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Amnesty International: Azerbaijan To Host European Games Amid Widesp

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  • Amnesty International: Azerbaijan To Host European Games Amid Widesp

    AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: AZERBAIJAN TO HOST EUROPEAN GAMES AMID WIDESPREAD AND RELENTLESS REPRESSION

    13:15, 03 Mar 2015
    Siranush Ghazanchyan

    Threats, physical violence and the imprisonment of government critics
    have become the hallmark of the Azerbaijan regime as the country
    prepares to host the first European Games, said Amnesty International
    in a new report released today, 100 days before the opening ceremony.

    Guilty of Defending Rights: Azerbaijan's human rights defenders and
    activists behind bars highlights the mounting persecution of government
    critics, detained under false charges, beaten and threatened and
    deprived of urgent medical care and lawyers.

    "No-one should be fooled by the glitz and glamour of the international
    show Azerbaijan is putting on to portray a squeaky-clean international
    reputation and attract foreign business. Its authorities are among the
    most repressive in Europe and would certainly be on the medal winning
    podium if prizes were on offer for the number of activists and rights
    defenders behind bars," said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International's
    Director for Europe and Central Asia.

    At least 22 prisoners of conscience are currently languishing in
    prison or in detention in Azerbaijan awaiting trial following trumped
    up charges ranging from fraud and embezzlement to abuse of drugs and
    even treason.

    In June 2014 President Aliyev stated in his address to the
    Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) that freedom
    of expression, association and assembly are assured in Azerbaijan.

    However, prominent human rights defenders spoke of a different
    reality, detailing more than 90 instances of harassment, intimidation,
    arbitrary arrest and politically motivated charges against human
    rights defenders, journalists and others daring to criticize the
    Azerbaijani government. The response of the authorities was swift;
    within a matter of weeks, those who had given their testimony to the
    Parliamentary Assembly were arrested, one after another.

    "These latest arrests have effectively paralysed civil society and
    closed the lid on freedom of expression - marking the nadir of the
    country's human rights record since independence," said John Dalhuisen.

    Leyla Yunus, a 60-year-old human rights defender and one of the most
    outspoken and high profile critics of the government, was arrested
    in July 2014 - a few days after calling for a boycott of the Games
    because of the regime's dire human rights record.

    Leyla Yunus told her lawyer that a warden dragged her from her cell
    to an empty room where she was thrown on the ground and kicked. On
    another occasion a group of men made sexually threatening gestures
    towards her. She has spent the last six months in prison awaiting
    trial where the harsh conditions have aggravated her health problems.

    She suffers from diabetes and hepatitis C.

    Leyla Yunus was charged with treason, conducting illegal business,
    tax evasion, abuse of authority, fraud and forgery. These trumped up
    and politically motivated charges were the result of new regulations
    brought in by the government to allow them to arbitrarily shut down
    NGOs and imprison their leaders.

    Crackdown on journalists

    The authorities have intensified a crackdown on journalists critical
    of the government. Award-winning investigative journalist, Khadija
    Ismayilova, was detained on 5 December 2014 on an implausible charge
    of inciting a former colleague to suicide.

    Khadija had published a list of political prisoners and was also
    investigating claims of links between President Aliiyev's family and
    a lucrative construction project in Baku. She previously received
    anonymous threats that intimate photos of herself, believed to have
    been taken by government officials covertly at her home, would be
    published if she did not abandon her work.

    Trumped up drug and hooliganism charges against youth activists

    The authorities also target critical and outspoken young activists,
    accusing them of drug-related offences or hooliganism. The allegations
    used to secure their arrest are highly questionable and questioning
    by the police focused on their political views.

    Faraj Karimov, a popular blogger, claimed that he was beaten by
    police to make him admit to drug-related charges. He was threatened
    that unless he signed a "confession", police would "cause problems
    for his parents" by planting weapons at their house.

    Violence is also rife in detention. Orkhan Eyyubzade, a 19-year-old
    pro-democracy activist who was serving a 20-day administrative
    detention for participating in an "unauthorized" peaceful gathering,
    was viciously attacked by two policemen. He told his lawyer that police
    forced him to lie on his stomach, handcuffed his hands behind his back,
    tore off his underwear, punched and kicked him and threatened to rape
    him with a bottle. No effective investigation into these allegations
    has been carried out. Instead, he himself was accused of assaulting
    police officers and sentenced to two years' imprisonment.

    "With their eyes on Azerbaijan's petro-dollars, the international
    community has been remarkably silent about the country's repressive
    tactics and human rights violations. This is horribly short-sighted
    and a deep disservice to those currently languishing behind bars,"
    said John Dalhuisen.

    Amnesty International is calling on the Azerbaijani authorities to
    immediately and unconditionally release all prisoners of conscience and
    to fully and impartially investigate all allegations of ill-treatment
    by state and non-state actors. Amnesty International further calls
    on the authorities to cease from threatening and criminally charging
    people for exercising their freedom of expression and association.

    http://www.armradio.am/en/2015/03/03/amnesty-international-azerbaijan-to-host-european-games-amid-widespread-and-relentless-repression/

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