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COUNCIL OF EUROPE ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON AZERBAIJAN'S POLITICAL PRISONERS
http://azerireport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3651&Ite mid=53
June 26, 2012: The Committee of Legal Affairs and Human Rights of
the Council of Europe has adopted today, 26 June 2012, a long-awaited
resolution on political prisoners in Azerbaijan. The resolution calls
upon the Azerbaijani authorities to resolve the more than 80 cases
of political prisoners currently in jail in the country as well as
to ensure that no further arrests are made on politically motivated
charges.
"ARTICLE 19 welcomes this decision by the Council of Europe as crucial
step in recognising that political prisoners exist in Azerbaijan,
something which the authorities in that country have continued to
deny,"says Dr Agnes Callamard, ARTICLE 19's Executive Director.
"The practice of imprisoning persons on politically motivated charges
for exercising their right to freedom of expression cannot continue and
we call on the Azerbaijani authorities to comply with this resolution,
as well as the country's broader obligations as a member state of
the Council of Europe,"she added.
The adopted resolution was drawn from a report by Christoph Strasser,
the Special Rapporteur chosen to follow up on the issue of political
prisoners in Azerbaijan. Since his appointment in 2009, Strasser has
been systematically denied a visa by the Azerbaijani government which
he requires to enter the country to carry out research and meet with
prisoners in fulfillment of his mandate. Such a refusal to cooperate
with a special mandate to this extent is unprecedented at the Council
of Europe.
In the light of this refusal, ARTICLE 19 calls on the Committee
to explore ways to ensure cooperation by states with these special
mandates.
Azerbaijan is bound by the European Convention on Human Rights and
other sources of international law to respect and protect the right
to freedom of expression. However, the Azerbaijani authorities have
failed to fulfil this commitment and frequently violate this right.
Journalists, bloggers, activists and ordinary citizens in Azerbaijan
face harassment, attacks and imprisonment for voicing opinions critical
of the authorities.
There are currently seven journalists, bloggers and civil society
activists imprisoned on politically motivated charges for exercising
their right to freedom of expression. Since the Eurovision Song Contest
was held in the capital Baku in May 2012, when a number of human rights
abuses in Azerbaijan were brought to international attention, there
have also been a number of new arrests and developments, including
the cases of:
Mehman Huseynov, a photographer and journalist with the Institute
for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS) who is viewed by many local
campaigners as "the first victim of Eurovision". Huseynov had been
active with the Sing for Democracy campaign, which used the Eurovision
Song Contest as a platform to promote democracy and human rights on
Azerbaijan. He was released following his detention on hooliganism
charges from 12-13 June 2012 but faces up to five years' imprisonment
as the charges still stand.
Hilal Mammadov, the Editor-In-Chief of the Talysh-language Tolishi
Sedo ('the voice of the Talysh') newspaper, was arrested on charges
of drug possession on 21 June 2012. A previous editor-in-chief of the
newspaper, Novruzali Mammadov, died in prison in 2010 while serving a
10-year sentence on politically motivated charges of high treason. The
Talysh are a minority group who mostly live in the southern region
of Azerbaijan near the Iranian border.
Ilham Amiraslanov, a civil society activist with the Kur Civil Society
group, remains in detention following his arrest on 8June on charges
of possession of arms and ammunition. Amiraslanov has reported that
the weapon was planted on him by police, who had also carried out
acts of torture against him. The Kur Civil Society co-ordinator,
Otgay Gulaliyev, was released on 13 June 2012 after two months in
pre-trial detention on hooliganism charges. Gulaliyev is facing up
to three years in jail as the charges against him still stand.
Avaz Zeynalli, the Editor-In-Chief of Khural newspaper, who is
currently on trial on trumped-up charges of extortion and bribery,
based solely on the unsubstantiated claim by a parliamentary deputy.
He faces up to 12 years in prison if convicted.
Other journalists and activists remaining in detention or jail in
connection with exercising their right to freedom of expression,
include Anar Bayramli, Ramin Bayramov, Vugar Gonagov, Zaur Guliyev,
Ilham Suleymanov, Aydin Janiyev and Taleh Khasmammadov, along with
activist Shahin Hasanli and human rights defender Vidadi Iskenderov who
were arrested during the March and April 2011 pro-democracy protests
in Baku
(Article 19).
