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LEZGHIN: STATEMENT BY UNPO GENERAL SECRETARY
Brussels, 13 August 2013
UNPO General Secretary Marino Busdachin urges the authorities of
Azerbaijan to abide by international standards and release prisoners
from the Lezghin community recently arrested on highly questionable
charges.
The Lezghin people are an ethnic group residing predominantly in
Dagestan and Azerbaijan, lacking a legal status which would secure
their rights as a distinct historical community and nation in the
territory of their traditional residence.
All of the three prisoners arrested are related to Federal Lezghin
National and Cultural Autonomy (FLNKA) officials, suggesting the
apprehensions are part of Azerbaijan's political agenda to silence
pro-Lezghin activities. This is in light of Azerbaijan's presidential
election scheduled in October, which will almost guarantee the
re-election of President Aliyev, whose family has been in power since
the 1960s.
Eldar Mamedov, who is an Azeri citizen, was arrested in the town of
Oguz on 28 July 2013. He was seized by men in plainclothes without
warning and explanation. Later, authorities stated they "discovered
drugs" belonging to the detainee and he was subsequently accused
of possession of illegal substances. Mr Mamedov is a respected
businessman who has no history dealing with drugs, while the Azeri
authorities often employ this tactic of drug planting in order to
arrest political dissidents. Therefore, the claims made by the Azeri
authorities should be challenged.
Similarly, Javid Babaev, a Russian citizen and nephew of the FLNKA
president, Mr. Arif Kerimov, was detained by the Azeri Department for
Fighting Extremism on 6 August 2013 as he and his family were visiting
his parents in Baku. Drugs were reportedly planted in his possession
which led to charged being pressed. In this process, the Azeri
authorities have neglected Mr Babaev's rights as a foreign national,
as they failed to notify Russian authorities of their actions.
On 9 August 2013, Tariel Sarkarov, who is the brother of FLNKA
Executive Direction Amil Sarkarov, was arrested when he travelled
from his native Russia to Azerbaijan to visit relatives. He has been
detained due to the accusation that his brother is "undertaking
anti-Azerbiajan activities," and has been held in custody without
the ability to contact his relatives.
FLNKA President Arif Kerimov cut short his travels to Europe in order
to address the problem, stating that "peoples' rights protection
unfortunately cannot do without victims."
UNPO urges the Azeri authorities to cease the arbitrary arrests and
imprisonment of Lezghin individuals and their families, as such actions
are threatening the principles of democracy and self-determination.
- See more at:
http://www.unpo.org/article/16277#sthash.YXwtaNbV.pfgTItJ8.dpuf
Brussels, 13 August 2013
UNPO General Secretary Marino Busdachin urges the authorities of
Azerbaijan to abide by international standards and release prisoners
from the Lezghin community recently arrested on highly questionable
charges.
The Lezghin people are an ethnic group residing predominantly in
Dagestan and Azerbaijan, lacking a legal status which would secure
their rights as a distinct historical community and nation in the
territory of their traditional residence.
All of the three prisoners arrested are related to Federal Lezghin
National and Cultural Autonomy (FLNKA) officials, suggesting the
apprehensions are part of Azerbaijan's political agenda to silence
pro-Lezghin activities. This is in light of Azerbaijan's presidential
election scheduled in October, which will almost guarantee the
re-election of President Aliyev, whose family has been in power since
the 1960s.
Eldar Mamedov, who is an Azeri citizen, was arrested in the town of
Oguz on 28 July 2013. He was seized by men in plainclothes without
warning and explanation. Later, authorities stated they "discovered
drugs" belonging to the detainee and he was subsequently accused
of possession of illegal substances. Mr Mamedov is a respected
businessman who has no history dealing with drugs, while the Azeri
authorities often employ this tactic of drug planting in order to
arrest political dissidents. Therefore, the claims made by the Azeri
authorities should be challenged.
Similarly, Javid Babaev, a Russian citizen and nephew of the FLNKA
president, Mr. Arif Kerimov, was detained by the Azeri Department for
Fighting Extremism on 6 August 2013 as he and his family were visiting
his parents in Baku. Drugs were reportedly planted in his possession
which led to charged being pressed. In this process, the Azeri
authorities have neglected Mr Babaev's rights as a foreign national,
as they failed to notify Russian authorities of their actions.
On 9 August 2013, Tariel Sarkarov, who is the brother of FLNKA
Executive Direction Amil Sarkarov, was arrested when he travelled
from his native Russia to Azerbaijan to visit relatives. He has been
detained due to the accusation that his brother is "undertaking
anti-Azerbiajan activities," and has been held in custody without
the ability to contact his relatives.
FLNKA President Arif Kerimov cut short his travels to Europe in order
to address the problem, stating that "peoples' rights protection
unfortunately cannot do without victims."
UNPO urges the Azeri authorities to cease the arbitrary arrests and
imprisonment of Lezghin individuals and their families, as such actions
are threatening the principles of democracy and self-determination.
- See more at:
http://www.unpo.org/article/16277#sthash.YXwtaNbV.pfgTItJ8.dpuf