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AZERBAIJAN WARMS UP FOR EUROVISION BY TORTURING MUSICIANS
Shaun Walker
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/azerbaijan-warms-up-for-eurovision-by-torturing-musicians-7580619.html
Thursday 22 March 2012
Amnesty International
Fresh doubts have been raised about the suitability of Azerbaijan
to host May's Eurovision Song Contest, as it emerged that two local
musicians who insulted the country's president during a concert may
have been tortured by police over recent days.
The problems began when Jamal Ali, 24-year-old frontman of the band
Bulustan, criticised President Ilham Aliyev and his late mother during
a concert at an opposition rally on Saturday in the capital, Baku.
After an argument with the organisers, he was dragged away by police
along with Natiq Kamilov, another band member, and a third man.
A court charged the three men with hooliganism and sentenced them to
10 days in detention. During the hearing the two men said they had
been beaten by police, and were refused contact with their families
or lawyers.
Amnesty International called on the Azerbaijani authorities to launch
an independent investigation yesterday. "It's deeply ironic that
only two months before Baku takes the world stage for Eurovision,
Azerbaijani authorities are using force to break up and silence
musicians performing at a peaceful protest on the city's streets,"
said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty's Director for Europe and Central Asia.
Azerbaijan sees the song contest as an opportunity to showcase the
economic growth of the country, and has poured millions into ensuring
the event goes smoothly.
However, as the contest approaches, the arrest of the musicians is
just the latest worrying sign of the heavy-handed way in which Mr
Aliyev's autocratic regime deals with dissent.
Earlier this month, a sex video of an opposition journalist who claimed
to have uncovered corruption in Mr Aliyev's family appeared online. She
said she had been told to stop writing or the video would be put
online. She went public with the threat and the video was released.
Shaun Walker
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/azerbaijan-warms-up-for-eurovision-by-torturing-musicians-7580619.html
Thursday 22 March 2012
Amnesty International
Fresh doubts have been raised about the suitability of Azerbaijan
to host May's Eurovision Song Contest, as it emerged that two local
musicians who insulted the country's president during a concert may
have been tortured by police over recent days.
The problems began when Jamal Ali, 24-year-old frontman of the band
Bulustan, criticised President Ilham Aliyev and his late mother during
a concert at an opposition rally on Saturday in the capital, Baku.
After an argument with the organisers, he was dragged away by police
along with Natiq Kamilov, another band member, and a third man.
A court charged the three men with hooliganism and sentenced them to
10 days in detention. During the hearing the two men said they had
been beaten by police, and were refused contact with their families
or lawyers.
Amnesty International called on the Azerbaijani authorities to launch
an independent investigation yesterday. "It's deeply ironic that
only two months before Baku takes the world stage for Eurovision,
Azerbaijani authorities are using force to break up and silence
musicians performing at a peaceful protest on the city's streets,"
said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty's Director for Europe and Central Asia.
Azerbaijan sees the song contest as an opportunity to showcase the
economic growth of the country, and has poured millions into ensuring
the event goes smoothly.
However, as the contest approaches, the arrest of the musicians is
just the latest worrying sign of the heavy-handed way in which Mr
Aliyev's autocratic regime deals with dissent.
Earlier this month, a sex video of an opposition journalist who claimed
to have uncovered corruption in Mr Aliyev's family appeared online. She
said she had been told to stop writing or the video would be put
online. She went public with the threat and the video was released.