From: A. Papazian
http://azerireport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3651&Ite mid=53
June 26, 2012: The Committee of Legal Affairs and Human Rights of
the Council of Europe has adopted today, 26 June 2012, a long-awaited
resolution on political prisoners in Azerbaijan. The resolution calls
upon the Azerbaijani authorities to resolve the more than 80 cases
of political prisoners currently in jail in the country as well as
to ensure that no further arrests are made on politically motivated
charges.
"ARTICLE 19 welcomes this decision by the Council of Europe as crucial
step in recognising that political prisoners exist in Azerbaijan,
something which the authorities in that country have continued to
deny,"says Dr Agnes Callamard, ARTICLE 19's Executive Director.
"The practice of imprisoning persons on politically motivated charges
for exercising their right to freedom of expression cannot continue and
we call on the Azerbaijani authorities to comply with this resolution,
as well as the country's broader obligations as a member state of
the Council of Europe,"she added.
The adopted resolution was drawn from a report by Christoph Strasser,
the Special Rapporteur chosen to follow up on the issue of political
prisoners in Azerbaijan. Since his appointment in 2009, Strasser has
been systematically denied a visa by the Azerbaijani government which
he requires to enter the country to carry out research and meet with
prisoners in fulfillment of his mandate. Such a refusal to cooperate
with a special mandate to this extent is unprecedented at the Council
of Europe.
In the light of this refusal, ARTICLE 19 calls on the Committee
to explore ways to ensure cooperation by states with these special
mandates.
Azerbaijan is bound by the European Convention on Human Rights and
other sources of international law to respect and protect the right
to freedom of expression. However, the Azerbaijani authorities have
failed to fulfil this commitment and frequently violate this right.
Journalists, bloggers, activists and ordinary citizens in Azerbaijan
face harassment, attacks and imprisonment for voicing opinions critical
of the authorities.
There are currently seven journalists, bloggers and civil society
activists imprisoned on politically motivated charges for exercising
their right to freedom of expression. Since the Eurovision Song Contest
was held in the capital Baku in May 2012, when a number of human rights
abuses in Azerbaijan were brought to international attention, there
have also been a number of new arrests and developments, including
the cases of:
Mehman Huseynov, a photographer and journalist with the Institute
for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS) who is viewed by many local
campaigners as "the first victim of Eurovision". Huseynov had been
active with the Sing for Democracy campaign, which used the Eurovision
Song Contest as a platform to promote democracy and human rights on
Azerbaijan. He was released following his detention on hooliganism
charges from 12-13 June 2012 but faces up to five years' imprisonment
as the charges still stand.
Hilal Mammadov, the Editor-In-Chief of the Talysh-language Tolishi
Sedo ('the voice of the Talysh') newspaper, was arrested on charges
of drug possession on 21 June 2012. A previous editor-in-chief of the
newspaper, Novruzali Mammadov, died in prison in 2010 while serving a
10-year sentence on politically motivated charges of high treason. The
Talysh are a minority group who mostly live in the southern region
of Azerbaijan near the Iranian border.
Ilham Amiraslanov, a civil society activist with the Kur Civil Society
group, remains in detention following his arrest on 8June on charges
of possession of arms and ammunition. Amiraslanov has reported that
the weapon was planted on him by police, who had also carried out
acts of torture against him. The Kur Civil Society co-ordinator,
Otgay Gulaliyev, was released on 13 June 2012 after two months in
pre-trial detention on hooliganism charges. Gulaliyev is facing up
to three years in jail as the charges against him still stand.
Avaz Zeynalli, the Editor-In-Chief of Khural newspaper, who is
currently on trial on trumped-up charges of extortion and bribery,
based solely on the unsubstantiated claim by a parliamentary deputy.
He faces up to 12 years in prison if convicted.
Other journalists and activists remaining in detention or jail in
connection with exercising their right to freedom of expression,
include Anar Bayramli, Ramin Bayramov, Vugar Gonagov, Zaur Guliyev,
Ilham Suleymanov, Aydin Janiyev and Taleh Khasmammadov, along with
activist Shahin Hasanli and human rights defender Vidadi Iskenderov who
were arrested during the March and April 2011 pro-democracy protests
in Baku
(Article 19).
From: A. Papazian