed to learn that the appeal courts in the cases
of both Hajiyev and Savalan have ruled to uphold the imprisonment
sentences. We welcome the intervention of the Representative on
Freedom of the Media in these two cases.
The EU expects Azerbaijan to fulfil its international obligations in
the field of human rights, including those stemming from the European
Convention on Human Rights. We call on the government of Azerbaijan to
extend an invitation to the Rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe on Political Prisoners.
Finally, stressing that full respect for human rights, fundamental
freedoms and the rule of law is at the heart of the OSCE commitments,
as well as of the framework for co-operation within the Eastern
Partnership, we remain committed to assisting Azerbaijan in fulfilling
its respective commitments, particularly those assumed within the
OSCE framework. The EU invites Azerbaijan to provide updates on
developments with regard to all the matters we have raised today."