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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/
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/